Latest news with #LastChanceQualifier
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First Post
31-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Carlsen empathises with Niemann after latter fails to qualify for Esports World Cup, bangs table following defeat
Hans Niemann had failed to qualify for the Esports World Cup Finals in Riyadh after a 2.5-0.5 defeat against Dutch No 1 Anish Giri, with the American Grandmaster slamming his fist on the table in frustration. read more Advertisement Magnus Carlsen empathised with Hans Niemann after the latter failed to qualify for the Esports World Cup, banging his fist on the table following his defeat against Anish Giri. Image credit: Grand Chess Tour/Screengrab of video posted on X by ChessBase India Chess icon Magnus Carlsen empathised with nemesis Hans Niemann after the latter failed to seal his place in the ESports World Cup with a defeat against Anish Giri at the Last Chance Qualifier recently. Controversial American Grandmaster Niemann followed Carlsen's footsteps in banging the table in anger after his defeat against Dutch GM Giri on Saturday. Giri qualified for the finals in the capital of the Gulf kingdom along with Indian GM Nihal Sarin as well as GMs Javokhir Sindarov and Levon Aronian. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Niemann, who had topped Group D in the Last Chance Qualifier, would have been disappointed at his inability to feature in chess' debut at the Esports World Cup, especially after finishing runner-up in the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour earlier this month, where he lost to Aronian. Like Carlsen following his sixth-round defeat against D Gukesh at the Norway Chess last month, Niemann slammed his fist on the table after facing immense pressure on the clock and eventually running out of time in the crucial meeting with Giri. 'Yeah, it was fun. I watched it. I think we can relate to the pain of losing such a game. But, that's why we're here. It's sports and it's esports, and it's extremely unforgiving,' Carlsen told Take Take Take when quizzed on the incident. Giri, incidentally, would also follow suit after the Dutch No 1's defeat at the hands of Sarin at the Esports World Cup. Giri was seen banging his mouse in frustration after his 2-0 loss at the hands of the Indian GM, the clip of which has since gone viral. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Watch: The victory helped Sarin, representing Indian Esports organisation S8UL, advance to the next round in the lower bracket of the chess tournament. Sarin would then beat French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave , representing Vitality, 1.5-0.5 to reach the quarter-finals, where he is up against Carlsen – who is representing Team Liquid.
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First Post
29-07-2025
- 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.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Major Announcement Made About Open Championship 2026
Major Announcement Made About Open Championship 2026 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Golf's most anticipated major, The Open Championship, is all set to return from July 17-20, 2025, at the iconic Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Fans are already buzzing about the drama and history the event brings each year, and this time, it might be even more special. With Rory McIlroy chasing a Grand Slam and Xander Schauffele returning as defending champion, Portrush will be electric. Advertisement But while 2025 is shaping up to be thrilling, eyes are already turning to 2026, when The Open heads back to Royal Birkdale. Why? Because the R&A just dropped a game-changing update: a Last Chance Qualifier will debut on the Monday of Open week at Birkdale. Xander Schauffele plays a shot from a bunker on the ninth hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship golf Streicher-Imagn Images Up to 12 golfers will battle it out over 18 holes for a single remaining spot in the field—on the actual Open course, just days before the Championship begins. R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon explained the move was inspired by fan feedback. 'They want more live golf, more opportunities to engage with the traditions of golf's original championship,' he said. 'So, we've introduced new features… particularly on the days leading up to the Championship.' It's a modern twist on an old-school tradition. Even legends like Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer had to qualify back in the day. Hogan, in fact, played a 36-hole qualifier at Carnoustie before winning The Open in 1953. This fresh format is already drawing praise for giving deserving players one final shot at history while offering fans even more high-stakes action. And with a backdrop like Royal Birkdale, it promises to be unforgettable. Advertisement So next year, don't just tune in for Thursday—Monday might be the most intense day of them all. Related: Multiple PGA Tour Golfers Withdraw Days Before John Deere Classic This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Indian Express
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Chess infrastructure gets major push to elevate competitive set-up through esports ecosystem
With the ever-growing popularity of chess and esports, the best of both worlds come together to develop chess infrastructure and push chess as an esports in the country. For this, Nodwin Gaming has partnered with and ChessBase India to collaborate on competitive chess development in India. The partnership brings together three organisations involved in esports production, online chess platforms, and grassroots community engagement. Under this arrangement, Nodwin Gaming will oversee production, broadcasting, and commercial planning. ChessBase India will contribute its network within the Indian chess community, while will provide platform support, tournament infrastructure, and creator tools. The partnership is aimed at focusing on creating new tournament formats, community events, and content initiatives aimed at expanding participation and viewership. This comes on the back of chess' inclusion in the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC), where multiple Indian stars have signed contracts with Esports organisations. Arjun Erigaisi was among the first few players in the world to sign such a contract. He signed the deal with Gen.G. Earlier, Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram also signed contracts with the Indian Esports organisation S8UL. At the time of writing, from India, only Arjun has confirmed his qualification in the EWC. Nihal and Aravindh participated in the qualifiers but failed to book their spot for the mega showdown in Riyadh. Aravindh participated in the first tier of 'Last Chance Qualifier' (LCQ) and can still participate in EWC through this. The Esports World Cup will be an event where the world's biggest esports clubs compete across 24 of the most popular esports titles. For the first time, the World Cup will also feature chess, which will be played online. The first edition of the Esports World Cup was held in 2024 and saw teams compete over eight weeks. The Esports World Cup 2025 is set to be the largest multi-title esports event in history which is expected to have at least 2,000 players and 200 teams competing for a combined prize pool of $70 million (approx. Rs 602 crore).
