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

February's esports scene witnessed a flurry of high-profile signings as top chess players joined prominent esports organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren will now compete alongside established Dota 2 and CS:GO professionals in one of the world'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

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Why the Chess Recruitment?

The answer is simple: Chess will debut as an official Esports World Cup (EWC) discipline in Riyadh in 2025, boasting a $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, is the premier global esports championship. Initially featuring only five disciplines, it has expanded to 25, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030.

With a $60 million prize pool and a points-based system rewarding top-eight finishes across all disciplines, teams are strategically diversifying their rosters. To maximize their chances of winning, a strong chess presence is now vital.

Who Signed With Whom?

Magnus Carlsen

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• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 1
• The sixteen-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, calling it a perfect fit for his global recognition. Team Liquid's Co-CEO hailed 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 Gaming, excited by 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 legendary Chinese esports club 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 division with a three-year contract signing of American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.

Hikaru Nakamura

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• Team: Team Falcons
• FIDE Ranking: 3
• Five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura boosted Team Falcons' lineup.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

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• Team: Vitality
• FIDE Ranking: 22
• French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent French esports organization.

Volodar Murzin

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• Team: AG Global Esports
• FIDE Ranking: 70
• Volodar Murzin, fresh from his 2024 World Rapid Championship win, signed with AG Global Esports.

Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

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