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

February's esports scene saw a flurry of high-profile signings as top chess players joined major esports organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren will now compete alongside established esports 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

Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?

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The answer is simple: Chess debuts as an official Esports World Cup (EWC) discipline 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 games (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO) as part of the Gamers8 festival, the EWC has expanded to 25 disciplines. Saudi Arabia aims to become the global esports hub by 2030.

The 2025 EWC (June-August) offers a massive $60 million prize pool. Teams earn points based on top-eight finishes across all disciplines, influencing overall standings. To maximize their chances, teams need strong representation in all areas, including chess.

Who Signed With Whom?

Magnus Carlsen

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• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 1
• The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, calling it the world's best esports organization. Team Liquid's Co-CEO, Steve Arhane, 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 about chess's EWC inclusion and the ambitious 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 lineup 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. Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura boosted Team Falcon's roster.

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
• Eighteen-year-old Volodar Murzin, a 2024 World Rapid Championship winner, signed with AG Global Esports.

Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

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• Team: NAVI
• FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th
• NAVI added grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik to their EWC chess division.