Latest news with #Checkmate:USA
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
‘The missing piece is how it's presented': Behind ‘Checkmate: USA vs India' plan to shake up the chess scene
In an exclusive interaction with Firstpost, Salim Belcadi of Checkmate Strategic Ventures explains how the upcoming 'Checkmate: USA vs India' event aims to reimagine chess as a global sport and bring it into the mainstream. read more The upcoming 'Checkmate: USA vs India' event will be headlined by the showdown between D Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura. Image credit: FIDE/Michal Walusza There have been attempts to revamp the game of chess as we know it and try and make it more popular among the younger crowd. While Standard, or Classical, chess remains the cornerstone of the board game that has had international tournaments in existence for nearly two centuries, faster formats such as rapid and blitz have been gaining popularity all over the world, which might have something to do with the ever-decreasing attention spans of the social media generation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Newer versions such as Freestyle Chess, a.k.a. Chess960, have attempted to reinvent the board game by introducing an element of unpredictability, and the inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour that is currently underway is attempting to spread the format's popularity across the globe. Despite all the changes that chess has gone through over the years with the introduction of faster and unique formats, chess largely remains a niche sport. What drives home that fact is how chess hasn't been able to garner enough interest for it to appear on television sets, which is where the masses still are. After all, the live coverage of some of the world's biggest events including the FIDE World Championship, Candidates Tournament and more is still limited to online streaming on platforms such as YouTube and Reimagining chess as a global sport The organisers of ' Checkmate: USA vs India ', however, intend to change that perception when they host a showdown between two of the strongest chess federations in the latest FIDE 'Open' Ratings against each other at Arlington in the state of Texas, USA in October. 'The idea for Checkmate started taking shape in late 2023. We asked ourselves: what if we re-imagined chess as a global sport, with the drama of boxing and the team identity of soccer? That was the spark. With India and the USA leading the global chess scene, the matchup felt inevitable. We just made it real,' Salim Belcadi of Checkmate Strategic Ventures told Firstpost in an exclusive interaction on the upcoming event. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'What makes this event different is its design: a high-stakes, fan-friendly and broadcast-ready showdown. Every game has a winner, with patriotism as a narrative. The atmosphere will be electric: national anthems, walkouts, crowd energy, and real-time graphics powered by tech. Its goal is to appeal to both casual and serious chess players. In short, it's chess built for the spotlight,' he added. The event that is headlined by a showdown between reigning world champion D Gukesh and world No 2 Hikaru Nakamura also includes an equally mouth-watering battle between Arjun Erigaisi and Fabiano Caruana – ranked fourth and fifth in the Classical ratings. 'Checkmate' thus features four of the world's top five players on the FIDE Standard Ratings, making it an event that is comparable with Norway Chess and other events with equally strong lineups. The five-board team match also witnesses 21-year-old Carissa Yip battle it out against Divya Deshmukh, the world's highest-rated female player under 21 and a couple of 14-year-olds Tani Adewumi and Ethan Vaz. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And that's not all – the one of a kind event also pits two of the most popular streamers in the chess world – Levy Rozman, a.k.a. GothamChess and Sagar Shah, both of whom happen to be International Masters. THE MATCH IS ON! Checkmate: USA vs India 📅 October 4, 2025 🏟️ Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas, 2500 seats! 🌍 Global broadcast 🎙️ Commentary, spectacle, intensity ♟️ 5 boards. 4 categories. Only one winner. 🔥 Lineup: • Hikaru Nakamura (USA World #2) vs Gukesh Dommaraju (World… — checkmate SV (@checkmate_SV) May 1, 2025 And unlike Classical matches that follow a 90+30 time control, the 'Checkmate' event will feature 10-minute games – which will be followed by a 5-minute Overtime Game and 1-minute Shootout Games until there is a winner in the event of a draw. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Belcadi reveals the organisers were met with a positive response from Nakamura, Gukesh and the other players when approached with the idea. 'We approached all the players a couple of months ago with a clear concept: this event isn't about ratings, it's about categories, stories, and showmanship. Their response was unanimously positive. 'They saw that this was professional, respectful of the game, and designed to promote chess in a new light. None of the players hesitated, in fact, many offered advice and encouragement. We're grateful for the openness and trust they showed us,' Belcadi added. Belcadi goes on to add that chess already has a following in millions, but lacks the presentation for it to become a mainstream sport, something that Checkmate Strategic Ventures intends to achieve with the upcoming event. 