Chess
Chess: Nihal Sarin, Aravindh Chitambaram sign with Esports team S8UL
Arjun Erigaisi had signed with Gen.G Esports earlier in the year.
Nihal Sarin (Photo credit: FIDE/Twitter)
Indian chess Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chitambaram have signed a deal with S8UL for the 2025 Esports World Cup.
The two rising stars of Indian chess will represent the organisation as chess makes its debut at the Esports World Cup, scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia later this year.
"We’re proud to unveil the next chapter in S8UL’s journey – welcoming NIHAL SARIN & ARAVINDH CHITHAMBARAM , the tactical mastermind behind the board, to represent us at the Esports World Cup 2025," S8UL posted on social media.
This development comes two months after Arjun Erigaisi, the second Indian to break the 2800 rating barrier, signed with American team Gen.G Esports.
A host of top international grandmasters including the likes of Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Maxime Vachier Lagrave, Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Ding Liren, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and others have signed with various different teams for the competition.
Arjun, Nihal, and Aravindh are the only Indians to have signed a contract until now.
Only 12 players will compete at 2025 Esports World Cup in chess. All the signed players will have to fight through the Champions Chess Tour, a qualification event, to earn their slot. A final chance qualifier will then be held in Riyadh to select the last four competitiors.
