Latest news with #S8UL
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
After Magnus Carlsen, Hans Niemann, Dutch no. 1 Anish Giri rages, bangs his mouse after defeat to India's Nihal Sarin
Anish Giri vs Nihal Sarin (Screengrab) Tensions flared at the Esports Chess World Cup 2025 as India's Nihal Sarin pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory against Dutch No.1 Anish Giri, sending the grandmaster into a visible rage. After the match, Giri was seen banging his mouse in frustration, an emotional outburst that has quickly gone viral. Watch: Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The match saw the 21-year-old Nihal, representing S8UL, outplay Giri with clinical precision. With this win, Nihal has advanced to the lower bracket Decider Match, where he faced French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL). Nihal defeated MVL of Vitality by 1.5-0.5 to make the Quarterfinals of the Esports World Cup chess event. Giri's reaction comes just days after a similar incident involving Hans Niemann, who slammed the table following a 0.5-2.5 defeat to Giri in an earlier round. Niemann's loss ended his campaign, and his outburst drew comparisons to Magnus Carlsen 's table slam during Norway Chess 2025, when he lost to D. Gukesh after a blunder in a dominating position. Chess fans have been quick to notice a trend — top players increasingly expressing their frustrations physically. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Giri himself joked on X (formerly Twitter), referencing Gukesh's earlier comment: 'As Gukesh said, we all bang tables.' The rising emotional displays in competitive chess are sparking conversations among fans about the intensity and pressure players face, especially in high-stakes formats like the Esports World Cup. Meanwhile, Nihal Sarin's cool, composed performance under pressure is winning admiration. With this win, he remains firmly in the hunt for the prestigious title and continues to prove himself as one of India's brightest young stars. As emotions erupt and rivalries intensify, the Esports Chess World Cup 2025 is turning out to be as dramatic as it is competitive. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Nihal Sarin Qualifies For Esports World Cup 2025 With Brilliant Performance In Last Chance Qualifiers
Last Updated: Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, has qualified for the Esports World Cup 2025 after a stellar performance in Chess Last Chance Qualifiers. Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, a global powerhouse in esports and gaming content, has qualified for the Esports World Cup 2025 after a spectacular performance in the Chess Last Chance Qualifiers. Nihal was one of just four players and the only Indian to bag his spot at the global tournament through the LCQ, which completes the 16-player roster for the EWC group stage kicking off July 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nihal showed brilliant form in the group stage of the LCQ, registering five victories and finishing with 5.5 points to bag a top-four finish in Group B and advance to the playoffs. In the knockouts, he produced a brilliant turnaround against Belarus' Denis Lazavik in the Round of 16, delivering a checkmate in a lost position to clinch a 1.5 – 0.5 victory. Nihal followed it up with another 1.5 – 0.5 win against Dutch star Anish Giri in the quarters. He then sealed qualification by beating Russia's Andrey Esipenko 2.5 – 1.5 in the winners' bracket, leveraging his world-class speed chess prowess under pressure. Nihal's performance is a testament to S8UL's growing influence in shaping the future of Indian esports on the global stage. As the sole Indian organisation selected for the prestigious Club Partner Program by the Esports World Cup Foundation, S8UL is representing India in titles like Apex Legends, EAFC and now, Chess. Speaking on his qualification, Nihal said, 'I'm incredibly happy to have qualified for the Esports World Cup 2025. The competition was intense, and the format tested every aspect of my game. I'm thankful to S8UL for believing in me and backing me on this journey. Their constant support gave me the confidence to push through tough moments. I am now looking forward to making the country proud on the main stage." Hailing from Thrissur, Nihal is ranked 8th in India and 37th in the world with a FIDE rating of 2692, joining 15 of the world's top chess players, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja and fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi, at the EWC main event. The competition features a prize pool of $1.5 million (approx. INR 12.9 crore) and will follow a rapid 10+0 time control format. The group stage will see four groups of four players, with the top two from each advancing to the single-elimination playoffs. The Grand Final will be played as a best-of-three sets. This result adds to Nihal's brilliant 2025 season, which includes a runner-up finish at the Asian Individual Chess Championship, where he bagged his spot at the men's Chess World Cup, all set to be held in India later this year. Nihal clinched the Tashkent Open title earlier this year as well, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. At EWC 2025, S8UL's Apex Legends team competed in the grand finals, while EAFC athlete Jonas Wirth (Jonny) is all set to participate from August 7 to 10. The organisation's other EAFC representative, Aaron Rivera (Happy), will aim to qualify through the Play-Ins. Meanwhile, Tekken 8 athletes Arja Gamoori (Sephiblack) and Nino Schwarz (Nino) will be vying for qualification in the LCQ from August 7 to 9. With Nihal's brilliant performance and teams competing across several titles, S8UL is not just showing India's esports talent but championing the rise of chess as a serious force in competitive gaming. view comments 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.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Sarin sole Indian to qualify for Esports World Cup through Last Chance Qualifier as Praggnanandhaa misses out
