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 one of the world's largest tournaments.
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 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, has grown from five to 25 disciplines, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030. With a total prize pool of $60 million and a points system rewarding top-eight finishes across all disciplines, teams are strategically diversifying their rosters to maximize their chances of winning.
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 hailed 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, joined Aurora Gaming, excited by chess's EWC inclusion.
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- Ding Liren (LGD): The Chinese grandmaster (FIDE Ranking: 17) joined LGD, a legendary esports club, despite a recent setback.
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- Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid): American grandmaster (FIDE Ranking: 2) signed a three-year deal with Team Liquid, strengthening their chess lineup.
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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): The French grandmaster (FIDE Ranking: 22) joined Vitality, a prominent French esports organization.
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- Volodar Murzin (AG Global Esports): The 18-year-old (FIDE Ranking: 70), a recent World Rapid Championship winner, signed with AG Global Esports.
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- Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik (NAVI): NAVI significantly expanded its chess roster with these three grandmasters (FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively).
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