Another year has gone by, and chess keeps getting bigger and bigger! Coming from a sequence of record-breaking years for chess, it was hard to believe that 2025 could be even better. But after a year of dramatic events, newsworthy viral moments, and awe-inspiring games, 2025 did not disappoint.
2025 was a year of noteworthy “firsts” in the chess world. Starting with the multi-million-dollar Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, which attracted the world’s best players in a series of dazzling events. Fast forward a few months, and we all got to witness chess’s debut at the Esports World Cup, the largest international esports event in the world.
Mainstream media never really forgot about chess either. Even before the year started, the JeansGate scandal made headlines around the world. Add to that tables being slammed and kings being tossed, and you’ll soon realize that the chess elite has made sure they gave us something to talk about during dinner parties.
Absolute Cinema by @GMHikaru🔥
Edit: @ram_abhyudaya#chess #chessbaseindia #gukesh #hikarunakamura pic.twitter.com/5TJV81WYgM
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) October 5, 2025
And of course, we can’t forget the big role you, the chess community, had this year! Just four months into the year, and 143,564 joined the Magnus vs. The World match to break the record for the biggest chess game in history. But it only took a few more months for our amazing community to break the record again, with more than 223,000 players joining the GothamChess vs. The World match.
And now, it’s time for you to decide the best of 2025. This is your chance to celebrate everything that made this an unforgettable year in chess. From standout creators and iconic moments to the games that left you speechless, take a moment to relive the highlights of the year and make your voice heard by voting in the 2025 Chess.com Awards!
By casting a vote in every category, you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win one of 10 Diamond memberships awarded at random. The prizes include one one-year, four six-month, and five three-month Diamond memberships.
Voting closes on December 31, so don’t miss the opportunity to participate. Submit your votes and help us celebrate the best of 2025!
This year, you can vote for 10 categories—including the revised Photo of the Year award. Check out all the categories below:
- Player of the Year: Awarded to the player with the strongest overall performance this year
- Woman Player of the Year: Awarded to the top-performing woman player of the year
- Creator of the Year: Honoring the creator who delivered the most impact, innovation, and reach across the chess community
- Game of the Year: Celebrating the most extraordinary game played this year
- Move of the Year: Recognizing the single most remarkable move of the year—no matter how the rest of the game went
- Rising Star of the Year: Awarded to the best player aged 18 or younger
- ChessKid of the Year: Awarded to the top-performing player aged 13 or younger
- Commentator of the Year: Honoring the person who most clearly and engagingly explained the action during live events
- Book of the Year: Celebrating the best chess book published this year
- Photo of the Year: Highlighting the most striking, memorable, or iconic chess photo captured this year
You can check our Chess.com Awards guide to learn more about each category and the requirements for electing nominees, as well as all the previous winners.