Nihal Sarin emerged the sole Indian to qualify for chess' debut at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh next week after R Praggnanandhaa bowed out with an Armageddon defeat against Anish Giri. read more Nihal Sarin is set to represent Indian Esports organisation S8UL in chess' debut at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh. PTI Nihal Sarin is set to feature in chess' debut at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh starting Tuesday, being the sole Indian to qualify via the Last Chance Qualifier that concluded on Sunday. Sarin advanced to the main event along with fellow Grandmasters Anish Giri, Javokhir Sindarov and Levon Aronian – who had won the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour recently. Sarin, however, isn't the only Indian competing in the Esports world cup, with former Indian No 1 Arjun Erigaisi having confirmed his place directly by finishing among the top-12 at the end of the Champions Chess Tour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sarin becomes first to advance from the Last Chance Qualifier Sarin confirmed his place in the Esports World Cup with back-to-back victories in the Last Chance Qualifier Playoffs – defeating Dutch GM Giri 1.5-0.5 and Russian GM Andrey Esipenko 2.5-1.5 in the winner's bracket, where he faces Uzbekistani GM Sindarov in the final. Nihal Sarin gets to sign his key as a qualifier for the main event while Anish Giri and others are still battling it out for the remaining 3 spots! #EsportsWorldCup — chess24 (@chess24com) July 26, 2025 Giri and Aronian later had to grind it out in the lower bracket to confirm their place in the Finals; joining the Losers Bracket in Round 2, Giri defeated Ahmed Adly 2-1 which was followed by an Armageddon triumph over current Indian No 1 R Praggnanandhaa (1.5-1.5) and Freestyle Chess Las Vegas runner-up Hans Niemann. Praggnanandhaa and Niemann had topped Group C and D respectively earlier. Aronian, meanwhile, had to defeat Yu Yangyi (1.5-0.5), Alexander Grischuk (2-0) and Esipenko (3-2) in order to confirm his place in the main event. The veteran Armenian-American GM had earlier topped Group A, finishing ahead of Indian GM Vidit Gujrathi – who failed to advance to the playoffs. The action, however, isn't over in the playoffs, with Sarin set to face Sindarov and Aronian going up against Giri. The winners of the two matches face off in the Grand Final of the Last Chance Qualifier. Sarin will be representing Indian esports organisation S8UL at the World Cup while Arjun will be playing for Gen.G. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Nihal Sarin qualifies for Esports World Cup 2025 through Last Chance Qualifier, joins Arjun Erigaisi in the main event
GM Nihal Sarin became only the second Indian after Arjun Erigaisi to qualify for the Esports World Cup (2025) happening in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. After failing to qualify at EWC through the two qualifiers, Nihal had to play through the Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh, where he reached the finals of the Winner's Bracket after beating Russia's Andrey Esipenko, thus qualifying for the main event. Apart from Nihal, Anish Giri, Javokhir Sindarov and Levon Aronian also qualified for the EWC to complete the 16-player field for the main event. Nihal, representing Indian esports organisation S8UL, will now take on Sindarov in the final of the LCQ. GM R. Praggnanandhaa came agonisingly close to qualifying for the EWC but Anish Giri handed him a tough loss in the Armageddon in their match-up. Earlier, 12 players were finalised in the EWC roster for chess through the two-leg Champions Chess Tour 2025. Five-time world champion and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, world No. 3 and popular Twitch and YouTube streamer Hikaru Nakamura and reigning co-world blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi qualified for EWC after finishing in the top three of CCT's first event, the Chessable Masters, which was played in February. Nine other players, including Arjun confirmed their spots through the second leg of CCT, the Classic 2025. The Esports World Cup brings together top esports clubs across 24 popular titles. EWC 2025 is happening in Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, featuring chess as an online event for the first time. The inaugural 2024 edition spanned eight weeks, while the 2025 event will be history's largest multi-title esports tournament with 2,000+ players, 200+ teams, and a $70 million (≈₹602 crore) prize pool.
