1931
International Tournament Bled–Ljubljana
World Champion Alexander Alekhine wins ahead of Flohr and Bogoljubov.
Nearly a Century of Chess
Bled’s Rich Chess History
World champions, legendary tournaments, national teams and generations of chess players have all left their mark on Bled. Scroll through some of the moments that shaped one of Europe’s most recognisable chess destinations.
Timeline
1959
Candidates Tournament (Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade)
Grandmaster Mikhail Tal shines on his way to becoming World Champion.
1961
Jubilee International Tournament Bled
Triumph for Tal; the young Robert James Fischer impresses with his play.
1980-2000
International and Open Tournaments
Bled regularly hosts strong open tournaments and team competitions.
2002
The 35th Chess Olympiad — Bled, Slovenia
The world’s elite gathers — 225 teams from 100 countries.
2017
Visit of the Legendary Judit Polgar
The Bled Chess Festival is opened by the greatest female chess player of all time.
2018
World Senior Chess Championship
Bled hosts the best veteran chess players in the world.
International Tournament
1931
Bled Enters the International Chess Stage
Bled International Tournament, 1931
Bled’s international chess story began in remarkable fashion. In 1931, the town welcomed one of the strongest tournaments of its era.
World Champion Alexander Alekhine dominated the event without losing a game, establishing Bled as a destination capable of hosting chess at the highest level.
Scroll to explore
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The Story Continues
Respect the History.
Build the Future.
From world champions to Olympiad teams and a new generation of festival participants, chess has repeatedly returned to Bled. Our ambition is to make the next chapter just as memorable.
From the Archive
More Moments from Bled’s Chess History
Miguel Najdorf watching the game between Mikhail Tal and Bobby Fischer · Bled, 1961
Slovenian teams at the 35th Chess Olympiad · Bled, 2002