Ian Nepomniachtchi Loves Dota 2 More Than Chess

Ian Nepomniachtchi Loves Dota 2 More Than Chess

Otomo

10 Jun, 2025, 04:24

|

Last updated: 10 Jun, 2025, 04:27

In a fun interview, chess grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi was asked to rank his favorite games, including Chess. After going through several rounds, Dota 2 emerged as his favorite game to play.

Ian Nepomniachtchi played Chess competitively for more than 15 years, with an incredible $3,500,000 million earnings in that time.


Ian Nepomniachtchi has joined several Dota 2 tournaments

Is that a Tidehunter picture?!
Is that Ian wearing a Tidehunter shirt? (Credit: Maria melianova)

The more we find out about the Chess grandmaster, the more we are impressed. Going by the name FrostNova, his first match data we can find was from a tournament all the way back in 2011.

In the ASUS Open Winter 2011, FrostNova beat several historic players, such as Dendi, XBOCT, Artstyle, ALWAYSWANNAFLY, and LighTofHeaveN and won the event. He has also played several thousand pubs since then. Since Dota 2 didn't record early player data, we only know that he has been playing since October 2011, but it's likely he was a fan since Dota 1's inception.

Ian Nepomniachtchi remains a Dota 2 player, even dipping into the competitive scene occasionally. His most recent foray was as a member of Goodwin Team at BetBoom Streamers Battle 8. During the tournament, his team finished top 6, taking down notable english talents BSJ, Synderen, and Qojqva.

Dota 2 has a big place in Ian's heart. He prefers playing it over other world famous titles such as Counter-Strike, Fortnite, Valorant, and PUBG. Now that's love right there. Will he ever go pro once he is done with Chess?

Whether it's Chess or Dota 2, Ian Nepomniachtchi, or FrostNova is an impressive figure, succeeding in any field he commits to. We'll keep our eyes open on him and see if he appears at any future tournaments.

READ MORE: Which Witch Doctor's Facet Is Better?

Featured Image Source: Maria Emelianova

Latest news

FISSURE CEO Acknowledges Unpaid Prize Money, Targets 2027 Repayments

FISSURE CEO Acknowledges Unpaid Prize Money, Targets 2027 Repayments

FISSURE CEO Nikolay Vesnin has acknowledged outstanding Dota 2 and CS2 prize money and outlined a conditional repayment plan for early 2027.
7 Nov
Bruno Rodrigues

Evil Geniuses to Shut Down Esports Operations

After more than 25 years in esports, Evil Geniuses has announced it will end competitive and day-to-day operations on November 2, 2026.
21 Oct
Bruno Rodrigues

Dota 2 Player Scores 32 Kills to Convince Police to Release His Teammates

According to 23savage, police released his teammates only after watching him score 32 kills with Kez in a game of Dota 2.
17 Oct
Bruno Rodrigues

Team Liquid Signs TI 2025 Champion Malr1ne to Replace Nisha

TI 2025 champion Malr1ne joins Team Liquid as Nisha's replacement following Team Falcons' departure from Dota 2. The new roster is expected to debut at PARI Universe on October 22.
15 Oct
Bruno Rodrigues

Esports to Exit Asian Games After 2026, New Dedicated Event Confirmed for 2027 [UPDATED]

The OCA has confirmed a new Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in Kuwait for 2027, bringing a dedicated esports event to the region.
27 Sep
Sofia Guimarães

Indonesia to Host the IESF World Esports Championship 2026

The IESF World Esports Championship 2026 is heading to Indonesia, bringing together athletes from around the world across five esports titles.
23 Sep
Sofia Guimarães

South American Dota 2 Sees A Path Back After ESIC Bans Vintage and DarkMago

The bans against Vintage and DarkMago give South American Dota 2 a clear point to address match-fixing concerns and rebuild trust across its competitive scene.
12 Sep
André Guaraldo

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match