They say chess is an art, a science and a sport. Now it’s an e-sport too. The Esports World Cup, held in Riyadh, is an annual international tournament for major computer games such as Dota 2, this year with $38 million in prizes across the 25 events. For the first time, chess took its place on the roster, and the $1.5 million prize pool drew most of the world’s elite. Magnus Carlsen represented Team Liquid, a professional e-sports organisation fielding competitors in various events. Two of his toughest opponents were Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura, playing for the Saudi e-sports organisation Team Falcons.
In many ways, this was the culmination of a trend which began with the Magnus Carlsen Chess Invitational, held online during the pandemic in 2020. Rapid and blitz chess events have become an established income stream for the top players. Some, like the chess.com Speed Chess Championship, dispense with physical boards altogether, even when the players face off in a studio. The distinction is not merely cosmetic. Games at the Esports World Cup were played with ten minutes per player, but no time increment after each move. Over-the-board chess played without increment becomes a fiasco when pieces tumble over in the desperate final seconds, but playing without increment on a screen maintains decorum, even when the clock decides the outcome.
Carlsen looked in his element in Riyadh, and almost always outpaced his opponents. He scored a convincing victory against Firouzja in the final. The position below, from their first game, appears sterile, but Firouzja’s last move 21…Qc3-a3 was a crucial oversight. It was better to make a bolthole for the king with h7-h6.
Magnus Carlsen-Alireza Firouzja
Esports World Cup, Riyadh, 2025
22 Nb8! The Ra8 is trapped in a most unusual way, due to the idea of mate on the back rank. Raxb8 23 Qxb8 Qxa2 24 Qe5 h5 25 Rb8 Carlsen’s advantage of rook for knight is accentuated by exchanging more pieces. Rxb8 26 Qxb8+ Kh7 4 Qb1+ Qxb1 28 Rxb1 g6 29 Ra1 Kg7 30 Rxa7 The endgame is a straightforward technical win by gradually advancing the king and pawns. Black resigned at move 45.
Carlsen’s splendid interference move with the knight is a rare motif, but there are precedents. In the game below, Black’s previous move was 16…a7-a5, overlooking the threat. Once again, making a bolthole for the king with 16…h7-h6 was called for.
Gideon Stahlberg-Raaphi Persitz
Ljubljana, 1955
17 Bb8! Ne4 18 Bxe4 Raxb8 19 Qxb8 dxe4 20 Qf4 h5 21 Kg2 Black resigned at move 39.
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