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The entire Esports scene is about to get revolutionized as chess as a competitive game is going to be played at the Ewc 2025 for the first time. This is a generation-defining moment as the clear boundaries between traditional and modern gaming competitions are being erased by this single move.

Going head-to-head with games like Valorant or League of Legends, the world’s best chess players are going to show up in the tournament to compete for a prize pool of $1.5 million. You can’t afford to miss this one, as arguably the greatest player of this sport, Magnus Carlsen, will be there to compete from Team Liquid’s corner.

With Ewc 2025 getting bigger as a spectacle this year, you might want to know everything about it, including the schedule, list of players, etc. To help with that, here’s your complete guide for chess at Esports World Cup this year.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 group stage is nearing the Esports World Cup 2025. With a total of sixteen teams, all will be fighting to stay on top and cash in the $600,000 first prize. There are hefty prizes for other positions too, but only one can take the biggest prize.

Be it Faze Clan or Vancouver Surge, all have some of the best players in the world. So, who has the highest chances to take the grand prize? Well, that can’t be said for sure, as the tournament hasn’t begun yet. However, we can highlight some of the best ones by looking at their past performances.

Ranking the 10 Best Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Pros at Esports World Cup 2025

If you’re tuning into Esports World Cup 2025 to watch some high-pressure Call of Duty Black Ops 6 pro plays, we’ve got some players you should look forward to.

Do...

Competitive gaming has always been a core part of the industry, allowing the whole genre to transform itself into a sport rather than just a means of entertainment. To celebrate the very excellence of gaming as a sport, The Esports Awards was first held back in 2016, and they now make their 10th appearance this year at Riyadh, celebrating a decade of the best video games, and the people surrounding it, whether it be players or casters.

Associated with the Esports World Cup this year, the Esports Awards will have nominations not in the time frame of just a year, but of the whole past decade this time around, and you can vote for your favorite nominations from today and every day until the 11th of August, 2025.

Everything You Need to Know About The Esports Awards 2025 The Esports Awards 2025 celebrated a decade of greatness this time around | Esports Awards 2025

In the past decade,...

Exclusive: The Esports World Cup Foundation is partnering with global sports marketing agency Img for the second edition of its international championship running in the Saudi capital of Riyadh from July 7 to August 24.

Unfolding in Riyadh’s Boulevard City entertainment district, the 2025 Esports World Cup (Ewc) will welcome 2,000 elite players from 200 clubs hailing from 100 territories.

Img will provide broadcast production, content strategy, global rights management, and international distribution via Sntv, a joint venture with The Associated Press.

The deal includes the production of two-hour show Ewc Spotlight which will broadcast live Friday through Sunday every championship weekend from a custom-built studio in the heart of Boulevard City.

Hosted by UK sports presenters Hugh Woozencroft and Rachel Stringer, it will blend esports highlights, entertainment and pop culture features, behind-the-scenes access, around 60 celebrity appearances, and educational segments.

It kicks off with a special premiere on Thursday, featuring a live performance by U.

Did you know that the word “checkmate” derives from a Persian phrase that translates to “the king is helpless”? That’s a fact you can learn from Duolingo — and soon, you’ll be able to use the app to learn how to find a checkmate, too.

The company known for its language-learning courses and its memetic owl mascot is expanding with a series of lessons that will introduce newcomers to the world of chess. The 550-year-old game has been enjoying a glow-up of late, and Duolingo wants to be part of the movement.

Revived interest in chess has been sparked by creators on YouTube and Twitch, who have introduced the game to a new generation of players. Chess’ recent introduction at the Esports World Cup came with a $1.5 million prize pool, and chess masters are striking gold by streaming the game themselves.

The increasing size of the internet’s chess...

Earlier this month, a handful of the world’s greatest chess players gathered in an event space located in the lush greenery of Paris’ Bois de Vincennes.

The spectacle was part of an ambitious vision to make chess into more of a spectator sport, a new tournament called Freestyle Chess, which is holding Grand Slam events around the world, tweaking the rules of the game, and letting the players showcase their personalities and creativity on the chess board.

Only one player emerged victorious: The world’s top player, Magnus Carlsen, who defeated Hikaru Nakamura to secure the Paris Grand Slam title.

“It felt like I never gave him any chances,” Carlsen said after the victory.

Carlsen also happens to be a co-founder of Freestyle Chess, which is looking to engage both chess aficionados, as well as amateurs new to the game.

“We still have a long way to go, but...

On Monday 14 April 2025, BBC Two broadcasts Chess Masters: The Endgame!

