Primary grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, has received the inaugural on-line chess competitors on the Esports World Cup. The 34-year-old Norwegian will take house $250,000 (round £188,000).
The Esports World Cup (EWC) being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is likely one of the largest multi-discipline tournaments in aggressive skilled gaming.
The inclusion of chess on this yr’s schedule was considerably controversial, however the event’s organisers argued it counted as an esport as it’s performed by thousands and thousands of individuals of all ages.
That is the second time the EWC has been staged and it comes with a complete prize pot of round $70m (£50m).
Over a interval of seven weeks, groups from world wide compete throughout 25 standard video games, together with Name of Obligation, Avenue Fighter and League of Legends.
The EWC mentioned together with chess this yr has seen the sport attain a “new milestone”, 139 years after the primary World Chess Champion was topped.
On the Esports world cup, opponents sit at their laptop on a stage in entrance of a reside viewers, sporting heart-rate displays. Very similar to with conventional sport, there are giant screens, massive title sponsors and commentators.
Numerous grandmasters took half within the on-line competitors, which noticed gamers undergo a bunch stage earlier than the top-scorers made it to the playoffs.
It was the world’s finest conventional chess participant who cinched the title, after beating quantity eight Alireza Firouzja.
Carlsen isn’t any stranger to embracing modernity within the embracing modernity in the game. Final yr, mentioned he would return to a significant chess competitors after the game’s governing physique agreed to relax its dress code.
Carlsen had give up the World Fast and Blitz Chess Championships in New York, the place he was defending his title, when he was advised he couldn’t proceed taking part in whereas sporting denims.
“It has been an incredible present, in contrast to something that I’ve seen to date,” mentioned Carlsen after lifting the EWC trophy, a gold colored plate.
“I actually hope that it is a massive a part of the long run for chess.
“Perhaps we will get on an even bigger stage subsequent time,” he added because it had proved standard on the event.