'The global chess audience is already there: millions follow it online, and many are new to the game. We feel the missing piece is how it's presented. With the right format, pacing, and storytelling, chess can become a mainstream sport. That's the goal of Checkmate SV, to bridge the gap between competitive chess and mass entertainment,' Belcadi said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Emphasising on home advantage 'Home advantage' is an integral part of sport, especially team events, and it is this factor that helps add context to a game and adds the spice needed to make things more interesting. The presence of legion of cheering supporters provides the mental boost to teams or individuals playing on home turf, which can be the difference between victory and defeat at times. More tangible factors such as weather and soil type can also influence the outcome of a game, especially in sports such as cricket. The organisers are expecting a sold-out affair at the 2,500-capacity Esports Stadium, which will be hosting the event in the 'Lone Star State', with a vast majority of those in attendance likely to chant 'USA! USA!' come 4 October. That, however, is by no means all as far as the home advantage factor is concerned. What makes this team event unique is the fact that the Americans will be playing with white pieces in all games. The 'marginal edge' – as the organisers put it – will be extended to the Indians when the return match takes place in their backyard. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The 2,500-capacity Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas will be hosting the 'Checkmate: USA vs India' event on 4 October. AFP 'Home advantage is important in our concept, and the home team will play with white to give them a marginal edge. We are planning a return match in India, where this advantage will swap sides,' Belcadi said. Belcadi goes on to add that India are a world-class team with top names such as Gukesh, Arjun and Divya, who have held their own in high-pressure situations and are expected to put up a tough fight despite the advantage that their opponents enjoy. 'On October 4th, there will be crowd support for Team USA, and the venue, Esports Stadium Arlington, is massive for a chess event. But this is a world-class Indian team, and most players have shown nerves of steel in high-stakes events. We doubt they will feel the pressure now. 'Also, the pairings are very balanced by design, and the format fast. Therefore, despite the marginal edge, we think it'll come down to performance over atmosphere. We strongly believe every round will be competitive.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'India's rise as a chess powerhouse one of the most inspiring stories' Belcadi goes on to hail India's rise in the world of chess, especially in the year 2024 in which it completed a historic golden sweep at the Chess Olympiad , Gukesh emerged as the youngest champion in the Candidates as well as the World Championship and Arjun became only the second Indian to breach the 2800-rating barrier. 'India's rise as a chess powerhouse is one of the most inspiring stories in recent sports. India's new generation led by Gukesh, Arjun, Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, Divya, and others isn't just talented. They're fearless and conquering. 'What's even more remarkable is that many of them are still in school. And behind them is a powerful ecosystem of coaches, federations, and platforms like ChessBase India. India is no longer the future of chess, it's the present,' Belcadi said. Also Read | Nakamura heaps praise on India's chess ecosystem: 'Everything is the way it should be' As for the crux of the upcoming event – USA vs India – Belcadi felt this was the right match-up for the 'Checkmate' event to make its debut with, but has room to 'travel and adapt' in the years to come. 'The USA vs India matchup was the right one to launch with — it reflects where the excitement and momentum are today. But we built this with scalability in mind. The format can travel and adapt. That's the beauty of the team-based, round-by-round format: it invites creativity.' Checkmate Strategic Ventures views this event as one that has the potential to become a 'recurring global property' that is also commercially viable from the entertainment perspective. 'This event is a proof of concept. In the short term, the goal is to deliver an unforgettable live experience and a format that proves chess can entertain like other sports. In the long term, Checkmate SV is a platform. 'We see it becoming a recurring global property delivering high stakes events and high production. We want to give fans a reason to show up, sponsors a reason to invest, and players a new kind of stage to shine on. 'The bigger picture is to create a chess product that is commercially viable as an entertainment sport. At the same time, we want to preserve the depth and quality of the game we love,' Belcadi signed off.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Can chess force broadcasters to change the channel and put it on TV?
