The High 10 Chess Games of 2025

It’s time to recollect probably the most outstanding chess video games of 2025. Some memorable classical occasions gave us magnificent video games, similar to the standard Tata Steel Chess event, the FIDE Grand Swiss, and the FIDE World Cup, to call three of the principle ones. But we’ll see on this listing that fast video games may also produce distinctive content material. Three of the chosen video games have been performed at an accelerated time management. This might displease some purists, however I imagine that the fantastic thing about concepts is extra essential than a very good execution, and I’m sure that fast video games additionally deserve cautious research, particularly since sooner time controls are a development in fashionable chess.

As all the time, selecting solely 10 video games was very tough. In 2025, until I’m mistaken in my calculations, I analyzed 226 video games for the Game of the Day part of the event recaps on Chess.com. I had a number of hours of enjoyable reviewing these video games to decide on those which deserved to on this best-of listing. In these video games we discover spectacular sacrifices, nice opening preparation, bloody battles, assaults the place a king dances in the course of the board, unique checkmate concepts.

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A Few Spoilers

All the video games have been performed by sturdy GMs, which is pure, because it’s from these gamers that we count on the most effective motion. One of the best prodigies in chess historical past is on the listing. Only one participant has two successful video games—and I believe it’s extremely tough to guess who. The remaining rating is 5 wins for White and 5 for Black, however curiously all the the highest three resulted in a win for the second participant. 

One final remark that I hope will additional develop your urge for food to begin studying: In this text, the most effective was really saved for final. Something I had little doubt about, proper from the start, was which recreation must be primary. It’s a elegant masterpiece, sufficient to deliver tears to the eyes, and I contemplate it top-of-the-line video games ever.

My suggestion is that the reader calmly overview every of those video games, savoring not solely the strikes performed, but additionally the evaluation. In some circumstances, what occurred behind the scenes is much more stunning than what occurred on the board. Enjoy!

10. Van Foreest 0-1 Abdusattorov, Tata Steel

Our first recreation is a pleasant battle between two gamers identified for his or her combating spirit. They begin a giant combat proper from the opening and the result’s a recreation of assault, protection and counterattack. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov plays with machine-like precision to take the point in the end. A suggestion for coaches: the position that occurs in the middlegame is the type that legendary coach IM Mark Dvoretsky liked to use as an initial position for two students to face each other in a training session, one where many difficult moves need to be found by both sides.

9. Harikrishna 1-0 Warmerdam, Tata Steel

Next is another game played at Tata Steel Chess, and that’s not a coincidence. This is one of my favorite tournaments, and I’m certainly not alone in this opinion, as the organizers take special care in inviting players committed to entertaining the spectators. In the introduction, I mentioned that only one player had two winning games in the list, and here’s the mystery revealed: it’s the veteran GM Pentala Harikrishna, who had an excellent performance in 2025. Although this is a relatively short game, a lot happens: an important opening for development of theory; many complications, despite the absence of queens; creative attacking and defensive moves; a devastating attack and a pretty final mating theme.

8. Giri 0-1 Aravindh, Prague Chess Festival

India today is to chess what Brazil once was to soccer: a breeding ground for stars. GM Aravindh Chithambaram started the year with excellent results, although unfortunately he slowed down in the second half. In this game, he faces one of the best players of 2025, whom I consider to be one of the favorites in next year’s Candidates Tournament. Not only that, but GM Anish Giri is very solid and rarely loses, especially with the white pieces. This gives an idea of the extraordinary feat achieved by Aravindh, even more so considering how it happened, with sacrifices and a brilliantly-conducted use of the initiative.

7. Harikrishna 1-0 Nesterov, FIDE World Cup

The time has come for  Harikrishna’s second game on the list. This victory had great impact on social media, and the reason is simple: everyone loves a game with a positional queen sacrifice. Some may argue that the sac was the result of home preparation (a topic that will be addressed again later), but preparation alone isn’t enough. It takes courage to play like this in the decisive game of one of the most important tournaments of the year. Fortune favors the brave, and Harikrishna was rewarded with a beautiful victory that will be remembered for a long time.

