EP 178 | The Top-10 Greatest Chess Tournaments Ever

In this episode of Dojo Talks, we rank and debate the 10 greatest chess tournaments of all time — from historic classics like London 1851, Hastings 1895, and St. Petersburg 1914 to legendary modern events featuring Kasparov, Fischer, Tal, Topalov, and more.

Joined by ChessNerd, the Dojo team breaks down:

Kasparov’s breakout at the Soviet Championship 1981

The birth of international chess tournaments at London 1851

Pillsbury’s stunning win at Hastings 1895

The controversial 1948 World Championship tournament

Steinitz and the rise of positional chess in Vienna 1873

Topalov’s dominant run at San Luis 2005

Fischer’s emergence at the Portorož Interzonal

Tal’s shocking victory in the 1959 Candidates Tournament

From early romantic-era events to brutal Soviet-era candidates and modern super tournaments, we debate what truly makes a tournament great: strength of field, historical impact, legendary games, and cultural significance.

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00:05 – Ranking format and guest intro

01:25 – Kasparov breakout at Soviet Championship 1981

04:13 – London 1851 and early tournament history

07:16 – Hastings 1895 and Pillsbury’s rise

10:10 – World Championship tournament 1948 debate

12:26 – Steinitz and positional chess in Vienna 1873

15:41 – Topalov’s run at San Luis 2005

18:10 – Fischer emerges at Portorož Interzonal

23:29 – Candidates 1959 and Tal’s ascent