Karel Van der Weide is a Dutch chess Grandmaster and one of the top Dutch chess players. He was born in Amsterdam on August 11, 1973. Van der Weide achieved the FIDE (International Chess Federation) title of Grandmaster in 1998. In addition to his chess career, he is also a writer and commentator.
Over the years, he has competed in several Dutch Chess Championships, winning twice, and played for the Dutch national team in the Chess Olympiads five times. Van der Weide has also played in several European Club Cup tournaments, boosting his international presence in chess.
As a writer, van der Weide published his book ‘Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer & Karel van der Weide - Schaakmat’ in 2011. He contributed his experiences and recollections to the book along with notable Dutch poet and novelist Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer. He is also known for his chess columns in the Dutch newspaper, De Volkskrant.
Even after retirement, van der Weide remains engaged in the field, organizing tournaments, commenting on games, and providing chess lessons.