Grandmasters Enter the Esports Arena: How Chess Joined Forces with Top Teams
February's esports landscape saw a seismic shift with top chess players signing with major esports organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren will now compete alongside established esports professionals in one of the world's largest tournaments.
Table of Contents
- Why the Chess Player Recruitment?
- Who Signed Where?
- Magnus Carlsen
- Ian Nepomniachtchi
- Ding Liren
- Fabiano Caruana
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
- Volodar Murzin
- Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
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Why the Chess Player Recruitment?
The simple answer: chess becomes an official Esports World Cup (EWC) discipline in 2025, boasting a $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, is the premier global esports championship. Initially featuring only five disciplines, it's expanded to 25, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030. With a $60 million total prize pool and a points system rewarding top-eight finishes across all disciplines, teams are strategically securing chess talent to maximize their overall standings.
Who Signed Where?
- Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid): The 16-time World Champion (FIDE Ranking: 1) joined Team Liquid, calling it the "biggest and best esports organization." Team Liquid's Co-CEO Steve Arhane lauded Carlsen as the "greatest chess player of all time."
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- Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora): Russia's top player (FIDE Ranking: 9), known for his rapid chess prowess, signed with Aurora Gaming, excited about the EWC's chess inclusion.
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- Ding Liren (LGD): The Chinese grandmaster (FIDE Ranking: 17) joined LGD, a legendary Chinese esports club, despite a recent setback in his title match.
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- Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid): American grandmaster Caruana (FIDE Ranking: 2) signed a three-year deal with Team Liquid, strengthening their chess roster.
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- Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons): The five-time U.S. Champion and Twitch star (FIDE Ranking: 3) brings significant name recognition to Team Falcons.
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- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Vitality): French grandmaster Vachier-Lagrave (FIDE Ranking: 22) joined Vitality, a prominent French esports organization.
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- Volodar Murzin (AG Global Esports): The 2024 World Rapid Championship winner (FIDE Ranking: 70) signed with AG Global Esports, bolstering their rapid chess capabilities.
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- Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik (NAVI): NAVI added grandmasters So (FIDE Ranking: 11), Abdusattorov (FIDE Ranking: 6), and Botnik (FIDE Ranking: 166) to their EWC chess team.
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