Today: Winner Stays

Chess.com is proud to announce Winner Stays, an exciting new event hosted by the ChessBrahs, GMs Eric Hansen and Aman Hambleton. This unique and original format will feature three matches between superstar content creators in different rating categories, where the loser goes home and the winner gets to play again next month.

The first event kicks off on June 4 at 2:00 p.m. PDT/22:00 CEST and will feature top entertainers and chess celebrities battling for glory! GM Robert Hess, the superstar streamer and world-class commentator, will face off against GM Krikor Mekhitarian in the Masters section. 

The PogChamps star and one of Twitch's most successful streamers, Ludwig, will be participating in the Poggers section against Fundy, one of the world's top Minecraft streamers.

Fans will also be able to enjoy the premiere for the YouTube sensation Kurt Schneider, who will be facing one of BotezLive stars, Andrea Botez. Schneider, a YouTube behemoth with more than 13 million subscribers, is also a US Chess national master—guaranteeing an exciting match for all to watch.

Events every month will consist of three 90-minute matches, each with three time controls: 45 minutes of 5|0 chess, 30 minutes of 3|0, and 15 minutes of 1|0. Players who beat their opponents will participate in the next event and take home a $750 prize, while the other players will win $250. Three matches, $1000 fund for each match, $3,000 per month total in prizes.

But the biggest prize of them all comes for players who win in three consecutive months. These players win an additional $3,000 and ascend to The Pantheon, where they will be eternally enshrined as chess gods!

Who are you rooting for on June 4? Who will be the first to join The Pantheon? Let us know in the comments below!