Season 1 Episode 6 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Chess Masters: The Endgame” promises to be an exciting one. Scheduled to air on BBC Two, this episode features the four remaining players from the second heat. As the competition heats up, these skilled chess players will face a unique challenge that tests not only their strategic thinking but also their memory.

In this episode, the players will tackle a memory puzzle set by none other than Magnus Carlsen, the world number one chess player. Known for his exceptional skills and deep understanding of the game, Carlsen’s involvement adds an extra layer of intrigue. The puzzle is designed to push the contestants to their limits, requiring them to recall important moves and strategies under pressure.

As the players attempt to solve the memory puzzle, viewers can expect to see a mix of tension and excitement.

In the upcoming episode of “Chess Masters: The Endgame,” viewers can expect an intense showdown as the competition heats up. The sixth episode, airing on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 8:00 Pm on BBC Two, will feature the four remaining players from the second heat. These talented contestants have battled hard to reach this point, and the stakes are higher than ever.

This week, the players will face a unique challenge: a memory puzzle set by none other than chess superstar Magnus Carlsen, the world number one. Known for his incredible skills on the chessboard, Carlsen brings a new level of excitement to the competition. The memory puzzle will test not only the players’ chess strategies but also their ability to recall critical information under pressure.

As the episode unfolds, viewers will witness the players’ determination and creativity as they tackle the challenge. The tension in the room will be palpable, and...

On Monday 24 March 2025, BBC Two broadcasts Chess Masters: The Endgame!

Season 1 Episode 3 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Chess Masters: The Endgame” promises an exciting showdown as the four remaining players from the first heat return to the Great Hall. This episode, airing on BBC Two, will see these talented competitors fight for a coveted spot in the semi-finals.

In a twist that adds an extra layer of challenge, the players will face a memory test designed by the world number one chess player, Magnus Carlsen. This test is sure to put their skills and mental agility to the test, as they must recall various chess strategies and positions under pressure. The stakes are high, and the tension in the Great Hall is expected to be palpable.

As the players prepare for this critical battle, viewers can expect to see intense gameplay and strategic thinking. Each contestant will need to...

Welcome to our rundown of the most-watched branded YouTube videos of the week.

We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.

And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.

Our latest Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report brings back MrBeast, who–as usual–is unchallenged in spot #1. Hard to compete with someone who churns out 66 million views per video–although we will say this total is lower than totals we’ve seen in the past, which have hovered around ~100 million views. Also on the roster this week is Joe Rogan, who’s moved on...

Welcome to our rundown of the most-watched branded YouTube videos of the week.

We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.

And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.

Welcome back to the Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report, where we have quite a week for you. TikTok Live always seems to spawn strange new genres, and Rotten Mango has the #1 video this week with an explainer on the latest. Veritasium, meanwhile, is exploring the nitty-gritty of Google interviews. And Joe Rogan? He’s making yet another appearance…but this time, sponsored by Netflix of all companies.

One of the most well-known and prosperous esports organizations in the world, Team Liquid, has signed chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen to enter the competitive chess scene. With a long list of achievements, including five World Chess titles, five World Rapid Chess titles, and eight World Blitz Chess titles, Carlsen is regarded by many as the greatest chess player of all time.

Chess is now a part of the Esports World Cup. | Credit: esportsworldcup.com.

With a 2833 rating as of this writing, he is currently the top player in the International Chess Federation’s rankings and with his peak rating of 2882, Carlsen holds the record for the highest rating in chess history. This addition will not only strengthen the chances of Team Liquid in the Esports World Cup but will also felicitate the bridge between conventional sports and Esports.

Why did Team Liquid add Magnus Carlsen to its Chess roster? Team Liquid has signed Magnus Carlsen.

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, there’s a new Twitch charity drive joining the Mafiathon, a new channel for a disgraced pop star, and a new rule in chess.

Creator commotion

Shrould raises over $100,000 with month-long Fragathon. The streamer known for playing tactical shooters like Valorant and Counter-Strike is spending the whole month of January raising funds for St. Jude’s. The Fragathon is personal for Shroud; his father passed away from lung cancer about two years ago.

Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network ventures onto YouTube. The Call Her Daddy host has made a play in the podcast world with a media company that partners with popular creators. Unwell is now bringing that operation to YouTube, where a short-form series led by Kierra Lewis is among the initial offerings.

Exclusive: Netflix has turned to one of its most trusted documentary directors to tell the story of the Liver King’s steroid scandal.

The streamer’s Untold franchise has enlisted Joe Pearlman to helm the Liver King film after he directed the Robbie Williams and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now documentaries.

Pearlman’s other credits include HBO Max’s Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts and Bros documentary feature After the Screaming Stops.

Produced by Bitachon 365 and Candle True Stories, the Liver King film will examine the social backlash against the self-styled “primal living” social media guru after he admitted to steroid use.

In 2022, the TikTok star, whose real name is Brian Johnson, issued an apology for taking the body-building drug, something he had repeatedly denied in the past.

“I lied, and I misled a lot of people,” said Johnson, who built an audience of millions...

Aaron Rodgers will be back on the field for an NFL for the first time in a year after tearing his Achilles four snaps into his first game for the New York Jets.

The outspoken quarterback will do it with a Netflix greenlight in his pocket.

The streamer has ordered docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, which will follow Rodgers’ comeback, which kicks off at Levi’s Stadium as the Jets take on the San Francisco 49ers.

The three-part series, which launches on December 17, will also follow the ayahuasca advocate’s life off the field. It is produced by Religion of Sports, Skydance Sports and NFL Films.

In the trailer, which you’ll be able to see above shortly, Rodgers talks about both his approach to quarterback play, as well as the events of that night at MetLife Stadium.

“Listen, I believe in the power of prayer and intention and from the first night this happened,...

One of the NFL’s biggest names is getting the Netflix sports treatment.

Aaron Rodgers, a four-time league Mvp and quarterback of the New York Jets, will be the subject of a three-hour docuseries on the streamer. Aaron Rodgers: Enigma is set to premiere Dec. 17 — eight days before Netflix takes its biggest leap into live sports with two NFL games on Christmas Day (though neither one involves the Jets).

The Rodgers series is one of several sports projects Netflix announced Monday: It has also picked up a third season of Full Swing, which follows golfers on the PGA Tour, and ordered a new slate of documentaries under the Untold banner. Among the subjects for the latter in 2025 will be the notorious locker-room gun incident involving Washington Wizards players Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton; the beef and cheating accusations between chess grandmasters Hans Niemann and Magnus Carlsen; and a steroid scandal...

A24 secures rights for hotly anticipated Robin Hood film starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer at Cannes. The Death of Robin Hood follows an aging Robin Hood seeking redemption after years of crime and battle. A24 expanding into big-budget films with new purchases like The Entertainment System is Down, embracing blockbuster filmmaking.

A24 has snagged the rights for a hotly anticipated action film, in Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer's The Death of Robin Hood. The movie was one of the hottest packages for sale at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and was quickly picked up by A24, the Indie studio behind major hits like Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, and Moonlight. The new movie, which is scheduled to begin production next February, is directed by Michael Sarnoski (A Quiet Place: Day One & Pig).

The new film is reportedly akin to Jackman's portrayal of the aging X-Men icon, Wolverine, in James Mangold's 2017 hit Logan.

Hold on to your butts, Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone are re-teaming for the new movie Checkmate, according to the Hollywood Reporter. It’s an adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s upcoming non-fiction book of the same name, which dives into a 2022 scandal that rocked the chess world.

Fielder and Stone last blew our minds with The Curse, a black comedy at Showtime. This time around Fielder is set to direct while Stone’s Fruit Tree banner will produce. The whole project will be led by A24, which blew away offers from much larger studios with a reported seven-figure guarantee. “I’ve never seen A24 do that before,” THR quotes one insider saying. And what could make A24 this excited?

In 2022, at the St. Louis stop on the Grand Chess Tour, 19-year-old Hans Niemann upset Magnus Carlsen, the 31-year-old world No. 1 and arguably the strongest player of all time. As a...

Back in 2022, world champion chess player Magnus Carlsen quit the Sinquefield Cup pro tournament in St. Louis, Missouri, after a surprising loss to a 19-year-old, Hans Niemann. What started as a speculative drama about why Carlsen quit or how Niemann won in the first place quickly spiraled into accusations of cheating, an unsuccessful legal battle, and what’s considered to be the biggest scandal in chess history. Now, that story is receiving the film treatment at A24.

Emma Stone will produce the cheating scandal film alongside Dave McCary, her husband and production partner.

After more than proving his directing mettle with Nathan For You and The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder entered another echelon with The Curse, helming seven episodes (including the mind-bending finale). Now, the comedian, actor, writer, and director has notched another step in his filmmaking ascendancy with the announcement of his feature directorial debut.

