Chess is becoming a member of the 2025 Esports World Cup subsequent summer season with an unimaginable $1.5M prize pool, and legendary Grand Grasp Magnus Carlsen will function the sport’s ambassador.
The Esports World Cup is including one of many world’s oldest video games to its lineup for its 2025 iteration subsequent summer season.
Magnus Carlsen, one of many best chess gamers of all time, can also be becoming a member of the occasion as an envoy to assist join chess to the broader esports group.
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“This partnership is an unimaginable alternative to develop the sport, by introducing chess to new audiences and provoking the following era of gamers,” he mentioned. “Being a part of the esports household is a tremendous alternative for chess to broaden its attain to an enormous group of esports followers.”
Esports World Cup Basis CEO Ralf Reichert mentioned including chess to the lineup was a “actually thrilling second.”
“It’s the proper instance of how video games evolve: from boards to screens, the core competitors stays the identical. Chess’s wealthy historical past, international enchantment, and thriving aggressive scene make it an ideal match for our mission to unite the world’s hottest video games,” he boasted.
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How will chess work within the Esports World Cup?
The Esports World Cup occasion is a part of a partnership with the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) and shall be used to find out who qualifies for the finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Format-wise, matches shall be performed beneath the speedy 10+0 chess format, which means video games shall be ten minutes lengthy with no time increments. That is designed to supply a fast tempo and nonetheless let gamers’ expertise shine by way of on the board.
“You will notice in quicker video games, there shall be a variety of swings, fast-paced actions,” Carlsen defined.
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An Armageddon sport will function a tie-breaker if wanted. In Armageddon guidelines, Black can win a sport by drawing. Nevertheless, White begins with extra time on the clock.
In February and Might, there shall be two on-line occasions with a mixed $300K prize pool, with the 12 high gamers within the CCT being invited to the EWC Chess match.
The 4 remaining spots shall be determined in a Final Probability Qualifier in Riyadh. The LCQ shall be open to each beginner {and professional} gamers.
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The 16 gamers will then battle for the crown between July 31 and August 3, 2025 and their share of the massive $1.5M prize.
