Chess is entering a new era of popularity, with its rise leading to the creation of a groundbreaking online competition. The Champions Chess Tour is now the wealthiest circuit in the game’s history, offering over $2 million in prizes.
Hosted on Chess.com, the annual circuit includes six tournaments, beginning with the Airthings Masters in February. Each event has a $235,000 prize fund, and winners will qualify for an eight-player, live finale in December with a $500,000 prize. Additionally, $100,000 will be distributed among the top 10 overall finishers.
The competition will feature top players such as world champion Magnus Carlsen and US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, vying to be crowned Tour Champion.
Any titled player can attempt to qualify for the main events, which consist of a 56-player knockout phase. Matches will be played in rapid format, with players allotted 15 minutes per game plus an additional three seconds per move.
Chess.com CEO Erik Allebest expressed excitement for the event, promising the highest level of play and coverage for fans. He highlighted the anticipation of the chess community for this competition.
Chess.com has seen a serious increase in users, now boasting over 102 million registered users and 7.5 million active daily users—a 238% increase from January 2020. The surge in popularity has led to server issues during peak times, prompting the website to work on improving stability and user experience.
In a statement, Chess.com acknowledged the challenges of service outages but assured fans they are dedicated to resolving these issues and providing the best possible experience.