Esports World Cup live

by ChessBase
8/11/2026 – Magnus Carlsen will be looking to defend his title at the $1.5 million Esports World Cup. Chess is part of the event for the second time, with this year's competition taking place in Paris from 11 to 15 August. The tournament will be played at a rapid time control of 10 minutes per game with no increment. Fourteen players have qualified directly for the group stage, while eight more will compete in Tuesday's Play-In for the final two spots in the 16-player field. | Photos: Esports World Cup 2025 | Live from approximately 11:40 CEST
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.

Strong field

Magnus Carlsen returns as defending champion after winning the inaugural chess competition at last year's Esports World Cup in Riyadh. Other established players who have already qualified for the main group stage include Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Arjun Erigaisi, Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Fourteen players have qualified directly for the 16-player group stage, while the remaining two spots will be decided in an eight-player Play-In on Tuesday.

Live commentary

Stream A

Stream B

Games

The top two players from the Play-In qualify for the 16-player group stage:

Esports World Cup 2026

The group stage will reduce the field from 16 to eight players in a double-elimination format. The remaining players will then advance to the knockout playoffs. The tournament concludes on 15 August, with the winner receiving $250,000. The rapid format uses the same time control as last year's Esports World Cup.

Several leading grandmasters will be absent due to a scheduling clash with the Grand Chess Tour. Vincent Keymer, Fabiano Caruana, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Levon Aronian, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Wesley So and Anish Giri are among those who will not take part.

Links

<< Opening the king's road
Topics: Esports World Cup 2026, Magnus Carlsen
Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Carlsen returns to defend Esports World Cup title in Paris

8/10/2026 – Magnus Carlsen will return to defend his Esports World Cup title as chess makes its second appearance at the event, this time in Paris. The competition runs from 11 to 15 August and features a rapid 10-minute time control without increment. Fourteen players have already qualified directly for the group stage, while eight others will contest Tuesday's Play-In for the final two places in the 16-player field. | Photos: Esports World Cup 2025
More...
 2

See also

26 years ago: Carlsen's first steps in tournament chess

8/1/2026 – Magnus Carlsen learnt to play chess at the age of five, although his tournament career began a little later, in late 1999 or early 2000. In the summer of 2000, exactly 26 years ago, Carlsen faced another nine-year-old at the Peer Gynt Open in Gausdal, who would later become at least an international master.
More...
 9

Video

60m English Anti-Bayonet

King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.