Russian Grandmaster Yan Nepomniachtchi, a two-time World Chess Championship finalist and one of the world’s top players, will compete in the International Masters Championship in Jerusalem from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.
His participation is seen as a major boost for the event, which will offer $140,000 in prize money—one of the largest purses ever for an Israeli chess tournament.
Nepomniachtchi, 35, is among the world’s highest-ranked players and one of the most recognizable figures in chess.
Born in Bryansk, Russia, to a Jewish family, he learned the game at the age five and went on to win multiple European youth titles.
He later earned gold medals with the Russian national team at the Chess Olympiad and rose to global prominence after qualifying for the 2021 World Championship match against Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. In 2023, he again reached the finals, finishing second to China’s Ding Liren.
Israel Chess Federation Chairman Zvika Barkai welcomed the news, saying Nepomniachtchi’s arrival “adds a historic dimension to the event” and will help elevate the championship “to an even higher level.”
The Jerusalem competition is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Israel Chess Federation.
Twelve top international players—including members of Israel’s national team—will take part. Israeli participants will also have a chance to compete for the $27,000 Tolchinsky Prize.
Several additional global chess stars are expected to arrive in Israel for the tournament, including India’s Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion; Peter Svidler, an eight-time Russian champion and five-time Olympiad gold medalist; and India’s Arjun Erigaisi, currently ranked fourth in the world and considered one of the strongest rising talents.
The event will be held at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem under the theme “Tolerance and Unity.”
A preliminary tournament, the Jerusalem Open Rapid Chess Championship, will run Nov. 26–27 at the Ramada Hotel, featuring 450 players from 35 countries. The top two will earn spots in the Masters field.
