Magnus Carlsen beat Alireza Firouzja twice, 3-1 in each round, to win the chess title at the 2025 eSports World Cup.
Carlsen started strong. With the white pieces, he sacrificed his knight to grab a rook in the first game. After two quiet draws, he sealed the round with a final win. The Saudi crowd cheered, even though Firouzja played for the home team, Falcons.
In round two, Firouzja struck first. He won a wild game despite having just 36 seconds on his clock. Carlsen had over four minutes but blundered with his knight, and Firouzja punished him fast. That was Firouzja’s best moment.
But Carlsen didn’t let him build momentum. He won the next three games in a row to close out the match. Final score: 3-1, 3-1. Champion. First-ever eSports World Cup chess winner. Prize: $250,000. Firouzja took home $190,000.
Carlsen said afterward, “When I’m in good form, things click. Today was one of those days.”
The 34-year-old also praised the event. “This was different from anything I’ve done before,” he said. “I hope chess stays in the eSports World Cup. And next time, make the venue bigger, more people want to watch.”
The chess event featured 16 top players, battling over four days. Total prize pool: $1.5 million. Even the last-place players earned $50,000. Many praised the smooth organization.
It was a new stage for chess. And Carlsen owned it.
Rewatch all the games here
I’m the senior editor of Attacking Chess, a keen chess player, rated above 2300 in chess.com. You can challenge me or asking questions at Chess.com.
