Magnus Carlsen says chess is ‘made for the digital age’ amid esports integration

Carlsen says a lot of his chess practice is done online, rather than over the board. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

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

The ancient game’s popularity boom has been well documented, owing in part to the rise of online formats during the Covid-19 pandemic and the reputational boost provided by mainstream media, such as the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit.”

Since then, chess’ move to online platforms has accelerated and its now currently debuting at the Esports World Cup (EWC) this week.

The tournament, hosted and part-funded by Saudi Arabia, was held for the first time in 2024 and brought together professional gamers, publishers and fans from across the world for an eight-week competitive gaming bonanza.

Earlier this year, it was announced that chess would be included in the 2025 edition, with the best players in the world competing for a US$1.5 million prize pool – playing a new format which is deemed more accessible to an esports audience.

In a bid to compete in the new event, top esports teams set about signing some of the best chess players on the planet. Team Liquid, one of the biggest esports teams, didn’t hold back and signed Norwegian world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, arguably the greatest chess player of all time.

Carlsen, who has also been an ambassador for the EWC, spoke to CNN Sports ahead of this year’s tournament about how the game can benefit in the digital era.

“I think this is a massive moment for chess,” he said. “Chess has become more and more online over the last few years, especially since Covid when we couldn’t host live tournaments.

“Online was what we had and those online tournaments became bigger and bigger, and it feels like this is the next step to have these hybrid events.”

While many players, including Carlsen, want to keep the traditional over-the-board chess alive, the transition to online platforms has coincided with changes in the game’s format.

With online games getting quicker, the goal for the EWC’s competition was to create a version which would stay true to tradition while incorporating elements associated with fast-paced esports games.

The result was the creation of a 10+0 format, which will give both players 10 minutes to make their moves without any chance to add additional time, increasing the chances of blunders as players battle against the clock.

The change, although radical when you compare to what the game was like less than 20 years ago, feels very natural to Carlsen.

“The funny thing about chess is that it is a bit of an ancient game and an analog game,” he said. “But it’s also kind of made for the digital age because it’s so simple to translate.

“Most of the time when I’m practicing chess, it’s always on a screen, whether it’s a phone, a computer or a tablet.

“Then when I get to tournaments, the pieces feel a bit strange and I don’t feel like I quite see the board the same way.”

New audiences

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is still very much considered the home of classic chess, but its CEO Emil Sutovsky told CNN Sports earlier this year that the game’s governing body is supportive of the emerging esports partnership.

He said FIDE was involved in early conversations with organizers, before Chess.com became the natural partner on which to stage the EWC.

Chess.com has been one of the main driving forces behind the transition to online formats, allowing anyone with an internet connection to practice and play chess wherever they are in the world.

Carlsen, who became a grandmaster at 13, says the online world has opened the world of chess to a new audience.

“It’s a fantastic thing that we have this new digital age, where information is so easily available,” he told CNN Sports.

“It means that the game is much more accessible to fans. You have engines that can show you how the games are going and it sort of demystifies the game.

“All these tools make it so much easier for both kids and adults to improve on their chess a lot and I think that’s part of why you’re seeing a lot of kids these days, they become very, very strong at a very early age.

“Kids routinely become grandmasters at earlier ages. The audience is getting younger as well, and more and more digital. So it’s really an exciting time.”

The chess competition got underway on Tuesday, with Carlsen making the final following an incredible semifinal against fellow grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, which was only settled following armageddon. The world No. 1 will take on GM Alireza Firouzja on Friday in the championship match with the winner taking home US$250,000.

By Ben Church, CNN