February's esports scene saw a flurry of high-profile signings as top chess grandmasters joined major esports organizations. Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren are now poised to 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
Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
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The answer is simple: 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, is the premier global esports championship. Initially featuring only five games (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO), it's expanded to 25 disciplines, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030.
The EWC, running June-August 2025, offers a massive $60 million prize pool. Teams earn points based on top-eight finishes across all disciplines, maximizing the importance of diverse team rosters. This strategic shift necessitates chess representation for a strong overall team ranking.
Who Signed With Whom?
Magnus Carlsen
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- Team: Team Liquid
- FIDE Ranking: 1
- The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, excited to be part of a leading esports organization. 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, enthusiastic about 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 Chinese esports powerhouse 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. Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura joined Team Falcons, boosting their team's profile.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
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- Team: Vitality
- FIDE Ranking: 22
- French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent esports organization known for its success in CS:GO and Valorant.
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, strengthening their rapid chess capabilities.
Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
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- Team: NAVI
- FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th
- NAVI significantly expanded their chess lineup by signing grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik for the EWC.
