World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen broke new ground as he became the first-ever champion of the inaugural Esports World Cup 2025 on Saturday. The Norwegian legend, representing Team Liquid, defeated Alireza Firouzja with two consecutive 3-1 set wins in the Grand Final in Saudi Arabia.
By becoming the champion of the first-ever Esports Chess World Cup, the 34-year-old bagged $250,000 in prize money. The Norwegian delivered a convincing performance throughout the four-day event, displaying consistent control and clock management at every stage.
Earlier on the final day, India’s Arjun Erigaisi lost to Hikaru Nakamura 2½-3½ to finish fourth. The tournament featured a fast-paced, no-increment format.
‘Amazing show’
Carlsen’s victory against Firouzja propelled Team Liquid to the top of the overall standings – at least temporarily – in an event that still has several competitions to come, including Crossfire, Street Fighter, and Counter-Strike, over the course of its seven-week schedule.
Carlsen’s title-winning performance began with a flawless group stage showing, where he defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. In the knockout rounds, he overcame Nihal Sarin in the quarterfinals and survived a close call against Hikaru Nakamura in the semifinals before facing Firouzja for the title. Of all his opponents, it was Nakamura who proved the most difficult, taking Carlsen to a sixth game and then to Armageddon in a thrilling showdown.
After his win, Carlsen – who stepped away from the classical World Championship cycle in 2022 and has frequently criticised traditional formats – expressed appreciation for the tournament’s structure and presentation, noting: “It’s been an amazing show, unlike anything that I’ve seen so far. It’s just been a joy, and I really hope that this is a big part of the future for chess.”
The final was played in a best-of-three sets format. Each of the first two sets featured four 10-minute games without increment, while the potential third set would consist of two games, followed by a bidding Armageddon only if necessary.
In the end, neither the third set nor any Armageddon tiebreakers were needed, as Carlsen registered back-to-back 3-1 wins in the first two sets to secure the title.
Carlsen appeared in full control throughout the match, not only on the board but also on the clock. Aware of the absence of increment, the Norwegian made a clear effort to play faster than his opponent, which paid off repeatedly. Firouzja, often low on time in critical moments, misplayed positions under pressure.
Arjun pockets $115,000
In the third-place playoff, Nakamura defeated Arjun in a six-game match to take home a $145,000 prize, while the Indian Grandmaster settled for $115,000. It was a back-and-forth battle that could have gone either way and featured numerous shifts in momentum.
Arjun got off to an ideal start, winning the first game with white in just 34 moves. Nakamura failed to pose any serious problems, and the Indian Grandmaster converted cleanly. Game two ended in a draw after 28 moves. Nakamura then found his rhythm in game three, equalising the score with the black pieces after outplaying Arjun in a sharp middlegame.
In game four, Nakamura showed excellent endgame technique. With two rooks and four pawns against a rook, bishop, and five pawns, the famed streamer converted the favourable endgame with precision.
Engines evaluate this position as close to equal. However, Nakamura had 1 minute and 35 seconds to Arjun’s 55 seconds here. It was not surprising that Arjun later faltered while defending a tough position with little time (and no increments).