Riyadh: This year's Esports World Cup marked a historic milestone with the launch of the first official chess competition as part of its tournament lineup, featuring 16 elite global players competing for prizes totaling $1.5 million.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the tournament is the result of a strategic partnership with Chess.com, the world's largest online chess platform with over 200 million users. Globally, the chess player base exceeds 600 million.

The competition is being held from July 31 to August 3 using the 'Rapid 10+0' format-10 minutes per player with no time increment. Twelve players qualified through the 2025 Champions Chess Tour, while four others advanced from a preliminary qualifier held in Riyadh with 256 participants.

World number one and tournament ambassador Magnus Carlsen described the inclusion of chess in the Esports World Cup as a transformative step for the sport, stating that it has now become an integral part of the digital gaming ecosystem, particularly through fast-paced formats that align with the interactive nature of esports. He also praised the tournament's advanced technical setup and the strong public turnout.