The Champions Chess Tour (CCT) is a series of elite online rapid chess tournaments organized by Chess.com. It was established in 2020 by the Play Magnus Group and became part of Chess.com’s portfolio following its acquisition of the company in 2022.
History
The Champions Chess Tour began in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With over-the-board events canceled worldwide, World Champion Magnus Carlsen launched the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, a series of elite tournaments held entirely online.
In 2021, the series was rebranded as the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour following a sponsorship agreement with Norwegian software company Meltwater. The season featured ten events spread over nearly a year and attracted many of the world’s top players.
Editions and winners 2020: Magnus Carlsen 2021: Magnus Carlsen 2022: Magnus Carlsen 2023: Magnus Carlsen 2024: Magnus Carlsen 2025: The top twelve players qualified for the Esports World Cup 2025–2026: Twelve players qualified for the Esports World Cup
Notes
References