Magnus Carlsen: chess, a game made for the digital age, fully integrated with esports



Magnus Carlsen, current world number one in chess, believes that modern chess is perfectly prepared for the digital age, especially after its inclusion in the Esports World Cup 2025.

Yesterday, August 1, 2025, Carlsen shared his vision of chess in an interview with CNN just before the start of the first edition of the chess tournament at the Esports World Cup (EWC). Carlsen explained that, although chess is traditionally an analog game, its simplicity makes it ideal for the transition to digital platforms:”when I practice, I almost always practice on a screen, whether it’s a mobile, computer, or tablet“.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this process by forcing tournaments to move to online formats, which attracted new audiences and popularized chess thanks to platforms like Chess.com and content like the series The Queen’s Gambit. FIDE, the International Chess Federation, has supported this development and was involved in discussions prior to the inclusion of chess in the EWC, in collaboration with Chess.com.

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The EWC competitive mode introduced a 10+0 format: each player has 10 minutes from the start, with no time increments. This fast style increases the errors per clock and connects with the aesthetics of esports, according to the objectives of accessibility to the digital audience.

Carlsen became the first chess superstar to sign with a professional esports team, Team Liquid, to represent them in Champions Chess Tour 2025 and the EWC itself. On this new stage, he commented that the moment is momentous: “I think this is a great moment for chess. It has been more and more online“.

During the tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a total prize pool of $1.5 million and $250,000 for the chess winner, Carlsen made good on his promise: he defeated Hikaru Nakamura in the semifinals and then beat the young Alireza Firouzja in the final, crowning himself the inaugural EWC champion. With this victory, he not only won the prize, but also boosted Team Liquid in the overall EWC standings.

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This event marks a significant milestone: for the first time, chess is treated as an esports discipline with format, production and prizes befitting that ecosystem. According to Carlsen, this convergence defines the future of the game. Moreover, his presence as ambassador of the event – one of the highest in esports investment – reinforces his commitment to the modernization of chess.

The inclusion of chess in esports responds to a transformation motivated by digitalization, the arrival of younger audiences and a new competitive structure. The EWC has been designed to combine tradition with visual dynamism, while Carlsen embodies that bridge by presenting himself as a key player and media figure.

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