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 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 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 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, influencing overall standings. To maximize their chances of winning, teams are actively recruiting chess players.

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 club LGD added Ding Liren to their roster.

Fabiano Caruana

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• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 2
• Team Liquid further strengthened their chess presence with a three-year contract signing of Fabiano Caruana.

Hikaru Nakamura

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• Team: Team Falcons
• FIDE Ranking: 3
• The five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch streamer brings significant star power to Team Falcons.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

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• Team: Vitality
• FIDE Ranking: 22
• The French grandmaster 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
• 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

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• Team: NAVI
• FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th
• NAVI expanded their chess roster with the signings of Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik.