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

February's esports landscape saw a seismic shift with top chess grandmasters signing with major esports organizations. 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 the Chess Recruitment?
• Who Signed Where?
  • Magnus Carlsen
  • Ian Nepomniachtchi
  • Ding Liren
  • Fabiano Caruana
  • Hikaru Nakamura
  • Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
  • Volodar Murzin
  • Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

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Why the Chess Recruitment?

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, has grown from five to twenty-five disciplines, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030. With a total prize pool of $60 million (June-August 2025) and a points system rewarding top-eight finishes across all disciplines, teams are strategically recruiting chess players to enhance their overall standings.

Who Signed Where?

• Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid): The 16-time World Champion (#1 FIDE ranking) joined Team Liquid, calling it the "biggest and best esports organization." Team Liquid's Co-CEO lauded Carlsen as the "greatest chess player of all time."

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• Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora): Russia's top player (#9 FIDE ranking), known for his rapid chess prowess (3rd at the 2024 World Rapid Championship), joined Aurora Gaming, embracing the EWC's inclusion of chess.

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• Ding Liren (LGD): The legendary Chinese player (#17 FIDE ranking), despite a recent setback, signed with LGD for the EWC.

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• Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid): Team Liquid further strengthened its chess lineup with a three-year contract signing of American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana (#2 FIDE ranking).

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• Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons): The five-time U.S. Champion and Twitch star (#3 FIDE ranking) brings significant star power to Team Falcons.

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• Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Vitality): French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (#22 FIDE ranking) joined Vitality, a prominent esports organization.

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• Volodar Murzin (AG Global Esports): Eighteen-year-old Volodar Murzin (#70 FIDE ranking), a 2024 World Rapid Championship winner, signed with AG Global Esports.

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• Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik (NAVI): NAVI added Wesley So (#11 FIDE ranking), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (#6 FIDE ranking), and Alexander Botnik (#166 FIDE ranking) to its chess roster.

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