Thalia Holmes

Thalia Holmes is an English chess player. She won the inaugural series of the BBC Two competition Chess Masters: The Endgame in 2025.

Biography

Holmes played chess from a young age and first represented England aged ten. Holmes attended Haberdashers’ Adams School in Newport and was a member of the Newport Chess Club. She studies history at university.
In 2022, Holmes was the winner of the under-18s Shropshire Megafinal of the UK Chess Challenge. She admires Latvian chess grandmaster Mikhail Tal.
In 2025, Holmes participated in the inaugural series of the BBC Two competition Chess Masters: The Endgame. Her nickname on the show was "The Tactician," due to her aggressive and tactical style of play. She won the show, beating "The Strategist" Richie Kelly in the final game.
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.