Thalia Holmes | |
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![]() Holmes in 2025 | |
Country | England |
Born | 2004 (age 20–21) |
FIDE rating | 1719 (September 2025) |
Thalia Holmes (born 2004) is an English chess player. She won the inaugural series of the BBC Two competition Chess Masters: The Endgame in 2025.
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Holmes played chess from a young age and first represented England aged ten. [2] Holmes attended Haberdashers’ Adams School in Newport and was a member of the Newport Chess Club. [3] She studies history at university. [4]
In 2022, Holmes was the winner of the under-18s Shropshire Megafinal of the UK Chess Challenge. [5] She admires Latvian chess grandmaster Mikhail Tal. [6]
In 2025, Holmes participated in the inaugural series of the BBC Two competition Chess Masters: The Endgame. [7] [6] Her nickname on the show was "The Tactician," due to her aggressive and tactical style of play. [8] She won the show, beating "The Strategist" Richie Kelly in the final game. [1] [9] [10]
Holmes is a transgender woman and has said that she participated in the show to improve the representation of women and trans people in chess. [8]