News18
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Celebrating Chess: The Ancient Indian Game Thriving In The Digital Era
The global success of the Netflix series The Queen's Gambit, coupled with the rapid growth of chess streamers on platforms like Twitch, and YouTube, has propelled chess into mainstream pop culture. Tournament series such as PogChamps, launched by in 2020, introduced chess to millions by featuring popular streamers and celebrities, each mentored by elite Grandmasters. Leading streaming personalities like Levy Rozman, known as GothamChess, and the Botez sisters, Alexandra and Andrea, have built massive followings on both Twitch and YouTube. Their accessible, educational, and entertaining style has made chess more engaging and relatable to younger audiences. Since then, online chess has seen explosive growth. In 2024 alone, recorded over 7.6 billion games played. The platform has surpassed 200 million registered users globally, with India contributing over 9 million monthly active players and adding an average of 550,000 new signups each month. Beyond gameplay, viewership numbers have soared, with chess amassing 925 million organic views this year, reflecting an incredible 640 percent year-on-year growth. With its easy-to-play format and accessibility anytime, anywhere, chess has cemented itself as a universal sport for the digital generation. This digital success naturally extended into the competitive esports world. The chess esports revolution accelerated in 2020 when world-renowned Grandmasters such as Qiyu Zhou, Hikaru Nakamura, and Andrew Tang joined established esports organizations like Counter Logic Gaming, Team SoloMid (TSM), and Cloud9 respectively, blending the traditions of chess with the excitement of competitive gaming. The momentum continued when the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and included chess in the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023 in Singapore. This evolution reached a landmark moment with chess officially becoming part of the prestigious Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, with Norwegian legend Magnus Carlsen serving as the tournament's ambassador. Organized in partnership with this year's EWC features a prize pool of $1.5 million, bringing together the world's top chess players to compete in the fast-paced 10+0 rapid format, while representing leading esports organizations from across the globe. Indian chess is making its presence felt on this grand stage. Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, signed with global esports organization Gen.G, has already secured his place at EWC 2025 through the Champions Chess Tour. The final four spots will be decided through the Last Chance Qualifier from July 24 to 26, where top Indian players, including Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, will compete. Both Nihal and Aravindh have joined S8UL, a global powerhouse in esports and gaming content, to compete at EWC 2025. S8UL is the only Indian organization selected among the 40 elite global teams in the Esports World Cup Foundation's (EWCF) Club Partner Program. The organisation has earned its place to compete among the world's best in Apex Legends and EAFC, and will also be fighting for qualification in Tekken 8 through the Last Chance Qualifier, further expanding its presence across multiple esports titles. 'It's incredible to watch chess evolve from a quiet, traditional sport into a bold, global movement," said Sarin. 'Being part of S8UL has introduced me to the world of esports and content creation, opening up new ways to connect with people. Today, chess isn't just about strategy, it's about storytelling, culture, and community," the GM continued. 'I'm proud to be part of this exciting shift, as the game steps into a whole new era." Advertisement The chess esports revolution in India is also being championed by NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia's esports and gaming ecosystem. The company recently announced a strategic partnership with and ChessBase India aimed at building the future of chess esports in the country. This collaboration has already delivered remarkable success, most notably with the exclusive streaming of the recent World Chess Championship, where India's Gukesh Dommaraju defeated Ding Liren to become the World Chess Champion. The event garnered over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership reaching 200,000. Co-founder and MD of NODWIN Gaming, Akshat Rathee, opined that 'The rise of online chess shows how even the most traditional games can reinvent themselves in a digital-first world. Chess has always stood for intellect and discipline, but with streaming, new formats, and structured esports competitions, it's now more accessible and entertaining than ever, especially for younger audiences." Over the years, NODWIN Gaming has consistently driven the mainstream growth of chess through innovative initiatives. The Chess Super League in 2021 brought together a unique mix of top international Grandmasters, leading Indian Grandmasters, International Masters, and promising junior players, offering fans a fresh, competitive, and entertaining viewing experience. Chess has also featured prominently at DreamHack Hyderabad, India's largest gaming festival, further reinforcing its place within the broader gaming and esports ecosystem. advetisement
