PogChamps 3: MrBeast, Pokimane & Rainn Wilson Presented by GRIP6
February 14 will mark the beginning of PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6, a tournament poised to be one of the most viewed chess events in history. Both the first PogChamps and PogChamps 2 achieved unprecedented numbers of viewers, with live views reaching 16 million. However, with its increased prize fund and astonishing caliber of celebrities, this event is set to be the biggest PogChamps yet.
Among the confirmed participants in PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6 are YouTube celebrity MrBeast, who has over 75 million followers across all channels, Pokimane, one of the biggest female streamers in the world, and famous actor Rainn Wilson, who is best known for his role as Dwight Schrute in NBC's "The Office".
This landmark event will also feature world-renowned rapper Logic, along with famous variety streamer and previous PogChamps participant xQc. YouTuber and HBO Max's Karma host Michelle Khare will also be making her debut. Rounding out the star-studded field are fan favorite and previous consolation bracket winner moistCriTiKaL, poker star Daniel Negreanu, popular VTuber CodeMiko, content king and former PogChamps commentator Ludwig, and former Fortnite pro Myth. This line-up is reflective of the unprecedented increase in popularity chess has seen over the last year and many more big names will be confirmed in the coming days.
In addition to an increased prize fund of $100,000, Chess.com has also committed to matching another $100,000 in donations to non-profit organizations. Chess.com is experiencing historic growth, with over 13 million games played on site every day, and aims to channel this momentum into the growth of chess and charity.
As was the case in the first two editions of PogChamps, the third edition will feature commentary from top chess personalities such as superstars GM Hikaru Nakamura and WFM Alexandra Botez, as well as IM Levy "GothamChess" Rozman, IM Anna Rudolf, and Chess.com's IM Danny Rensch.
GRIP6 joins the PogChamps family as presenting partner of this historic event. GRIP6 is an American manufacturing company dedicated to making the best belts, wallets, and wool socks. In addition, Guayaki, the sustainably-sourced Yerba Mate producer, has become the official sustainability partner of Pogchamps and will be providing Yerba Mate drops throughout the event. Custom computer hardware manufacturer CyberpowerPC becomes Chess.com's first hardware partner in company history. Collectively, these partners' support helps make events like PogChamps 3 possible.
Once again, Pogchamps will be broadcast across multiple platforms including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, as well as new broadcast platforms yet to be announced. PogChamps 3 will once again be broadcast live on Chess.com/tv with the final set to take place on February 28. Nakamura, the world's highest-rated blitz chess player, recently crossed 800,000 followers on Twitch. Botez has also seen substantial growth, surpassing 500,000 followers during the same period. In addition, top Chess.com creators IM Levy Rozman and IM Anna Rudolf have eclipsed 200,000 and 100,000 followers on the platform, respectively.
PogChamps has become a cultural phenomenon, proving a viral hit on media platforms and drawing some of the biggest content creators in the world to chess. The first two editions of the event were won by Voyboy and ItsHafu, both having improved significantly throughout the tournament. Auxiliary coaching content and the notable improvement of the players' chess abilities throughout the event is a hallmark of the PogChamps series.
In preparation for this Pogchamps, top streamers have already begun their training with coaches on their respective Twitch channels. The commentators for the event will play a dual role as coaches for the players, helping them along the way, and providing insight into their preparation during the live broadcasts.
In addition to the coaches, the broadcast will feature special guest appearances from noteworthy content creators who have played in previous PogChamps editions.
This Pogchamps will be held from February 14-28, with the group stage being held during the first week of the event. Players will then advance into a championship and consolation brackets, with the top two from each group advancing to the championship bracket. Players will once again play a double-round robin in the group stages.
In the run-up to the event, BotezLive will be broadcasting a Minecraft x Chess event entitled Blockchamps on Saturday, January 16 beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific Time (19:00 Central European Time) on Twitch.tv/BotezLive.
Chess.com will be awarding one-month Diamond membership drops to random viewers throughout the event, and viewers are encouraged to donate during the broadcast to help support their favorite participants' causes.
The final participants will be released in the coming days for what is an already star-studded event.
Following on the heels of the smash success The Queen's Gambit, PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6 is sure to be one of the biggest chess events in history, and fans of all skill levels can catch the action on Chess.com/TV.
About GRIP6:
GRIP6 is an American manufacturing company dedicated to making the best belts, wallets, and wool socks. "We at GRIP6 are excited to be involved in the Pogchamps charity tournament. It will be an amazing event celebrating chess and the incredible content creators involved. We look forward to seeing who comes out on top, and who makes the biggest blunder."
About Guayaki:
Guayaki Yerba Mate was founded in 1996, by two college friends, with the intentions to bring people together around an energizing beverage and challenge conventional business practices to do more for the planet and its people. The regeneration of the planet is integrated into our business model. Purchases of Guayakí Yerba Mate directly contribute to the regeneration and stewardship of the South American Atlantic rainforest while advancing the self-sufficiency of indigenous communities.
Contact:
Chess.com's Press Department
email: press@chess.com
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