Magnus Carlsen, the world's top-ranked chess grandmaster, clinched victory in the first-ever online chess competition at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, earning a prize of $250,000 (approximately £188,000). The inclusion of chess in this notably large tournament, which boasts a total prize pool of around $70 million (£50 million), sparked some debate, yet organizers defended the decision, emphasizing chess's popularity among players of all ages.
The Esports World Cup, now in its second edition, features a diverse array of competitions across 25 acclaimed games including Call of Duty, Street Fighter, and League of Legends. This year’s chess competition marked a historic "new milestone," occurring 139 years after the establishment of the first World Chess Championship. Participants faced off during group stages before advancing to playoffs, with Carlsen ultimately defeating number eight-ranked Alireza Firouzja in the final match.
During the competition, players competed onstage before live audiences, equipped with heart-rate monitors, as commentary and sponsorships brought an air of traditional sports to the event. Carlsen, whose previous battles with the chess governing body over attire were well-known, expressed his enthusiasm for the event, remarking, “It’s been an amazing show, unlike anything I’ve seen before." He hopes for chess to play a larger role in future esports events, suggesting the tournament could broaden the game's appeal even further.