Over the past week, a new chess event with a twist, called Checkmate: USA vs India, found a place in the calendar. The tournament will see young gunslingers like D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and Divya Deshmukh lead Team India against the might of Team USA featuring – among others – old warhorses Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. The goal, organisers told The Indian Express, was to drag chess from the 'fringe of mainstream sports' and onto television screens, a challenge that has proved daunting for even legacy chess events with decades of history. Chess is one of those unique sports that gets most of its eyeballs from streaming platforms or YouTube. Forays on television, not counting highlights packages, have been rare even in a country with a booming chess culture like India. It's a problem so vexing that even FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky admitted in a recent interview on Chessbase India: 'Maybe, we don't have a product that is ready to be televised in a way that millions of people can follow it.' Sutovsky, who was part of the team that convinced NBC Sports to broadcast the 2021 World Chess Championship, said that getting a major network interested in buying broadcast rights for chess tournaments from start to finish was the 'most complex thing' in the sport. But what is it about chess that makes it ideal for streaming but not for television? The obvious answer is that in classical chess, a game might end in a draw in three hours or stretch on for seven, leaving a TV network unsure about what window it grants for a tournament. In this aspect, it seems to share its woes with tennis, where a match can end in two quick sets or stretch on for five at a Grand Slam event. Events like the Global Chess League (GCL) — which anyway had games in the shorter rapid time control format — made two alterations to their chess broadcast last season to make it more TV-friendly. It did away with increments last season, which is something that will also be attempted when chess is played at the Esports World Cup later this year. It meant that all match-ups between two franchises were restricted to a 46-minute window of actual playing time. Another tweak the GCL made in Season 2 to make the league more of a television product was changing the look of the broadcast itself: they eliminated the ubiquitous tiny box that exists on every broadcast with the commentators visible at all times. The space freed up was used for more graphics to simplify the sport for the casual follower. GCL, in fact, got a dedicated team to work on graphics to turn it into a made-for-TV product. 'Chess has grown big because of streaming, and streamers have done a fantastic job in bringing it to audiences. But if it has to be brought on TV, the product has to be looked at again,' GCL CEO Sameer Pathak tells The Indian Express. He calls GCL a 'made-for-TV, fan-first attempt at chess', adding that the current chess broadcasts are actually made for streaming. 'TV requires a better quality production — the cameras, the lighting — than what it is there currently,' he says. 'On streaming, you get hardcore chess fans. But on television, you have the opportunity to catch the attention of casual fans, somebody who is there to watch an IPL game or a football match. If you have to compete with the NBA, the English Premier League or IPL, your production cannot be subpar. If you want to be on TV, you will be compared to other leagues and other sports.' GCL had success in getting the sport shown live on television abroad in its two seasons. In India, JioCinema streamed the action live on its app. Now, the organisers are hopeful that they will solve the TV puzzle in India too. Example to emulate Kjell Madland, the founder and tournament director of the Norway Chess tournament, has probably had the most success in turning it into a television sport. Norway, after all, has had TV 2 Sport broadcasting every move at the competition live for over a decade now. Last year, the event was streamed live on the Sony LIV app in India with the broadcaster's sports channels showing highlights packages. This year, Norway Chess will have a television presence — as highlight packages or full livestream — in 20 countries this year. Ask Madland what tournaments need to do to get chess on TV, and he says: 'Chess is a complex game that requires those who broadcast it to do so in a way that even those without chess knowledge can understand what's happening. To make it a TV sport, the format needs to be more TV-friendly in terms of timing, and broadcasts must be designed to create excitement for the audience.' Ask Madland why Norwegian broadcasters have put live chess on TV, while other countries have not, and he points to the Scandinavian nation's most famous chess product: Magnus Carlsen. He says that Norway Chess started roughly around the same time that Carlsen became world champion. 'In the beginning, the main reason for television broadcasts in Norway was likely the great interest in Magnus Carlsen rather than chess itself,' Madland says. 'But now, there is a strong interest in chess itself.' With the likes of Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi and Divya leading India's charge on the battlefield of 64 squares, there is hope that they could also emulate Carlsen and push chess onto TV as a sport soon.
