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Grandmasters Enter the Esports Arena: How Chess Joined Forces with Top Teams

Mar 03,25(1 years ago)
Grandmasters Enter the Esports Arena: How Chess Joined Forces with Top Teams

February's esports landscape saw a seismic shift with top chess grandmasters signing with major esports organizations. Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren are poised to compete alongside established esports professionals in the Esports World Cup (EWC).

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

Chess Esports CupImage: x.com

Why the Chess Player Recruitment?

The driving force behind this influx of chess talent is simple: chess's 2025 debut as an official EWC discipline in Riyadh, boasting a $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, has grown exponentially from its initial five disciplines (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO) to encompass 25, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030.

With a $60 million prize pool and a points-based overall standings system (top eight across all disciplines), teams are strategically diversifying their rosters to maximize their chances of winning. Last year's victory by Team Falcons highlights the importance of broad representation.

Who Signed Where?

Magnus Carlsen

Magnus CarlsenImage: x.com

  • Team: Team Liquid
  • FIDE Ranking: 1
  • The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, viewing it as a perfect partnership given his global recognition. Team Liquid's co-CEO lauded Carlsen as the greatest chess player of all time.

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Ian NepomniachtchiImage: x.com

  • Team: Aurora Gaming
  • FIDE Ranking: 9
  • Russia's top chess player joined Aurora, excited about chess's EWC inclusion and the ambitious esports project.

Ding Liren

Ding LirenImage: x.com

  • Team: LGD
  • FIDE Ranking: 17
  • The Chinese esports powerhouse LGD added Ding Liren to their roster despite his recent title match loss.

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano CaruanaImage: x.com

  • Team: Team Liquid
  • FIDE Ranking: 2
  • Team Liquid further strengthened their chess presence with a three-year contract for American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.

Hikaru Nakamura

Hikaru NakamuraImage: x.com

  • Team: Team Falcons
  • FIDE Ranking: 3
  • The five-time U.S. champion and Twitch star brings significant star power to Team Falcons.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Maxime Vachier-LagraveImage: x.com

  • Team: Vitality
  • FIDE Ranking: 22
  • French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent esports organization known for its success in CS:GO and Valorant.

Volodar Murzin

Volodar MurzinImage: x.com

  • Team: AG Global Esports
  • FIDE Ranking: 70
  • Volodar Murzin, winner of the 2024 World Rapid Championship, signed with AG Global Esports, strengthening their rapid chess capabilities.

Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander BotnikImage: x.com

  • Team: NAVI
  • FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively.
  • NAVI significantly expanded their chess division by signing these three grandmasters for the EWC.
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