THR reports he’ll reteam with The Curse star and producer Emma Stone and her company Fruit Tree for Checkmate, which A24 has picked up. With Fielder on board to direct and Stone on as producer, the film is an adaptation from a forthcoming book by Ben Mezrich, whose works have been adapted into The Social Network and Dumb Money.

Picked up on a 12-page proposal from Mezrich ahead of the full book, the story spotlights “the biggest scandal in the history of chess, focusing on the generational battle between Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and the young bad boy of chess,...

Emma Stone knows to stick with what is working as she follows up her 2023 projects (which have garnered significant attention) with more from the same collaborators. Stone recently won an Academy Award for her performance in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Lanthimos would also already release a trailer for his next film, Kinds of Kindness, earlier this year and Stone is among the principal cast. Other than Poor Things, last year, Stone would star in a limited series for Showtime with comedic actor Nathan Fielder in a surreal dark comedy called The Curse, which would also feature a collaboration with Benny Safdie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stone will also be reuniting with Fielder for another project with A24. The indie studio that features a bevy of off-beat films has recently had its biggest title with Civil War, and the company played its moves aggressively to beat out bigger studios for Checkmate.

Following the success of The Curse, Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder are again teaming with A24 to produce Checkmate, a movie based on the chess world’s biggest scandal.

Chess can be absorbing subject material for drama, whether it’s a glossy period piece such as Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, or more left-field takes like 2013’s Computer Chess. Perhaps chess movies are like Robin Hood projects: there are always several in development in Hollywood and it becomes a strategic game of, well… erm, chess to see who can put one together first.

The latest chess project is being produced by Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder, and A24 have reportedly spent a seven-figure sum to secure the rights to it. Why the buzz? Well, the film will be based on the biggest scandal the chess world has seen in recent years, dramatising the events of the ‘controversial 2022 head-to-head match between Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen,...

A24 surprised Hollywood by outbidding major studios for a 12-page book outline, spending over half a million per page. Nathan Fielder is set to direct Checkmate, a film about two chess grandmasters, produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary. Ben Mezrich, known for writing books about money and the people who make it, is behind the pricey outline for Checkmate. His work has been adapted into the movies Dumb Money and The Social Network.

A24 surprised everyone in Hollywood on Wednesday, May 1, as they outbid and outplayed Amazon, Warner Bros., Netflix, and Apple to pick up a feature package. A24 supposedly spent seven figures on the rights for Checkmate, but here's the rub it's a 12-page book outline; that's more than $83 thousand paid per page. The Hollywood Reporter spoke to people with knowledge of the deal, writing, "Offers were in the process of being made by the streamers and a...

Following the success of “The Curse,” Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and A24 are teaming up again to take on the cutthroat world of chess.

The studio has won the rights to the hot feature package “Checkmate,” based on a book proposal by author Ben Mezrich, whose works were adapted into “The Social Network” and “Dumb Money.”

The story centers on what has been described as the “biggest scandal in the history of chess,” following the controversial 2022 head-to-head match between Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, then world champion, and Hans Niemann, during which the latter was accused of cheating.

After a competitive situation in which multiple studios and streamers showed interest in the project, A24 nabbed the rights thanks to a reported seven-figure offer. The deals are still in the works, but Fielder is currently attached to direct, with Stone on board to produce with her husband and partner Dave McCary under their Fruit Tree banner.

Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder are getting back together again!

The costars shared the screen for their Showtime series The Curse. Now, they’re set to work together again on a new movie called Checkmate.

Read more about Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder’s collaboration…

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that the duo would be working with A24 on the new movie, which will be about the faceoff between chess legends Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann.

Based on a book proposal by Ben Mezrich, it will highlight the drama of cheating allegations and other behind-the-scenes moments in the world of chess.

It does not appear that Emma and Nathan will star in the project. Instead, the former is expected to produce alongside husband Dave McCary. Meanwhile, Nathan has been tapped to direct.

The outlet noted that their contracts are “still being hammered out.” We’ll update you as we learn more.

A24, operating on its new mandate to act aggressively in the pursuit of projects, just outplayed the Hollywood studios and streamers in order to pick up Checkmate, a hot feature package centered on a book proposal by Ben Mezrich, the author whose books were adapted into films such The Social Network and Dumb Money.

If deals close, Checkmate will reteam Emma Stone with Nathan Fielder, who both adorned the most recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine and the stars of the Showtime series The Curse. Fielder is attached to direct, while Stone will produce along with her husband and partner Dave McCary via the duo’s Fruit Tree banner. It also reunites the pair with A24, which backed The Curse. Sources say the book deal is closing or has closed while the talent deals are still being hammered out.