Business Wire
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Chess Hits the Big Stage
ARLINGTON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On October 4 th, 2025, the world's spotlight turns to Arlington as America's finest take on India's stars in Checkmate: USA vs. India, a landmark global chess showdown at Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas' premier esports venue. Checkmate: USA vs. India will spotlight chess like never before—combining a high-drama, fast-paced format with the full spectacle of North American sports. Share Checkmate: USA vs. India will spotlight chess like never before—combining a high-drama, fast-paced format with the full spectacle of North American sports: national anthems, electrifying production, and edge-of-your-seat entertainment. With 2,500 fans in the arena and millions more expected to watch globally, this event reimagines how chess is played, celebrated, and broadcast to the world. The head-to-head lineup features some of the most celebrated names in modern chess. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) vs. Gukesh D (IND) The Blitz King vs The World Champ Fabiano Caruana (USA) vs. Arjun Erigaisi (IND) The Ice vs The Intellect Checkmate: USA vs. India will feature the top two players from each country, and four of the top five players in the world. Levy Rozman (USA) vs. Sagar Shah (India) YouTube Royalty The event will also include a never seen before showdown between two of the largest chess streamers in the world, that represent over 10 million combined followers. Carissa Yip (USA) vs. Divya Deshmukh (India) Future Queens of Chess Tanitoluwa Adewumi (USA) vs. Ethan Vaz (India) Under 15 Prodigies Crucially, Checkmate: USA vs. India will introduce new and emerging chess stars to the world, and will have the best women's and youth players faceoff in Dallas. With national pride and global bragging rights on the line, this high-stakes series promises to be a must-watch cultural moment. Tickets go on sale May 1 st and are expected to sell out fast. Tickets available at: 'This is the kind of event that elevates chess to the next level,' said Hikaru Nakamura, five-time U.S. Champion and international chess icon. 'India has become one of the most exciting forces in global chess, and I'm thrilled to take them on in front of a live crowd here in the U.S. We want to show the world that America is home to some of the best players in the game—and that chess can be as thrilling and competitive as any major sport.' Produced by Checkmate Strategic Ventures, the event brings together top players, organizers, sponsors, and streamers under one roof to reshape the future of chess entertainment. 'Chess is a global language, spoken by over 600 million players—and yet, its full power has never truly been unleashed on the world's biggest screens," said Salim Belcadi of Checkmate Strategic Ventures, lead organizer of the series. "After witnessing the sold-out crowds and millions of viewers at the FIDE Candidates 2024, it became clear: chess is no longer just a game. It's a spectacle waiting for its stage. Checkmate: USA vs. India brings the world's most iconic players into a battlefield of speed, tension, and unstoppable drama. A fast, breathtaking format. A clash of giants. This is chess, reimagined for a new era.' With global chess viewership at an all-time high across YouTube, Twitch, Kick and OTT platforms, Checkmate: USA vs. India offers an unprecedented opportunity for broadcast and streaming partners. Checkmate Strategic Ventures is currently reviewing proposals for: Live Broadcast & Streaming Rights Sponsorship & Brand Partnerships
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
02-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Chess world set for mega India vs USA clash as Gukesh-Nakamura face-off confirmed
The sport of chess is growing rapidly in terms of coverage and fandom, with India and the USA at the forefront of this global surge. Their top players — including D Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura — will face off in a unique competition this October. Here's all you need to know. read more Checkmate: USA vs India will take place on 4 October at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Image: FIDE Two chess powerhouses – India and the USA – will clash at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a unique five-board match in October this year. The upcoming event, which is named Checkmate: USA vs India, will see chess world champion D Gukesh take on America's No.1 Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, while Arjun Erigaisi will face world No.5 Fabiano Caruana. The uniqueness of the chess tournament, which will take place on 4 October, can be gauged from the fact that it will also include matches between players who are some of the biggest chess streamers in the world. For example, Levy Rozman also known as GothamChess, will take on Sagar Shah, who runs ChessBase India. International Master Rozman has over 6 million subscribers on his YouTube Channel, while ChessBase India has over 2.62 million subscribers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Checkmate: USA vs India tournament will also feature some of the biggest female players from the two countries, as 21-year-old Carissa Yip takes on Divya Deshmukh (19). Another big attraction in the competition will be the fight between young chess talents, like the match between eight-year-old chess prodigy Tanitoluwa Adewumi and 14-year-old Ethan Vaz of India. Five boards for Checkmate: USA vs India Hikaru Nakamura (USA) vs D Gukesh (India) Fabiano Caruana (USA) vs Arjun Erigaisi (India) Levy Rozman (USA) vs Sagar Shah (India) Carissa Yip (USA) vs Divya Deshmukh (India) Tanitoluwa Adewumi (USA) vs Ethan Vaz (India) The organisers are hoping that at least 2,500 spectators will turnup at the Esports Stadium for the competition to see matches between world champion Gukesh and Nakamura and other chess stars. World No.2 Nakamura feels such an event will be a big boost towards raising the profile of chess. 'This is the kind of event that elevates chess to the next level,' Nakamura, said. 'India has become one of the most exciting forces in global chess, and I'm thrilled to take them on in front of a live crowd here in the US We want to show the world that America is home to some of the best players in the game—and that chess can be as thrilling and competitive as any major sport.' The oragnisers of the event, Checkmate Strategic Ventures, have said that a second leg will also take place in India soon. Checkmate: USA vs India: Format Team USA will have the white board advantage in all matches as they are the home team. India are expected to have the white boards in the second leg. The USA vs India match will consist of five rounds. They will be played sequentially, one board at a time. Time control: Regular Game: 10 minutes per player If draw, Overtime Game: 5 minutes per player STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If draw, Shootout Game: 1 minute per player If drawn, additional 1 min per player games until winner emerges No prize money has been declared so far and the tickets went live on on 1 May.
