Total Chess Names Broadcast Team for Budapest Pilot
The organisers announced commentators and a highlights show ahead of the November 10 to 20 pilot event in Budapest, Hungary.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in eSports
The Total Chess World Championship Tour will hold a pilot tournament in Budapest, Hungary, from November 10 to 20, featuring 24 players including World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Organisers announced a broadcast team of Anna Rudolf, Fiona Steil-Antoni, David Howell and Jovanka Houska, along with a highlights show hosted by Levy Rozman, known as GothamChess.
Why it matters
The pilot is designed to test the tournament format and broadcasting arrangements before a planned global season. Madland said the new broadcast format is part of efforts to attract a wider audience to the event.
The pilot field is 24 players contesting Blitz, Rapid and Fast Classic formats between November 10 and 20. The announcement does not specify viewership targets or how format performance will be measured.
The players
Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen is the World No. 1 chess player and a leading figure in the sport, competing in the Budapest pilot field.
Levy Rozman
Levy Rozman, known as GothamChess, is a popular chess educator and content creator who will host the Total Chess highlights show.
Total Chess World Championship Tour
The Total Chess World Championship Tour is a chess competition conceptualised by Norway Chess and sanctioned by FIDE, piloting its format in Budapest.
The details
The Budapest event will be held at the Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel and is sanctioned by FIDE, with the Total Chess World Championship Tour conceptualised by Norway Chess. Commentary and coverage will be provided by Anna Rudolf, Fiona Steil-Antoni, David Howell and Jovanka Houska, while GothamChess will host a new Total Chess highlights show alongside the main broadcast.
Timeline
November 10 to 20, 2026: Total Chess pilot tournament in Budapest, Hungary
March 2027: Planned start of the inaugural Total Chess global season
Season Trajectory
The Budapest pilot is a test run for the inaugural Total Chess global season planned for March 2027 under FIDE sanction. Its outcome will indicate whether the multi-format structure is ready to scale into a sanctioned international tour.
Fans following the event can watch the main tournament broadcast with commentary from Anna Rudolf, Fiona Steil-Antoni, David Howell and Jovanka Houska. The GothamChess highlights show will provide condensed coverage across the 11-day event.
The takeaway
The Budapest pilot offers an early look at how Total Chess formats and broadcasts may perform before a global season launches. Readers can track the event's coverage to see how the structure develops.
What happens next
The inaugural Total Chess global season is planned to begin in March 2027, following the Budapest pilot.
Further reading
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