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

February's esports landscape saw a seismic shift with top chess players joining major organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren will compete alongside established esports professionals in the Esports World Cup (EWC).

Table of Contents

• Why the Chess 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 Recruitment?

The answer is simple: chess becomes an official EWC discipline in 2025, boasting a $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, has grown from five to 25 disciplines, 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 enhance their overall standings.

Who Signed Where?

Magnus Carlsen

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

Ian Nepomniachtchi

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• 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

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• Team: LGD
• FIDE Ranking: 17
• Despite a recent setback, the Chinese esports giant LGD added Ding Liren to their EWC roster.

Fabiano Caruana

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

Hikaru Nakamura

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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