Six chess players representing all six inhabited continents are scheduled to travel to Antarctica and the Geographic South Pole to compete in the Polar Chess Expedition, a rapid chess tournament designed to set a world record as the southernmost chess tournament in history, according to Chess.com. The event is scheduled to take place during a 12-day window from January 24 to February 4, 2027, during the Antarctic summer season, as reported by The Herald.
The Polar Chess Expedition and Record Attempt
The tournament field is led by English Grandmaster Nigel Short, who serves as FIDE’s Director for Chess Development and is noted for challenging for the World Chess Championship in 1993 against Garry Kasparov, as detailed by Yahoo Finance. Short initiated the concept after remarking in an interview that he had won tournaments on six continents with Antarctica being the only one missing. Aung Kyaw Moe then worked with national chess federations across all six continents to turn the idea into a FIDE-rated tournament.
The Six-Player International Field
The six competitors representing the inhabited continents and their respective FIDE ratings are:
- GM Nigel Short (England, Europe) — Rating: 2594
- CM Aung Kyaw Moe (Myanmar, Asia) — Rating: 2158
- WIM Jesse February (South Africa, Africa) — Rating: 2010
- WFM Damaris Abarca Gonzalez (Chile, South America) — Rating: 1996
- FM Shaun Press (Papua New Guinea, Oceania) — Rating: 1922
- WCM Tris-Ann Richards (Saint Lucia, North America) — Rating: 1701
Jesse February, a Gqeberha-born chess champion, expressed pride in representing Africa, stating, To be the representative for Africa in a FIDE-rated event at the South Pole is a profound honour and I am incredibly proud.
Shaun Press noted the unique conditions of the competition, remarking, Chess has taken me to some strange places over the years. This might be the first one where the biggest opponent isn’t across the board; it’s the weather,
according to Chess.com.
Logistical Journey and Environmental Criticism
Reaching the playing venues requires a complex journey. Participants will take a private charter flight from Cape Town, South Africa, directly into Antarctica’s interior, traveling approximately 4,220 kilometers (about 2,622 miles) across the Southern Ocean in roughly five and a half hours, as outlined by The Herald. From there, players will board a Basler BT-67, a small turboprop aircraft designed for remote polar operations, for an additional seven-and-a-half-hour flight to the Geographic South Pole.
The tournament will be played across multiple locations, opening with early rounds on the Antarctic ice before culminating at 90° South. Every round is planned to be broadcast live, though exact time controls and tournament formats remain to be finalized. The expedition has faced criticism from detractors over its carbon footprint, with critics suggesting that Short could perform equally well with a simultaneous display, as reported by The Guardian. Meanwhile, organizers stated that the event is privately financed by anonymous sponsors interested in promoting the game rather than seeking public recognition.
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