9 Amazing Chess Photos From 2024

Last year was amazing for surprising chess events, but not all the drama happened over the board at a tournament. Fortunately, chess photographers were ready to record the action. Do you remember these dramatic chess scenes?

Gukesh Realizes He Is New Champion 

“I love my job,” WGM Maria Emelianova (better known as PhotoChess on social media) tweeted as she shared a group of photos that she had taken on the final day of the 2024 FIDE Chess World Championship.) The most amazing one is GM Gukesh Dommaraju holding his face in his hands in relief after achieving his lifelong goal. 

Shock of Ding’s Blunder

A hard-fought championship match has to have a loser. In game 14, former world champion GM Ding Liren blundered on his 55th move that permitted Gukesh to liquidate into a winning pawn endgame. It was a mistake that shocked the chess world. Afterward Ding confessed, “I was totally in shock when I made a blunder.” His reaction after recognizing the blunder tells the complete story.

I was totally in shock when I made a blunder.
—Ding Liren

Live Audience Watches Carlsen-Niemann In Paris

For the first time ever, the Speed Chess Championship had in-person finals with a live audience that watched the games played during the three days in Paris. Perhaps overshadowing the title match on the third day was the semifinal match on the first day between GMs Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, which the world number-one won 17.5-12.5. 

Carlsen and Neimann Clash Again In New York

Meeting in Paris was just a prelude to another clash between the two GMs. Several weeks after the Speed Chess Championship was held, Carlsen and Niemann met again, this time in New York City at the 2024 World Blitz Championship. The confrontation was again recorded by camera. (Stay tuned for future meetings over the board. The two GMs may battle again in Paris in 2025 at the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.)

Carlsen’s Jeans Attract 12 Million Views

What do players wear when they play chess? No one pays attention except for the jeans that Carlsen wore in New York in December. After round seven of the World Rapid Chess Championship, Carlsen received a $200 fine for wearing jeans, and when given an ultimatum to change before round nine or not be paired, he refused. The photo of his outfit of the day (OOTD) that he tweeted attracted more than 12 million views.

Wemby Wants To Play Chess

Is it a photo op when an NBA all-star shows up in a public place to play chess? You bet. In late December, Victor Wembanyama (nicknamed "Wemby"), a professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs, tweeted to his 371,000 X/Twitter followers that he was in Washington Square of New York City and wanted to play chess. Almost 40 people showed up to take him on. The photo that he tweeted later of the gathering has been seen more than 7 million times.

Carlsen Again, This Time Lost

Carlsen seems to be a prime target for chess photos, even more so when running late for a game. In September, he arrived on a bike in the rain to the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest. He thought he'd lost his game by forfeit because he couldn't find the entrance to the venue and had no badge. Fortunately, he was rescued by a chess photographer who is everywhere and got him inside the venue with four minutes to spare before his game began.

Double Gold As Indian Teams Conquer Olympiad

India totally dominated the 2024 Budapest Olympiad by winning gold in both Open and Women’s sections. As the nation with the best combined performance in both sections, India was awarded the trophy named after legendary GM Nona Gaprindashvili. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, China in 2018 is the only other team to achieve double gold.

Eye-Popping Move

At the 2024 World Rapid Team Championship, 39 teams participated, and each team was loaded with the stars of chess. When Carlsen was battling GM Daniil Dubov, a spectacular piece sacrifice was played that caught the attention of at least one well-known player, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, as you can tell from his eyes (see photo at the top). Fortunately, a photographer was ready with her camera.

The sacrifice was made by Dubov, who wound up losing because Carlsen navigated the complications better and went on to give a picturesque checkmate by the end. What was so spectacular about this game? Follow along below.