In true Mezrich fashion, Checkmate sees the author tackling an...

Just a day into the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Netflix has swooped on Ibelin, a new feature doc from Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (The Painter and the Thief), in the first acquisition of the festival.

World premiering in Park City on Thursday afternoon, the title playing in World Cinema Documentary Competition tells the story of Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated existence, later discovering that Mats had long been leading a vibrant digital life that left a profound impact on a community of fellow gamers.

The film takes us on a journey through the breadth of Steen’s adventurous online life, introducing us to Ibelin, his charismatic World of Warcraft persona. Through reconstructed animated moments from his gameplay, narrated entries from his blog and interviews with people who knew him as Ibelin,...

A year after its premiere in Venice, Makbul Mubarak's debut feature “Autobiography” keeps impressing the festival audiences. On the occasion of screening during the Five Flavours Film Festival, we met with the director to delve into the concept of historical trauma and how it affects younger generations who were born into it. We also discuss the complexities of loyalty within Indonesian society, dynamics of power and what it means to be a good person, among other topics.

In the opening sequence of the movie, Rakib is watching a game of chess. But it's not just a game, but the particular match from the important tournament: the world championships' rapid chess game between Viswanath Anand and Magnus Carlsen. I do believe that things like that don't occur in movies without a reason… So what's your reason behind it?

Thank you for catching that. I chose this particular match because it's a battle between two generations.

Hans Niemann, 20, a chess grandmaster, has repeatedly denied the claim that he cheats in over-the-board chess.

In a conversation on Piers Morgan Uncensored, he addressed the specific claims that he cheated with vibrating sex toys. These allegations emerged on social media, although it is unclear the original source of the accusations.

When pressed as to whether he had used such toys as he played, Neumann replied, “Well, your curiosity is a bit concerning, you know – maybe you’re personally interested, but I can tell you, no. Categorically, no, of course not.”

In the 2022 at Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Neimann beat five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen.

In the days that followed his victory, The New York Times reported that Neimann had stated, “They want me to strip fully naked, I’ll do it. I don’t care, because I know that I’m clean. You want me to play in...

Chennai, Sep 3 (Ians) Eighteen-year-old Indian chess Grandmaster (Gm) R. Praggnanandhaa last month became the second Indian after former world champion Gm Viswanathan Anand to enter the Candidates Tournament to be held in Canada next year.

And he did that in style at the recently-concluded Fide World Cup held at Baku, Azerbaijan, knocking out world No. 2 and 3 — Gm Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana of the US, respectively — before going down to world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the final, losing in tie-breaker.

As of now, Praggnanandhaa is keeping Indian hopes for the chess world title alive as the winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge the reigning global chess king China’s Liren Ding.

“Praggnanandhaa can become the world champion in three to five years’ time, if not now,” Gm R.B. Ramesh, the young prodigy’s chess coach, told Ians.

Praggnanandhaa, according to Ramesh, is a balanced person, taking...

New Delhi, August 29 (Ians) The much-awaited Asia Cup Odi cricket tournament is all set to begin with hosts Pakistan taking on first-timers Nepal in Multan on Wednesday (August 30).

In a snap poll conducted by CVoter, around 57 per cent of sports enthusiasts in India in the age group of 18-24 years are of the opinion that Nepal can be a competitor for Pakistan, while those in the age group of 45-54 years are more pessimistic about the same. The survey had a sample size of 1,897.

Most of the respondents believe that Pakistan skipper and star batter Babar Azam can yield good results for his team, while Shadab Khan remains the least favoured among the choices provided.

When asked about Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, middle-aged and the respondents residing in urban areas seemed to be highly familiar with the cricketer, though she is not much popular among the female respondents,...

New Delhi, Aug 24 (Ians) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed young Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa for his runner-up finish at the Fide Chess World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Praggnanandhaa’s sensational run at the prestigious tournament came to an end after he lost to world No.1 Magnus Carlsen in the tie-break after the classical games in the final ended in a stalemate.

“We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the Fide World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals,” Pm Modi wrote on ‘X’, formerly Twitter.

“This is no small feat. Wishing him the very best for his upcoming tournaments.”

–Ians

cs/bsk...

Chennai, August 24 (Ians) Though Indian chess Grandmaster (Gm) R. Praggnanandhaa finished runner-up in the strong Fide World Cup held at Baku in Azerbaijan on Wednesday, the 18-year-old chess prodigy booked his seat in the Candidates Tournament to be held in Canada next year.

