In a groundbreaking move, India’s top chess grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram will represent Team S8UL at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025—marking a historic debut for chess on one of esports’ biggest global stages.
The announcement came late Sunday night and brings two of India’s finest chess talents under the banner of S8UL, the country’s most prominent esports organization. The EWC 2025 is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, and for the first time ever, will include chess as a featured competitive title with a staggering $1.5 million prize pool.
This is the first time online chess is officially part of the Esports World Cup. Entry to the tournament is secured via the Champions Chess Tour (CCT), which features two key online events in February and May, followed by a Last Chance Qualifier to finalize the 16-player championship bracket.
S8UL becomes the first Indian esports team to step into this space. Before this, Arjun Erigaisi made headlines as the first Indian chess player to be signed by an esports org (Gen.G). Globally, top players like Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid), Hikaru Nakamura and Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons), Ian Nepomniachtchi (Team Aurora), and Ding Liren (LGD) are already part of the esports wave.
At just 20 years old, Nihal Sarin has established a reputation as one of the sharpest young minds in chess.
- Hailing from Thrissur, Kerala, he started playing chess at age six
- Won the World Youth Chess Championship (U10) in Durban
- Became a Grandmaster in 2018
- Runner-up at the Chess.com Global Championship 2022
- Winner of the President’s Cup 2024 and unbeaten champion at Tashkent Open 2024
- Currently ranked 8th in India and 40th in the world, with a FIDE rating of 2687
“Being part of the Esports World Cup is a new and exciting experience for me. Chess has traditionally lived in a very classical space, but the way it is now being embraced as part of the esports world opens up a whole new dimension for players and audiences alike. Representing India and S8UL on this global stage is an honour, and I look forward to this opportunity to take the game I love to a much broader audience and inspire more young minds to pick it up.”
— Nihal Sarin
Aravindh Chithambaram, 25, from Thirunagar, Madurai, brings deep experience and top-tier performances to the S8UL roster.
- Started playing chess at age seven
- Won the Indian U-19 Championship at just 12
- Claimed his first major title at the 2013 Chennai GM International Open
- Became an International Master in 2014 and Grandmaster in 2015
- Two-time National Premier Champion (2018 & 2019)
- First Indian to win all formats (classical, rapid, blitz) in the Indian Open
- Recent winner of the 2025 Prague Chess Festival Masters
- Currently ranked 4th in India and 11th globally with a FIDE rating of 2749
“This moment is special not just for me but for Indian chess as a whole. Being part of S8UL’s lineup for the Esports World Cup reflects how far the game has come and how it continues to evolve. The fact that a mainstream esports organisation is investing in chess players shows the growing recognition of chess as both a competitive and spectator sport in the digital space. It feels great to be part of this new wave, and I hope to make my country proud on the global stage.”
— Aravindh Chithambaram
S8UL was recently named as the only Indian team selected for the Esports World Cup Foundation’s Club Partner Program, and is now venturing into multiple global titles. Alongside chess, S8UL will also compete in:
- Apex Legends (with players Sharky, Jesko, and Legacy, coached by Rogers)
- EAFC 25
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Tekken 8
- (More rosters to be announced soon)
With three consecutive ‘Content Group of the Year’ wins at the Esports Awards, S8UL has seamlessly blended gaming content with competitive ambition.
“We are incredibly proud to be the first Indian team to step into the global esports chess arena. Nihal and Aravindh are not just two of India’s best, but among the top minds in the world. Their addition reflects our commitment to representing India in every genre of competitive gaming and our belief that esports is about excellence, whether it’s aim or intellect. This is a historic moment for both S8UL and Indian chess.”
— Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder & CEO, S8UL
With this announcement, S8UL continues to break new ground, championing Indian excellence on a truly global scale—this time, on the 64 squares of chess.
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