6. Firouzja 1-0 Caruana, Global Chess League

This is one of the two games played in December that made it onto the list at the last minute. It’s also one of the three games played at a rapid time control. It features two of my favorite chess players. GM Alireza Firouzja, a fearless attacker, is always ready to throw his pieces at the opponent’s king, whether in a rapid or a classical game, in a casual tournament or the most important event of the year. And GM Fabiano Caruana, one of the all-time best, has a classical and universal style and excellent opening preparation.

Here, we see a Dragon Sicilian with the traditional castling on opposite sides, with both players going on the attack in a race to see who gets there first, full of surprising moves and positions that are useful for calculation training.

5. Dubov 1-0 Meier, FIDE World Cup

Another game played in a rapid time control, but still of great sporting importance, as it decided qualification in one of the World Cup stages. GM Daniil Dubov is one of the great artists of opening preparation, unafraid to employ gambits that have been carefully studied. Here he faces GM Georg Meier, known for a very well-studied, more conservative repertoire. This battle of styles has an air of romantic chess, reminiscent of the great games of the late 19th century. Black managed to solve the opening problems, but an error at the end allowed a beautiful finish.

4. Giri 1-0 Wei, Global Chess League

Another rapid game played in December that deserved a place on the list. This time Giri is on the winning side. He had a brilliant performance in 2025, qualifying for the Candidates Tournament and showing that he could even become world champion. Giri is known for having a solid style, but this time his fantastic opening preparation (another of his trademarks) leads him to an attacking position. It’s important to highlight that the victim is himself a great attacking player: the Chinese GM Wei Yi, who also qualified for the Candidates Tournament. Once again, some may object that much of this game was prepared at home, but in this case it seems to me to be an added merit: imagine the extraordinary level of preparation required to have so much analysis in such a rare line. Perhaps even more incredible is having such a good memory to remember all the details.

I wonder what Giri will show us in more conventional variations during the Candidates Tournament. It’s worth pointing out that not everything was decided with preparation: it was also necessary to find good moves over the board to carry out this work of art, undoubtedly one of the best games of the year.

3. Tran 0-1 Saleh, FIDE World Cup

Finally we’ve reached the podium, and given the level of the games that didn’t make it this high on the list, you can probably guess that something truly special is needed to be among the top three. Third place goes to another game in the Sicilian Defense with castling on opposite sides, fertile ground for drama and brilliance.

For quite some time, it seems that White’s attack will arrive first, but never underestimate the power of Black’s counterplay in the Sicilian. The game ends with a beautiful and surprising mating idea. GM Salem Saleh loves complicated games and it’s worth remembering that he won the silver medal on last year’s list, thanks to his unforgettable win as Black against GM Vladimir Fedoseev. I wonder if he will again be present in the list of 2026’s best games.

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2. Aditya 0-1 Erdogmus, FIDE Grand Swiss

The silver medal recreation was received by a prodigy, who none apart from GM Magnus Carlsen called the best 14-year-old player the world has ever seen. It’s a bold statement, but hard to disagree with after looking at the results and games of the young Turkish GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus in 2025. His participation in the Grand Swiss was nothing short of sensational, and his best game is extraordinary, with great tactical complications and a mouth-watering finish involving a queen sac as the opponent’s king is forced to dance across the board.

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1. Praggnanandhaa 0-1 Rapport, UzChess Cup

Finally we have reached the gold medal, the most effective recreation of 2025. Would or not it’s an exaggeration to say this is among the best video games ever, or at the least top-of-the-line of the twenty first century? It has many parts to be thought of as such: the sufferer is an elite participant (who may even change into the world champion) with the white items; the chosen protection is the King’s Indian, one of the most beloved; there’s a cascade of extremely difficult sacrifices that rivals GM Garry Kasparov’s best games in the same opening.

On top of all that, the game is by GM Richard Rapport, one of the most creative players in the world elite. As I wrote in the introduction, from the very beginning of the article’s conception, that phase where I think of all the games that can make the list, I was already absolutely certain which one I would choose as the number one. I hope you enjoy this game as much as I do.

What do you think the best game of 2025 was? Do you agree with Rafa’s list? Let us know in the comments!