2025 eSport
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Esports chess continues to grow in popularity, with several major tournaments and significant viewership numbers in mid-2025. The following is an analysis of the latest trends, key players, and recent tournament results. Key Tournaments and Results Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025: The EWC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosted a chess tournament for the first time, featuring a substantial $ million prize purse. This event was a major highlight of the esports chess calendar. Champion: Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid) defeated Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons) in the Grand Final. Third Place: Hikaru Nakamura defeated Arjun Erigaisi to secure third place. Viewership: The tournament was a massive success in terms of audience, with broadcasts drawing a peak of 259.4K viewers, making it the highest livestream viewership for chess in 2025. Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour: The Las Vegas event saw GM Levon Aronian triumph over GM Hans Niemann in the final, earning a $200,000 prize. Women's World Cup 2025: GM Divya Deshmukh won the Women's World Cup, earning her a grandmaster title and a spot in the 2026 Women's Candidates Tournament. Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Croatia 2025: Magnus Carlsen won this tournament, adding another title to his collection. Quantbox Chennai Masters 2025: Vincent Keymer secured victory in the Masters tournament with a round to spare, a win that also propelled him into the world's top 10 chess players. Top Players and Player Rankings Based on the latest ratings (as of August 2025), the top players in different formats are: Classical: Magnus Carlsen (2839) Rapid: Magnus Carlsen (2809) Blitz: Magnus Carlsen (2881) Notable players in the top ranks across various formats include Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and Alireza Firouzja. The esports team scene is also gaining traction, with top grandmasters being signed by major organizations. The EWC's Club Championship race, for example, shows Team Falcons and Team Liquid as the current frontrunners. Emerging Trends in Esports Chess Integration with broader esports events: The inclusion of chess in the Esports World Cup is a major step, signaling the game's increasing recognition as a legitimate esport. This helps expose chess to a new, wider audience. Massive Viewership and Streaming Culture: The game's popularity on platforms like Twitch and YouTube continues to grow, driven by top players who are also successful streamers, such as Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen. Events are becoming more interactive, with real-time analysis, player interviews, and other features. Innovative Formats: Tournaments are experimenting with formats designed for faster, more TV-friendly action. The EWC, for instance, used a format with a 10-minute time limit per player per game, leading to more dramatic time scrambles. Freestyle chess is also becoming more popular. Women's Chess on the Rise: The increase in peak viewership for the MLBB Women's Invitational and the ongoing Women's Speed Chess Championship highlight the growing audience and competitive landscape for women's chess. The competitive chess scene is a dynamic blend of traditional and modern elements, with the ancient game of strategy finding a new home and a growing audience in the digital world of esports.