In a groundbreaking achievement for the world of chess, Magnus Carlsen, the reigning grandmaster, has emerged victorious in the inaugural online chess competition at the Esports World Cup (EWC) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 34-year-old Norwegian player walked away with a substantial prize of $250,000 (approximately £188,000), underscoring the rising acceptance of chess within the esports community.
The Esports World Cup, one of the largest multi-discipline tournaments for competitive gaming, has sparked some controversy with its decision to include chess in this year’s lineup. However, the organizers defended the move by emphasizing that chess boasts millions of players globally, transcending age and cultural boundaries.
This year’s EWC, which features a staggering prize pool of around $70 million (£50 million), showcases a range of popular video games, including Call of Duty, Street Fighter, and League of Legends. Chess’s inclusion is heralded as a new milestone, 139 years following the crowning of the first World Chess Champion.
During the competition, participants play from a stage in front of a live audience while wearing heart-rate monitors, creating an atmosphere akin to traditional sports events, complete with large screens and commentary by well-known personalities. The tournament observed various grandmasters battling it out in a structured format, progressing from group stages to playoffs. Carlsen solidified his status as the world’s best by defeating the eighth-ranked player, Alireza Firouzja.
Carlsen has been an advocate for modernizing the game of chess. After a dispute regarding attire at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York, which saw him depart the competition over dress code restrictions, he expressed his enthusiasm for this new online format. “It’s been an amazing show, unlike anything that I’ve seen so far,” Carlsen stated after capturing the EWC trophy, adorned with gold. “I really hope that this is a big part of the future for chess.” He added aspirations of bringing chess to an even larger stage next time, reflecting on the event's popularity and success at the tournament.
