India’s renowned chess grandmasters, Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, are all set to make their presence felt at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025.
Both players have been included in the chess roster of S8UL, a leading Indian esports organisation that continues to expand its footprint across various gaming disciplines.
This year’s edition of the Esports World Cup will mark the debut of chess as a competitive category. With a total prize pool of USD 1.5 million (approximately ₹12.9 crore), the event has already gained global attention.
The inclusion of legendary Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen as the Global Ambassador has further heightened the excitement.
The chess competition will follow a rapid format, with each player allotted 10 minutes per game and no additional time increments. Participants will earn their spots through the Champions Chess Tour events held in February and May.
A final qualifying round, called the Last Chance Qualifier, will be held in Riyadh to decide the remaining spots.
Nihal Sarin, a 20-year-old grandmaster from Thrissur in Kerala, is known for his remarkable rise in the chess world. He began playing the game at the age of six and gained international recognition after winning the World Youth Chess Championship under-10 category in Durban.
Since then, his career has continued to soar.
In recent years, Nihal has delivered several noteworthy performances, including finishing as the runner-up in the Chess.com Global Championship in 2022.
His winning streak continued with a title victory at the President’s Cup 2024, followed by an unbeaten run at the Tashkent Open, where he scored 8 out of 10. Currently ranked 8th in India and 40th in the world, he holds a FIDE rating of 2687.
Speaking about his selection, Nihal expressed his enthusiasm for this new venture. He said the opportunity to participate in the Esports World Cup marks a refreshing turn for chess, traditionally viewed as a classical board game.
He believes that bringing chess into the esports world will help introduce the game to newer audiences and encourage more young minds to take it up.
Joining him is 25-year-old Aravindh Chithambaram, another top chess player from India, who hails from Thirunagar in Madurai.
Aravindh's journey in chess began under the guidance of his grandfather when he was just seven years old. He won the Indian Under-19 Championship at the age of 12, and his career gained momentum soon after.
He secured his first major title at the Chennai Grandmaster International Open in 2013, became an International Master in 2014, and achieved the Grandmaster title in 2015. Aravindh’s back-to-back victories in the National Premier Chess Championship in 2018 and 2019 added to his fame.
His 2019 win was particularly significant as he became the first Indian to win the Indian Open in all three formats — classical, rapid, and blitz.
Recently, Aravindh won the 2025 Prague Chess Festival Masters, strengthening his position among the world's best. With a FIDE rating of 2749, he is currently ranked 4th in India and 11th in the world.
Chithambaram said the opportunity to play at the Esports World Cup is a proud moment for Indian chess. He added that S8UL’s decision to include chess players in its lineup shows how the game is gaining recognition in the competitive digital world.
He believes this move can help inspire more people to view chess not only as a traditional game but also as a thrilling esports event.
Apart from chess, S8UL will also field teams in several other popular titles such as Apex Legends, EAFC 25, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Tekken 8 during EWC 2025.
The team recently announced its Apex Legends lineup, consisting of seasoned players Sharky, Jesko, and Legacy, with Rogers as coach. Details for other game rosters will be revealed in the coming days.
S8UL holds the distinction of being the only Indian organisation selected for the Esports World Cup Foundation’s Club Partner Program. It has also won the prestigious ‘Content Group of the Year’ award at the Esports Awards for three consecutive years.
Animesh Agarwal, better known in the gaming world as 8Bit Thug and co-founder of S8UL, called this a historic moment. He said the inclusion of Nihal and Aravindh in the lineup is a reflection of S8UL’s goal to represent India across all genres of esports.
He highlighted that chess, much like any fast-paced esports title, demands sharp intellect and strategy — making it a natural fit for competitive gaming.
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