GM Anish Giri highlighted the challenge of promoting chess in the Netherlands in a ChessBase India interview. For the first time in GCT history, both Giri and Jorden van Foreest compete as main tour participants — van Foreest previously appeared at the tour as a wildcard only.

GM Anish Giri

GM Anish Giri

Dutch GM (2767), Top-6 in the World

The most remarkable thing this year for me, is that we have first time in history at Grand Chess Tour that 2 Dutch participants, [Jorden Van Foreest and Anish Giri] playing as main tour participants… Which is really cool thing for Dutch Chess.

Honestly, promoting chess in Netherlands probably the hardest tasks that I have come across in my life. I dont know what has to happen that people will start getting excited about chess. But I think having two Tour participants we are on the right track and it is really cool

The GCT Super Chess Classic Romania 2026 takes place at the National Bank of Romania, Bucharest, from May 14 to 23. Ten players from 7 countries compete in a single Round-Robin with 90+30 time control for the first 40 moves and 30+30 for the rest. The second event of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour follows the Super Rapid & Blitz Poland, won by GM Fabiano Caruana in Warsaw. The 2025 edition of the Classic was won by GM Praggnanandhaa R.

Photo: Lennart Ootes