The Pulse of the Candidates Tournament Beats in Cyprus
On the second day of the ChessBase team’s journey at the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, the focus is not only on the moves played on the board, but also on the atmosphere surrounding the world’s strongest players. The day begins, as the report jokingly suggests, in the gym: because even covering an event of this intensity requires serious energy. While the players move in silence behind closed doors, balancing opening preparation, opponent analysis and rest, spotting them in everyday settings proves harder than expected. Spread across the wide spaces of a five-star resort, along the coastline, in cafés and tucked-away corners, the grandmasters form the hidden face of the tournament.
This search takes the ChessBase crew to the rugged yet striking coastline of Cyprus, all the way to the famous Edro III shipwreck. With waves crashing against the rocks and the wind cutting through the air, they come across two familiar figures from the chess world: Anish Giri and Jan Smeets. Moments like these are a reminder that elite chess is often perceived only through variations, standings and live broadcasts, while behind the scenes there is a much more human and everyday story unfolding. A grandmaster’s walk during a tournament day can mean clearing the mind, regaining balance, or quietly sharpening focus for the next round.
Another of the day’s most striking stops is the VIP area at the venue. There, attention immediately turns to the two trophies: one destined for the winner of the Open Candidates and the other for the champion of the Women’s Candidates Tournament. For now, they carry only expectation, pressure and possibility; but within days, they will be tied to names that will enter chess history. At an event as high-level as the Candidates, every half-point, every preparation idea and every psychological detail can be decisive. That is why even the silent presence of the trophies is enough to convey the tension of the tournament.
Yet the picture in Cyprus is not defined by competition alone. Later in the day, the crew joins a traditional Cypriot Easter celebration. Music, dancing, laughter and the liveliness of the crowd provide a vivid contrast to the mentally demanding atmosphere of the tournament. This colorful island culture hosts one of chess’s fiercest battles while also offering players, teams and spectators a space to breathe. The final walk back to the players’ venue at day’s end feels almost like a grandmaster’s ritual: quiet, measured, inward-looking, and already mentally preparing for the critical moments of the next round. As ChessBase says with a humorous touch, the claim that anyone who watches the video carefully will gain at least 20 Elo is clearly a joke; still, seeing the great stage of chess from behind the scenes is genuinely instructive for anyone who wants to understand the game more deeply.