The U10 world champion in 2004, U20 in 2013, Chinese champion in the same year, and current No.2 in his country has never broken the glass ceiling that would take him all the way to the top, but he's never been far from it (2765 Elo in 2018). Currently, he is ranked 19^th in the world. With his accumulated experience, he will be a tough nut to crack, especially for the young, hungry, and lurking wolves.    

Elo std: 2702
Rapid: 2714
Blitz: 2719

After Nihal Sarin (2021) and Gukesh (2022), it is now the reigning Indian champion who will highlight the phenomenal pool of prodigies from the Eastern cradle of civilization in Biel. From February to October 2022, he rose from 2633 Elo points to 2728 in only a few months. He suffered a slight decline this winter but is expected to be on the rise again by July, and the Watch City could be a milestone on that path.   

Although the No. 1 spot in Romania was taken away from him by Richard Rapport's change of federation, the unassuming young man, who earned his GM title at the tender age of 14, could use the opportunity to make a name for himself! After his development was slowed down by the restrictions related to the Covid affair, we hope he can give it new impetus this summer in Biel!   

The tournament's relentless youngest, yet the No. 1 player in Germany, is returning to Biel to try to place himself in a top position that better reflects his immense talent after unsuccessful attempts over the past three years. With an excellent final ranking, the man who masterfully won the Grenke Open at 13 with a record performance rating of 2798 Elo could permanently establish himself among the players with an Elo rating above 2700.

Every year we are happy to host a tournament that not only pits different generations against each other but also brings together players from – almost – all continents. This year, we're filling a gap by finally inviting a pro from Africa in the personable Egyptian, whose years of experience at this level will put the other players to the test. 

Czech Republic

The Czech gentleman, crowned European Blitz Champion at the end of last year, will be the oldest participant in the tournament when he returns to Biel. Still, he, who peaked at 2751 Elo in 2016, will pose a great challenge to the others. As an uncompromising player, he will not only make life difficult for the participants, but his presence will also guarantee that we will see exciting games that will be different from the usual paths. 

Although he suffered a setback this spring, the French No.4 seems to have used the forced break of the last two years to prepare himself to finally unleash the incredible talent that the experts have always said he has but which has yet to really emerge. Between April and December 2022, he earned 54 Elo points. We wish him to keep up this momentum and cause a surprise in July!