Latest news with #EsportsWorldCup2025
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First Post
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
'I treat it as I am playing from home': Carlsen reflects on unique experience of playing at Esports World Cup
Magnus Carlsen enjoyed a fruitful day as he reached the quarter-finals of the chess tournament at Esports World Cup 2025. He also reflected on the uniqueness of the tournament. read more Magnus Carlsen reached the quarter-finals of the chess tournament at Esports World Cup 2025 without much issue. Image: Esports World Cup 2025 World No.1 Magnus Carlsen enjoyed the first day out at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, competing as chess made its debut at the event on Tuesday. The first day of the inaugural chess tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025 began with the group stage matches. The 34-year-old Carlsen topped Group D after beating Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Jan-Krzysztof Duda as he reached the quarter-finals. Besides the five-time world champion Carlsen, Levon Aronian (Group A), India's Arjun Erigaisi (Group B) and Alireza Firouzja (Group C) also qualified for the quarter-finals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | Explained: Why chess and Carlsen's appearance at Esports World Cup 2025 is causing controversy Four more players will join them after fighting it out in the Losers Brackets playoffs. Ian Nepomniachtchi, Vladislav Artemiev and Andrey Esipenko from Group A; Anish Giri, Nihal Sarin and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave from Group B; Javokhir Sindarov, Wei Yi and Hikaru Nakamura from Group C; and Abdusattorov, Fabiano Caruana and Duda from Group D can still reach the last eight stage. The unique things about the chess tournament at the Esports World Cup are that players are required to play the matches online, sitting in front of each other. They are required to use noise-cancelling headphones due to the presence of the live audience and the music playing in the arena. Carlsen speaks on unique Esports World Cup experience The unique format, where the matches are being played in a 10-minute Rapid format without any time increment, also increases the challenge for the players. 'These games were incredibly complicated and definitely out of control at times. But at the end of the day you only need to play better than your opponent. When it's complicated then both players are going to make mistakes. I felt for the most part that I was in the driver's seat,' Carlsen told Take Take Take, talking about the challenge of playing in front of a live audience and amid blaring music from speakers. 'I don't know if it's helping my game (having the crowd on the main stage). But it's nice to have with the set-up: the noise-cancellation, with the music and everything. I sort of treat it as if I am playing from home,' Carlsen added. The chess tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025 has a total prize pool of $1.5 million, with the winner set to earn $25,000.
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First Post
a day ago
- Sport
- First Post
Exclusive: Nihal Sarin to make Esports World Cup 2025 debut, says new format is the 'future of chess'
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin is set to compete at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, representing Team S8UL. In an exclusive chat with Firstpost, he shared thoughts on his preparation, tournament format, and why he believes this is the future of chess. read more Advertisement Nihal is the sole Indian to secure his spot in the Esports World Cup via LCQ. Image: Special arrangement Indian chess Grandmaster Nihal Sarin is all set to compete in the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, where he will represent Team S8UL. Speaking exclusively to Firstpost, the 21-year-old shared his thoughts on preparation, format, and the experience of playing in this unique environment. Nihal earned his place at the World Cup after a superb run in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). 'Of course, it was a very tough field. I was just trying to enjoy and not take any pressure,' Nihal said. 'There was some pressure, but I was really enjoying everything. Fortunately, I managed to show a pretty good level.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The youngster put on an impressive display in the LCQ group stage, registering five wins and finishing with 5.5 points to secure a spot in the top four of Group B. In the playoffs, he produced a remarkable comeback against Belarusian player Denis Lazavik, and followed that up with another 1.5-0.5 win over Anish Giri. Sarin on his preparation for Esports World Cup He sealed his ticket to Riyadh by beating Andrey Esipenko 2.5-1.5 in a thrilling winners' bracket match. When asked about his preparation for the main event, Nihal said, 'In regard to preparation, nothing special. Just trying to relax and reset and be well rested before the new tournament.' Nihal, who is currently ranked 8th in India and 37th in the world with a FIDE rating of 2692, will join 15 of the world's top players at the Esports World Cup. The lineup includes Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, and fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi. Nihal also praised his team, S8UL, for the support and opportunity to be part of the event. 'I am very, very thankful to my team S8UL for giving me the opportunity to be part of this fantastic event. I have never really seen anything like this. They are supporting in every way possible. They are taking care of me extremely well. I will remember this experience for a lifetime.' Sarin on future of chess and the best format Nihal backed the tournament format, calling it the future of the sport. 'I strongly feel that this format, or a similar format, is the future of chess,' he said. 'The traditional, classical chess is the purest form and of highest quality — it's like Test cricket. But this Esports format, with live commentary, a faster pace, and even a video game element, is great for viewership. That's what sports need to grow.' The Esports World Cup 2025 chess event will have a $1.5 million prize pool (over Rs 13 crore). Each player will get 10 minutes for the whole game and there won't be any extra time added after each move. If the match ends in a tie, it will be decided by one final Armageddon game. The final will be played as a best-of-three sets match.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Magnus Carlsen praises Nihal Sarin: ‘Saw how incredibly good he is with very little time on clock'
