Chess EWC 2025: Players, Format, Schedule, Results, and More

The Chess EWC 2025 is on the horizon. The event will officially introduce chess into the esports scene, bridging the gap between a traditional board game and modern PC gaming.

The inaugural tournament will be played on Chess.com and will act as the CCT conclusion. It will also bring some of the biggest names in the Chess world to the esports stage.

Let's take a look at what the tournament has in store for us.

Format and Players

The Chess EWC 2025 features two stages: Group stage & Playoffs.

Group stage

• Four groups of 4 players
• Double-elimination bracket
• Two games per match
• Time Control: 10 minutes Rapid (No Increment)
  • Armageddon Tiebreaker
    • Player with White Pieces has 10 minutes
    • Player with Black pieces has 8 minutes and wins even if the game ends in a draw
• Two players from each group qualify for the Playoffs

Playoffs

• 8 team single-elimination bracket
• 4 games per match for Quarterfinals
• 6 games per match for Semifinals
• Best-of-three Grand finals
  • First two sets are 4 games
  • Final set are 2 games
• Time Control: 10 minutes Rapid (No Increment)
  • Armageddon Tiebreaker

A total of 16 players will play EWC 2025; these are:

• Alireza Firouzja
• Arjun Erigaisi
• Fabiano Caruana
• Hikaru Nakamura
• Ian Nepomniachtchi
• Jan-Krzysztof Duda
• Magnus Carlsen
• Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
• Nodirbek Abdusattorov
• Vladimir Fedoseev
• Vladislav Artemiev
• Wei Yi

The remaining four players will qualify via EWC last chance qualifier.

Schedule and Fixture

The tournament kicks off July 29th. The schedule for the tournament is as follows:

• Tuesday, July 29th: Group Stage day 1
• Wednesday, July 30th: Group Stage day 2
• Thursday, July 31st: Quarterfinals and Semifinals
• Friday, August 1st: Third-place decider and Grand finals

Bookmark the article for detailed schedule & fixtures.

Players to watch

While all 16 players are top-level Chess talents, some are still a cut-above the rest. These players are:

Magnus Carlsen: Former FIDE World Champion and  arguably the greatest Chess player of all time, Magnu(m Opu)s is also the current FIDE Rapid and Blitz Champion.

Hikaru Nakamura: The pioneer of Chess Streaming, former FIDE Rapid & Blitz Champion is considered a solid #2 behind Magnus.

Ian Nepomniachtchi: The current joint FIDE Rapid & Blitz champion with Magnus, Ian is the best chess player that has never been a solo champion.

Fabiano Caruana: The new age great made his name in the 2020s and is amongst the top 5 current Chess players.

Wei Yi:  The Chinese Chess giant has returned in 2024 after a hiatus and since taken the World by storm. He will be an interesting player to watch.

Where to Watch

The Chess action will be livestreamed on the official Twitch and YouTube channels of the Esports World Cup, starting Tuesday, July 29th.

To find out more about the Esports World Cup 2025, make sure to check out our guide.

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Featured Image Credits: Esports World Cup