Number one grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, has won the inaugural online chess competition at the Esports World Cup. The 34-year-old Norwegian will take home $250,000 (around £188,000). The Esports World Cup (EWC) being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest multi-discipline tournaments in competitive professional gaming.

Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen won the inaugural Esports World Cup chess tournament on Friday, defeating Alireza Firouzja in Riyadh.

While Carlsen, like many other chess players, values traditional over-the-board chess, he sees the online transition as a natural fit for the game.

Magnus Carlsen added another trophy to his resume after defeating Alireza Firouzja in the final of the chess event at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh on Friday.

The chess tournament at the 2025 Esports World Cup has begun in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but not without controversy. Saudi Arabia’s alleged sportswashing and Magnus Carlsen’s ambassador role has raised concerns.

Divya Deshmukh, an Indian chess player, won the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi. She defeated Koneru Humpy in the final through an intense tie-break.

The winner of the tournament stands to gain a whopping $2,50,000 or a quarter of a million dollars. That's approximately Rs 2.1 crore.

The world of chess has been going through somewhat of an evolution in recent years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Number one grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, has won the inaugural online chess competition at the Esports World Cup. The 34-year-old Norwegian will take home $250,000 (around £188,000). The Esports World Cup (EWC) being held in Riyadh,