In the World Cup final tie-breaker, Praggnanandhaa went down fighting to world No. 1 by rating and former world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

Interestingly, for both the players, it was their maiden World Cup outing with one winning the Cup, and the other finishing second.

With this, Praggnanandhaa, ranked fourth in the world in the juniors’ category, became the first Indian player after former world champion Gm Viswanathan Anand to qualify for the Candidates Tournament, the winner of which will challenge world champion Liren Ding of China.

“It was a very strong performance by Praggnanandhaa throughout the tournament. It was super impressive. He is a very humble...

Chennai, Aug 24 (Ians) World No. 1 chess player by rating, Norwegian Grandmaster (Gm) Magnus Carlsen (32) won the Fide World Cup after defeating Indian prodigy Gm R. Praggnanandhaa (18) in tie-breaker at Baku in Azerbaijan on Thursday.

Former world champion Carlsen clinched the title by winning the first tie-breaker game and then drawing the second one.

In the second tie-breaker, Carlsen with white pieces seemed to be in a hurry to wind up the game soon and went in for Queen exchange at the 17th move.

Soon after, the two players exchanged their bishops. At the end of the 22nd move, both players had four pawns, one rook, knight and a bishop each. The two then signed the peace treaty.

Playing with white pieces in the first game of the tie-breaker, Praggnanandhaa had an advantage in the initial stages and later maintained equality for a large part of the 47-move game.

However, the...

Chennai, Aug 24 (Ians) Eighteen-year-old Indian chess Grandmaster (Gm) R Praggnanandhaa on Thursday was defeated by former World Champion Magnus Carlsen in their first tie-breaker game at the finals of the Fide World Cup being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Playing with white pieces, Praggnanandhaa had an advantage in the initial stages of the game and later maintained equality for a large part of the 47 move game.

However, the Indian player suffered a reversal from the 37th move onwards. At that point of time, the players were left with their two rooks and minor pieces — two knights for Carlsen and a knight and a light coloured bishop for Praggnanandhaa.

The Indian player was also much behind on the clock and resigned on the 47th move.

The two will play one more game and Carlsen needing just a draw to clinch the title while Pragggnanandhaa needs a win to stay in the contest.

Baku (Azerbaijan), Aug 23 (Ians) India’s 18-year-old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa played out a 30-move draw with World No.1 Magnus Carlsen in the second game in their two-game final in the Fide World Cup here on Wednesday, taking the summit clash into the tiebreaker.

Praggnanandhaa, who was held to a draw with white pieces in the first game on Tuesday, held the Norwegian five-time World Champion in Classical Chess to another draw, this time with black pieces, as they remained tied 1-1 after two games.

The second successive draw means, the two players will come back to the board on Thursday to play shorter games in the tiebreaker to decide who wins the World Cup. If he wins, Carlsen will claim his first World Cup title while Prggnanandhaa is hoping to become the youngest winner of the World Cup by claiming his maiden title.

The World Cup final will now be decided...

Baku (Azerbaijan), Aug 23 (Ians) India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa held World No.1 Magnus Carlsen to a second successive draw in their two-game final in the Fide World Cup here on Wednesday, taking the summit clash into the tiebreaker.

Praggnanandhaa, who had played out a draw with white pieces on Tuesday, held the Norwegian five-time World Champion in Classical Chess to another draw, this time with black pieces.

It was a quiet draw as Carlsen could not gain much advantage despite playing with white pieces.

The final will now be decided on Thursday via rapid chess tiebreak games.

–Ians

bsk...

Mumbai, Aug 22 (Ians) The All-India Chess Federation (Aicf) president Dr. Sanjay Kapoor has spoken to Ramessbabu Praggnanandhaa ahead of his Fide World Cup 2023 final clash with World No.1 Magnus Carlsen in Baku and conveyed to him that he not only carries into the final his exceptional skills but also the hopes and aspirations of hopes and dreams of an entire nation.

The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa defeated American World No.3 Fabiano Caruana in tie-breaks in the semifinal to set up a summit clash with the five-time World Champion from Norway.

Kapoor had a telephonic conversation with Praggnanandhaa on Tuesday in which he congratulated him on his victory against Caruana and wished luck to India’s prodigious talent for his clash with Carlsen.

“I had the privilege of speaking to Praggnanandhaa and conveyed to him the immense pride that the entire nation feels for his remarkable achievement. Our hearts are filled with hope...

Chennai, Aug 22 (Ians) The third week of August, 2023 is a week of suspense, excitement and high spirits for India.