World No. 1 chess player and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen will be in action at the ongoing Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, representing Team Liquid. Ahead of the event, Carlsen spoke about the unique time format (10 minutes with no increment), which creates additional pressure with no increment, unlike the many rapid and blitz events played online. Carlsen said his mouse speed is slow, and if he runs into someone like young Indian Nihal Sarin, it might turn into a dangerous match-up. 'I only played the two qualifier events to get here with this time control, but for me, it worked out okay. My mouse speed is not necessarily the best, but I play fast and well enough that it doesn't usually bother me,' said Carlsen to Chessbase India ahead of the Esports World Cup. 'We will see, however, you could run into really dangerous matchups here. For instance, we saw in the qualifier how incredibly good Nihal (Sarin) is with very little time on the clock. There could be certain players like him and Alireza (Firouzja); I think, especially if they have a good event, they can use that mouse speed to their advantage,' he said. Speed demon, Nihal carries a moniker for being one of the best players when it comes to speed chess. 'But overall, it is entertainment, but it's also esports, and therefore, motor skills should matter a little bit more in over-the-board play. I generally like events that are unforgiving in terms of time control, where time management actually is an important part of the game. So overall, it may make the players uncomfortable at times, but that's part of the game, and overall, I like it.' Speaking on the players he should be wary of in the 16-player event, Carlsen said: 'I think the Falcons players, Hikaru and Alireza, are on paper the most dangerous. Hikaru is probably quite clearly the most consistent among the others. But there are many players who could make a dent. I would say practically all the players here have some sort of chance to make a deep run. There really isn't that much in between them. I might have personal preferences about whom I would like to play, but if you talk to one of the other top players, they might be different. So, it's a really stacked field, and everybody's very strong.' Nihal and Arjun Erigaisi are the two Indians who will feature in the EWC 2025.
The Wire
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Wire
Parimatch Launches PUBG Mobile Line Ahead of PMWC 2025
A fresh opportunity for fans to engage, analyse, and win big – now live on Parimatch New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir) The virtual battlefield just got real for millions of fans across Asia. Parimatch, #1 global gaming platform, has launched a brand-new online game ahead of one of the biggest esports events of the year: the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025. What's the Tournament About? The PUBG Mobile World Cup is the tournament of the world's fiercest mobile warriors. Held as part of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) is set to be one of the year's biggest competitive spectacles. Squads like Stalwart Esports, Team Falcons, and Alpha7 Esports will go head-to-head in a 10-day battle for global dominance, fame, and a massive $3 million prize pool. Why Play on PUBG with Parimatch? With this launch, Parimatch is opening up a whole new level of interactivity from July 25 to August 3. The line's perfectly synced with the PMWC official schedule. It also allows users to track odds in real time, predict match outcomes, and put their game knowledge to the test while enjoying the rush of the game. What makes this even more exciting is Parimatch's signature user experience: a sleek interface, fast payouts, and seamless navigation that make esports playing smooth, exciting, and accessible to all. Who Should Join In? From seasoned participants to first-timers discovering the game, the new line is designed to welcome everyone into the battleground with open arms. With sharp odds, real-time updates, and the energy of global competition, this new line is designed to bring every fan even closer to the game. Join millions across Asia who already play smarter with Parimatch — where every second counts, and every click could bring you closer to a win. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Parimatch Launches PUBG Mobile Line Ahead of PMWC 2025
A fresh opportunity for fans to engage, analyse, and win big – now live on Parimatch New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir) The virtual battlefield just got real for millions of fans across Asia. Parimatch, #1 global gaming platform, has launched a brand-new online game ahead of one of the biggest esports events of the year: the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025. What's the Tournament About? The PUBG Mobile World Cup is the tournament of the world's fiercest mobile warriors. Held as part of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) is set to be one of the year's biggest competitive spectacles. Squads like Stalwart Esports, Team Falcons, and Alpha7 Esports will go head-to-head in a 10-day battle for global dominance, fame, and a massive $3 million prize pool. Why Play on PUBG with Parimatch? With this launch, Parimatch is opening up a whole new level of interactivity from July 25 to August 3. The line's perfectly synced with the PMWC official schedule. It also allows users to track odds in real time, predict match outcomes, and put their game knowledge to the test while enjoying the rush of the game. What makes this even more exciting is Parimatch's signature user experience: a sleek interface, fast payouts, and seamless navigation that make esports playing smooth, exciting, and accessible to all. Who Should Join In? From seasoned participants to first-timers discovering the game, the new line is designed to welcome everyone into the battleground with open arms. With sharp odds, real-time updates, and the energy of global competition, this new line is designed to bring every fan even closer to the game. Join millions across Asia who already play smarter with Parimatch — where every second counts, and every click could bring you closer to a win. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 14:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
