Esports and gaming content organisation S8UL has signed two of the country’s top-ranked chess grandmasters, Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin, to represent the team at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025. This marks a historic move as chess debuts at EWC with a prize pool of 1.5 million dollars (approx. Rs 12.9 crore), with the grandmaster Magnus Carlsen serving as a global ambassador.
Chithambaram, currently ranked fourth in India and 11th globally (FIDE rating: 2749), joins the roster following a string of victories, including his recent triumph at the 2025 Prague Chess Festival Masters. He said, “This moment is special not just for me personally, 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.”
Alongside him is 20-year-old prodigy Sarin from Kerala, ranked 8 in India and 40th globally (FIDE rating: 2687), who recently won the President’s Cup 2024 and the Tashkent Open. He shared, “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 of taking the game I love to a much broader audience and inspire more young minds to pick it up.”
The EWC 2025 chess event will use a rapid 10+0 format and features qualifiers via the Champions Chess Tour’s February and May events, along with a Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh to decide the final four participants.
S8UL co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug) said, “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.”
The organisation is the only Indian entity selected for the EWC Foundation’s Club Partner Program.
In addition to chess, S8UL will also compete in Apex Legends, EAFC 25, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Tekken 8 at EWC 2025. The organisation recently announced its Apex Legends lineup with players Sharky, Jesko, and Legacy, led by coach Rogers.
