Hikaru Nakamura believes that both the chess played at the 2025 eSports World Cup (EWC) and Freestyle Chess prioritize entertainment as much as expertise. Following the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas, the Japanese-American grandmaster criticized the organizers for allowing a live audience during matches. He argued this could distract players and potentially lead to spectators using computer software to assist competitors.

Before the EWC, Nakamura again expressed concerns about the tournament's professional standards. "The chess at the EWC isn't organized by chess professionals, so I don't have high expectations," he stated on Chessbase India's YouTube channel. "I anticipated some errors and am willing to be understanding, as they aren't experienced chess organizers. However, I'm still worried about the spectators and seating arrangements. It's very easy to glance at the audience here."

Hikaru Nakamura at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 28/7/2025. Photo: Chess

Hikaru Nakamura at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 28/7/2025. Photo: Chess

Nakamura stated that Carlsen heavily influences both Freestyle Chess and the chess format at the EWC. "Carlsen is pushing chess in a half-entertainment, half-serious direction. Some players here have also mentioned this," the top-ranked American player added. "I'm concerned that chess is heading in a direction where Carlsen is calling the shots for his own benefit."

German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner consulted Carlsen before announcing the Freestyle Chess format. As the world's number one chess player for 14 consecutive years and a 19-time world champion across various chess disciplines, Carlsen is also believed to have proposed the EWC format, where players compete in 10-minute games with no increment.

Nakamura implied that Carlsen's suggestions benefit the Norwegian player himself. Both the Freestyle Chess and EWC formats play to Carlsen's strengths. While he remains the top-ranked player globally across all formats, Carlsen has expressed less interest in classical chess.

The chess tournament at the EWC began yesterday, 29/7, with few surprises in the winners' bracket of the group stage. The 16 participating players were divided into four groups. Within each group, players competed in a double-elimination format, with the top two advancing to the single-elimination quarterfinals. After the first day, the four players progressing from their respective groups were Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Erigaisi Arjun, and Alireza Firouzja. Nakamura dropped to the losers' bracket after a loss to Firouzja. However, the 37-year-old player needs only one more win to reach the quarterfinals.

From the quarterfinals onwards, players compete in a knockout format for a $250,000 grand prize. This prize money is second only to the World Chess Championship, where the winner can receive over $1 million.

Xuan Binh