Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa has officially joined Team Liquid, the global esports powerhouse led by five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, ahead of chess’s historic debut at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh. The 19-year-old Grandmaster becomes the fourth Indian to sign with an esports franchise, marking a new chapter in the convergence of traditional chess and digital competition.
♟️ “Whole Lot of Letters, But No ‘I’”: Carlsen’s Warm Welcome
Carlsen welcomed Praggnanandhaa with a witty post on X:
“Whole lot of letters in Praggnanandhaa, but no ‘I’. Welcome to the team 🤝”
Team Liquid echoed the sentiment with a tribute to India’s chess legacy:
“Before chess conquered the world, it was born in India. For centuries, India has shaped the game. Now, it shapes the future. Praggnanandhaa R. carries that legacy forward — and today, he joins ours.”
Praggnanandhaa responded:
“Super excited to be part of Team Liquid! From India to the world, let’s take chess to the next level together!”
🌍 Esports World Cup 2025: Chess Goes Global
The Esports World Cup, scheduled from July 29 to August 1 in Riyadh, will feature chess for the first time among 24 global titles. While Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have already qualified, Praggnanandhaa will compete in the Last Chance Qualifiers, battling for one of the four remaining spots.
Other Indian stars in the esports chess arena include:
- Arjun Erigaisi (Generation Gaming) – already qualified
- Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram (S8UL)
🧠 Rising Star with Global Appeal
Praggnanandhaa’s signing strengthens Team Liquid’s roster, which now includes:
- Magnus Carlsen (World No. 1)
- Fabiano Caruana (World No. 2)
- R Praggnanandhaa (World Top 10 and 2023 FIDE World Cup finalist)
Chess legend Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons) praised the move, calling Pragg a “rare gem in the chess world.”
🔍 Last Chance Qualifiers: Who’s Competing?
The qualifiers will feature elite names such as:
- Ding Liren (LGD)
- Wesley So (NAVI)
- Anish Giri (Team Secret)
- Daniil Dubov (Team Spirit)
Only four of them will join the 12 already-qualified grandmasters in the main event.
Stay tuned for qualifier results and Team Liquid’s tournament journey.
