Chess Grandmasters Join Esports Teams

February saw the esports world abuzz with major signings as top chess players joined prominent esports organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren are now poised to compete alongside Dota 2 and CS:GO professionals at the Esports World Cup (EWC), one of the largest global esports 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?

The answer is simple: 2025 marks chess's debut as an official discipline at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, 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 (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO) as part of the Gamers8 festival, the EWC has expanded significantly to encompass 25 disciplines. Saudi Arabia's ambitious goal is to become the "global hub of esports" by 2030.

Scheduled from June to August 2025, the EWC offers a massive $60 million prize pool. Crucially, the competition utilizes an overall standings system, awarding points to clubs for top-eight finishes across all disciplines. Last year, Team Falcons emerged victorious. To maximize their chances of winning, teams are strategically recruiting players across all disciplines, including chess.

Who Signed With Whom?

Magnus Carlsen

• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 1 The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, expressing excitement about partnering with what he calls "the biggest and best esports organization in the world." Team Liquid's Co-CEO, Steve Arhane, hailed Carlsen as the "greatest chess player of all time."

Ian Nepomniachtchi

• Team: Aurora
• FIDE Ranking: 9 Russia's top chess player, known for his rapid chess prowess (including a third-place finish at the 2024 World Rapid Championship), joined Aurora Gaming, enthusiastic about chess's inclusion in the EWC.

Ding Liren

• Team: LGD
• FIDE Ranking: 17 Despite a recent setback in his title match, legendary Chinese esports club LGD welcomed Ding Liren to their roster for the Esports World Cup.

Fabiano Caruana

• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 2 Team Liquid further strengthened its chess lineup by signing American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana to a three-year contract.

Hikaru Nakamura

• Team: Team Falcons
• FIDE Ranking: 3 Five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura joined Team Falcons, significantly boosting their roster.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

• Team: Vitality
• FIDE Ranking: 22 French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent French esports organization known for its success in CS:GO and Valorant.

Volodar Murzin

• Team: AG Global Esports
• FIDE Ranking: 70 Eighteen-year-old 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

• Team: NAVI
• FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively. NAVI expanded its chess division by signing grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik for the EWC.