February saw a seismic shift in the esports world as top chess grandmasters joined major esports organizations. Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren, among others, are now poised to compete alongside Dota 2 and CS:GO professionals in one of the globe's largest tournaments.
Table of Contents
- Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
- Who Signed With Whom?
- Magnus Carlsen
- Ian Nepomniachtchi
- Ding Liren
- Fabiano Caruana
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
- Volodar Murzin
- Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
The answer is simple: 2025 marks chess's debut as an official discipline at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, boasting a massive $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, is the premier global esports championship. Initially featuring just five disciplines (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO) as part of the Gamers8 festival, it has expanded dramatically to encompass 25 disciplines. Saudi Arabia's ambitious goal is to become the "global hub of esports" by 2030.
Scheduled from June to August 2025, the EWC offers a staggering $60 million prize pool. A crucial element is the overall standings system, where teams earn points for top-eight finishes across all disciplines. To maximize their chances of winning, teams need strong representation in every discipline, including chess.
Who Signed With Whom?
Magnus Carlsen
- Team: Team Liquid
- FIDE Ranking: 1 The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, expressing excitement about partnering with what he considers the world's leading esports organization. Team Liquid's Co-CEO, Steve Arhane, hailed Carlsen as the "greatest chess player of all time."
Ian Nepomniachtchi
- Team: Aurora
- FIDE Ranking: 9 Russia's top chess player signed with Aurora Gaming. Known for his rapid chess prowess (including a 3rd-place finish at the 2024 World Rapid Championship), Nepomniachtchi welcomed chess's inclusion in the EWC.
Ding Liren
- Team: LGD
- FIDE Ranking: 17 Despite a recent setback, the legendary Chinese esports club LGD added Ding Liren to their roster for the Esports World Cup.
Fabiano Caruana
- Team: Team Liquid
- FIDE Ranking: 2 Team Liquid further strengthened their chess lineup with a three-year contract signing of American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.
Hikaru Nakamura
- Team: Falcons
- FIDE Ranking: 3 Five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura joined Team Falcons, significantly boosting their team's profile.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
- Team: Vitality
- FIDE Ranking: 22 French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent French esports organization known for its success in CS:GO and Valorant.
Volodar Murzin
- Team: AG Global Esports
- FIDE Ranking: 70 Eighteen-year-old Volodar Murzin, victorious at the 2024 World Rapid Championship, signed with AG Global Esports, strengthening their rapid chess capabilities.
Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
- Team: NAVI
- FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively NAVI expanded their chess division by signing grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik for the EWC.