On Monday, Indian chess Grandmaster (Gm) R.Praggnanandhaa made the nation’s spirits reach the moon by entering the finals of the Fide World Cup defeating world number 3, the American Gm Fabiano Caruana.

In the process, Praggnanandhaa booked his seat for the Candidates Tournament to be held in Canada next year. The winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge the Chinese Gm Liren Ding, the reigning world champion for the world title.

Now the suspense and excitement is will Praggnanandhaa defeat world number 1, the Norwegian Gm Magnus Carlsen to lift the World Cup?

In one of the earlier rounds, Praggnanandhaa had slayed world number 2 from the US Gm Hikaru Nakamura.

Having already defeated world No. 2 and world No. 3 in the tournament, will Praggnanandhaa be able to defeat the world No.1 is...

New Delhi, Aug 22 (Ians) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday congratulated Grandmaster (Gm) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa for entering the Fide Chess World Cup final.

Praggnanandhaa beat world number 3 American Gm, Fabiano Caruana by 3.5-2.5 in the semifinal tie-break games played at Baku, Azerbaijanand, and will now battle it out against world No. 1 and former world champion Magnus Carlsen for the title.

“18-year-old Praggnanandhaa’s outstanding performance in reaching the finals of the Chess World Cup has elevated the country’s name. We are all proud of this remarkable achievement. Congratulations to them for this impressive performance at such a young age!,” Kejriwal posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Having already defeated world No. 2 and world No. 3 in the tournament, will Praggnanandhaa be able to defeat the world No.1 is the question doing the rounds in chess circles now.

With this win, Praggnanandhaa also qualified to play in the Candidates Tournament, the...

Chennai, Aug 21 (Ians) India’s 18-year old Grandmaster (Gm) R. Praggnanandhaa on Monday entered the Fide World Cup final after defeating world No. 3 by rating, American Gm Fabiano Caruana, in the semifinal tie-break games played at Baku, Azerbaijan.

The final score stood at 3.5-2.5 in favour of the Chennai youngster. After drawing the first two tie-break games, the Indian slayed Caruana in the third game and drew the next one.

The match went into tie-breaker after the players drew their two classical games earlier. In the tie-breaker, the first two games had ended in draw. The young Indian then won the third game.

Praggnanandhaa will now cross swords with world No. 1 and former world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the final.

Having already defeated world No. 2 and world No. 3 in the tournament, will Praggnanandhaa be able to defeat the world No.1 is the question doing the rounds in chess circles now.

Chennai, Aug 21 (Ians) India’s 18-year-old Grandmaster (Gm) R Praggnanandhaa took lead in the tie-break of Fide World Cup semifinal by defeating American Gm Fabiano Caruana at Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday.

After drawing the first two tie-break games, the Indian slayed Caruana, the world No. 3 by rating. Praggnanandhaa is now just a draw away from entering the final where he would cross swords against world No. 1 and former world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

–Ians

vj/arm...

Chennai, Aug 18 (Ians) Chess players and others will be looking at the match between 18-year old Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa (Elo 2707) and American Gm Fabiano Caruana (2782) at the ongoing Fide World Cup at Baku, Azerbaijan.

Whether Praggnanandhaa makes it to the Candidates Tournament – where the winner would challenge the world champion for the world title – is the question that occupies the mind of this mind game players and followers.

As per the International Chess Federation or Fide’s rule, the top three players in the World Cup will qualify for the Candidates Tournament.

And Caruana should be careful because for Praggnanandhaa, giant slaying is not new and he has done that in this tournament as well by defeating far more higher-rated players, including US Gm Hikaru Nakamura, world No. 2 by rating.

The other semifinal match is between world No. 1 and former world champion Norwegian Gm Magnus Carlsen (2835) and Azerbaijan Gm Nijat Abasov (2646).

For Carlsen,...

Mumbai, Aug 4 (Ians) The 17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh won two games in his second-round match with Gm Misratdin Iskandarov in the first round of the Fide World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan to surge past Viswanathan Anand in Live Rating and become the highest-ranked Indian chess player in the World.

The win in the first round on Thursday evening against Iskandarov (Elo 2559) helped him rise to 2755.9 in the live rating, taking him past Anand’s rating of 2754, making him the second Indian player after Pentala Harikrishna in March 2016 to overtake Anand in live rating as India’s No.1 chess player, a position the five-time World Champion has held for 37 years since 1986. Harikrishna was India’s No.1 chess player for just one day as Anand won his game the next day and took back the position.

That would be the first time since 1986 that an Indian will overtake Vishy Anand in the ‘published’ Fide Rankings.

