Archive · 18 Jan 2026
Climate Protests Delay Tata Steel Chess
Some people who care about the environment wanted to make a big statement.
They dumped a lot of coal near a chess tournament to try and delay it.
The organizers of the chess tournament, called the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, said they respect people's right to protest.
The tournament is a big event where chess players from all over the world come to play and have fun.
The protesters wanted to use the coal to show their concerns, but the organizers are focused on making the event a success.
The protest caused a delay of about an hour and a half, but the tournament eventually started.
The protesters hung a banner that said 'No Chess on a Dead Planet' to get people's attention.
Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion dumped 2,025 kg of coal and chained themselves to the gates, delaying the Tata Steel Chess Tournament by 1.5 hours.
The protest included a banner reading 'No Chess on a Dead Planet' and was aimed at raising awareness about climate change.
The tournament organization respected the right to protest but appealed for the event to proceed safely and undisturbed.
The tournament featured notable Indian players such as Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Aravindh Chitambaram, and Vedant Panesar.
The organizers apologized to the players for the delay and acknowledged the importance of the right to demonstrate in the Netherlands.
- Who
- Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion and the Tata Steel Chess Tournament organization
- What
- Protesters dumped 2,025 kg of coal and chained themselves to the gates to delay the tournament
- When
- During the opening weekend of the tournament on Saturday
- Where
- In the vicinity of the playing venue in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
- Why
- To express concerns about climate change and potentially delay the event
- Event
- Tata Steel Chess Tournament
- Location
- Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
- Protest Material
- 2,025 kg of coal
- Protesters' Goal
- Delay the tournament
- Tournament Type
- International sporting and cultural event
- Delay Duration
- 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Protest Group
- Extinction Rebellion
Sources
First Time in Chess History: Protesters Dump 2,025 kg of Coal to Delay Tata Steel Tournament
Tata Steel Chess 2026: Round 1 delayed by a few hours on opening day for this unusual reason
Climate activists’ protests hold up opening round of Tata Steel Chess tournament
VIDEO: Protestors Dump 2025Kg Coal At Tournament In Amsterdam Citing Pollution
'No Chess On Dead Planet': Activists Dump 2025 Kg Coal Outside Tata Steel Chess Tournament Venue | Netherlands
