Carlsen, Firouzja, Aronian, Erigaisi advance in Chess EWC

The 2025 Esports World Cup chess event opened in Riyadh with a dramatic first day that saw four elite grandmasters book their places in the quarterfinals.

Playing rapid games with a 10-minute time control and no increment, the group stage’s upper-bracket matches delivered high-intensity encounters as competitors fought for a share of the US$1.5 million prize pool.

Magnus Carlsen led the charge in Group D, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov and then Jan-Krzysztof Duda in back-to-back matches to secure early qualification. The world No.1 looked sharp from the outset, converting small advantages into clinical wins and underlining why he entered as the pre-tournament favorite.

In Group C, Alireza Firouzja impressed with dynamic play, first beating China’s Wei Yi and then edging past Hikaru Nakamura in a tense winners’ match. Firouzja’s victory added another layer to the rivalry between Team Falcons and Team Liquid — two powerhouse organizations represented in the event.

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Levon Aronian emerged from a stacked Group A after victories over Vladislav Artemiev and Andrey Esipenko, showing both composure and attacking flair.

Meanwhile, India’s Arjun Erigaisi dominated Group B, sweeping Nihal Sarin and later outlasting Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the winners’ match to claim his quarterfinal berth.

The rest of the field, including heavy hitters like Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Fabiano Caruana, now face a do-or-die path through the lower bracket.

Wednesday’s matches will determine the final four players who will join the quarterfinal lineup when the knockout phase begins on Thursday.

While chess gambling has grown in popularity, the top esports betting sites yet to price the field amid the rapid format and unique esports team scoring. Expect markets to open if the event gains traction heading into the knockout rounds.

The tournament continues through August 1 at Boulevard Riyadh City, marking the first time chess has been featured at the Esports World Cup.

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