New York, July 22 (Ians) American Grandmaster (Gm) Hikaru Nakamura emerged as champion in the Bullet Chess Championship 2023 championship, winning the title after shutting down Gm Magnus Carlsen’s comeback in overtime in an epic Grand Final.

Having dropped down to the Losers’ Bracket earlier in the tournament, Norway’s world champion Carlsen shifted gears to storm back into contention by making it to the event’s Grand Final, defeating Gm Daniel Naroditsky and taking his revenge on Gm Alireza Firouzja.

Then, in the set-piece final, Carlsen found himself trailing again and had to fight back against the reigning champion Nakamura’s five-point lead, tying the match and forcing overtime.

Ultimately, Nakamura came out on top but needed to use all his ability to increase the pressure on the board and the clock to win his fourth Bullet Chess Championship. It was a stunning display of speed chess from the two top stars.

A lawsuit against the Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and Chess.com has been dismissed by a Missouri federal court in a $100 million defamation lawsuit.

Hans Niemann, a U.S. chess prodigy, accused Carlsen, Chess.com’s chief officer Daniel Rensch and Hikaru Nakamura of collusion and defamation.

The U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Fleissig dismissed the claims Niemann made that the defendants were, “egregiously defaming him and unlawfully colluding to blacklist him from the profession to which he has dedicated his life.”

In addition to this, Niemann sued for slander and libel, which Fleissig also rejected, but without prejudice. This means that Niemann is permitted to file a separate suit to sue the defendants on those allegations, but Niemann has not confirmed if he plans on doing this.

Judge Fleissig rejected accusations that antitrust laws were violated “with prejudice,” so Niemann is not allowed to file an antitrust...

Dubai, July 1 (Ians) It was yet another day of huge upsets at the Global Chess League as all the pre-event favourites lost their final matches, leaving Triveni Continental Kings and upGrad Mumbai Masters set to clash in the final.

In a shocking outcome, two of the teams that dominated the Global Chess League from the beginning – Ganges Grandmasters and Sg Alpine Warriors – were knocked out of the race for the top two places in the final.

Instead, it will be Triveni Continental Kings and upGrad Mumba Masters who will fight for the coveted crown in the final of the first edition of Global Chess League.

Triveni’s journey to the top was the most unlikely. Despite setbacks and a rocky start, they made a triumphant comeback with four consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, upGrad Mumba Masters consistently hovered near the top but struggled in the latter part of the event. Nonetheless, they...

Dubai, July 1 (Ians) With a four-match winning streak including a dominating victory over tournament favourites Ganges Grandmasters, Triveni Continental Kings have surged from the bottom to the top of the standings, becoming the first team to qualify for the final of the inaugural edition of the Global Chess League.

In another match earlier on Saturday, Sg Alpine Warriors suffered a defeat to Chingari Gulf Titans putting a big question mark on which team will get the second place in the finals.

Triveni Continental Kings continued their onward march on Saturday by stunning Ganges Grandmasters 11:6 in a must-win league match.

This match was the last chance for Triveni -– if they had lost, they would have been out of the tournament. For Ganges, this was their final chance to score points and secure the top place in the round-robin league.

While a draw was enough for team Ganges, Triveni had...

Hans Niemann, the American 20-year-old chess grandmaster at the center of a scandal involving Magnus Carlsen, the game’s reigning superstar and former world champion, will not have the chance to seek damages over allegations of cheating that have hurt his professional standing. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Fleissig threw out his $100 million defamation lawsuit against Carlsen, the gaming platform Chess.com and another grandmaster, Hikaru Nakamura.

Niemann did not immediately return a request for comment or indicate whether he would continue to explore his legal options in the matter,...

Dubai, June 28 (Ians) In a historic endgame, Magnus Carlsen of Alpine Warriors defeated Viswanathan Anand and launched his team to the top of the Global Chess League, pushing Ganges Grandmasters to second.

Balan Alaskan Knights unsettled one of the top tournament performers Mumba Masters in the first match of the round.

However, all eyes were on the second match, between tournament leaders Ganges Grandmasters and Alpine Warriors. The team of Ganges Grandmasters took the lead but thanks to the unstoppable Praggnanandhaa R on the Alpine Warrior’s team, the team managed to strike back in a critical moment.

In what turned out to be the endgame for the history books, which saw two queens promoted by White and a knight promoted by Black, Carlsen managed to win and ensured his team reaches the top of the scoreboard.

Knights, who won the first round against the Masters 14:5, started with the advantage of playing with white.