Indianapolis Star
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'This place is something else, man': IMS provides Day 1 Indy 500 qualifying drama for LCQ
INDIANAPOLIS – "You know, some days, I'm happy I'm here. I don't have to do this (expletive) anymore." That was Tony Kanaan, who Thursday morning zipped up his fire suit, yanked on his helmet and strapped into an Indy car for the first time in the two years since what was meant to be his third and final retirement from the sport. For 15 of his 25 years, the Indianapolis 500 proved to be Kanaan's Achilles heel – the race that made him famous, made him an honorary Hoosier and that once every 12 months would find a way to rip his heart out. That 2013 victory gave him a taste of perhaps racing's greatest triumph, and some wondered if he'd ever be able to finally hang up his helmet and cease his pursuit of that second Baby Borg. But days like Saturday – where names like Rahal and Andretti found themselves on either side of one of the most vicious cutlines in sports and where one driver crashed and saw his future hang in the balance for nearly five hours – gave Kanaan a reminder just how brutal the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can be during the Month of May. And for a moment, he found some solace in his new role on the timing stand. Marco Andretti will be fighting Sunday afternoon to make his 20th Indy 500 start after falling into the Last Chance Qualifier by just 0.0028 seconds over the course of 10 miles to Graham Rahal. Andretti started on pole five years ago and four times finished 2nd or 3rd in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. This year, he'll do well just to get to drive it again after Sunday. 'I don't know what else to do. I think tomorrow is ours to lose. We need to just not be dumb tomorrow and do four solid ones, and we should be okay,' Andretti said Saturday evening after finishing Day 1 of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 as one of four drivers on the outside looking in and not yet locked into the field. He'll be joined in Sunday's Last Chance Qualifier – where three drivers will start May 25 on the back row, and one will be left a spectator, by Meyer Shank Racing's Marcus Armstrong and Dale Coyne Racing's Jacob Abel and Rinus VeeKay. 'Just the fact we're running tomorrow is a bummer,' Andretti continued. '(Not getting) 30th isn't a big deal unless we screw up tomorrow, obviously. But I don't want to be in that position. We have bigger problems. Just had speed problems. I've seen it across the garage with big teams. There's always that one (car) where they change every bolt on the car, and how fast it's going is how fast it's going to go. I drew that straw this year. 'This place is something else, man.' If you saw which Andretti Global driver skidded through the short chute of IMS just minutes after noon Saturday and completely totaled his car, you would've presumed Colton Herta, not Andretti, to be the Andretti Global driver losing sleep Saturday night. And yet, it was Herta's No. 26 squad – and Andretti Global at-large – who wowed last year's championship runner-up, taking just four-and-a-half hours to go from watching Herta skidding upside down with sparks flying to rolling his backup car out onto pitlane to fill up with fuel and tear out onto the warmup lane. And with an hour left in Saturday's action, Herta threw down four laps that not only proved his new No. 26 was largely running properly, but ones that landed him in the field and bounced his teammate Andretti. 'What a heroic effort by the guys. I don't think I've seen anything like that on any car. Bare chassis, bare tub in four-and-a-half hours to a complete car,' Herta marveled Saturday night. 'The only thing we transferred over was the engine. Everything else was destroyed. 'It was (our crew's) day. Me and (Herta's engineer Nathan O'Rourke) tried our hardest to take us out of the show. They kept us in.' And yet, as he steps away from the adrenaline rush of the final six hours of Sunday's action and takes stock in the challenge that awaits him – versus the expectations he shouldered entering the month – there's pain, too. The Saturday Herta weathered put him in a hole next Sunday after expecting to be fighting for pole. 'It sucks. I think from our standpoint of where we want to be, what we want to contend with, we're not happy just making the show,' Herta said. 'We want to fight for the pole. We want to be in the Fast 12, and when we don't get a chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.' For Mike Shank, the Meyer Shank Racing co-owner who experienced multitudes of emotions Saturday – a wrecked race car, a driver with a possible concussion, a four-time 500 winner at times on the ropes to even make the race and an under-the-radar veteran who turned the single fastest lap of the day (and two of the fastest three) and will have a legitimate shot to take pole or land his car on the front row for this year's 500. When he stepped back from the chaos of it all, Shank, whose team won the 2021 500 with Helio Castroneves, ultimately goes to bed Saturday night shouldering some frustrations not about a driver and team who turned maybe one of the fastest cars in Gasoline Alley into a mangled mess, but about a team he believes wasn't properly prepared for the disasters that IMS sometimes brings in May. 'It's incumbent upon me in the future to be more prepared for situations like this at Indy, which comes down to money,' Shank told IndyStar after MSR was forced to prepared Armstrong a backup 500 car not from backup oval machinery, but from his purpose-built road and street course car that was ready to pound through the streets of Detroit in a couple weeks – not hit speeds reaching 240 mph around IMS. 'As a team, we need to think about how we handle situations like this and maybe consider putting some capital into a proper Indy 500 (backup) car. 'Now, that's $1 million, or close to it, but we need to come up with that. These times are tough, but when you look at this, we can't not make this race. We're going to work our asses off (Saturday night), and we're going to get the car wrapped and tune on it and get a couple systems that weren't working properly back running. 'I would anticipate we should be able to get to 231 (mph), but we've just got to be cool and not make any mistakes.' It was a marvel that Armstrong, like Herta, saw any more track time Saturday afternoon after his No. 66 Honda turned into a mangled pile of spare parts Saturday morning in his practice crash, and Shank believed those two runs the second-year 500 driver turned, even if they weren't fast enough to get him safely in the race on Day 1, settled the 24-year-old's nerves enough to set him up for success come the pressures of Sunday's LCQ. 'My mindset was, if the car is good enough to do it, I'm not going to be the reason we're not going to get through today,' Armstrong said. 'I threw caution to the wind and just went flat.
