Background
Chess, long regarded as a traditional strategy game, is emerging as a major esports discipline in India following a new collaboration between NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India and Chess.com. According to Chess.com, the platform recorded more than 7.6 billion games played worldwide in 2024, with over 9 million monthly active users based in India. Industry data from FICCI-EY also identifies chess as the country’s fourth-most-viewed sport, trailing only cricket, kabaddi and leading battle-royale titles.
“This alliance marks a significant pivot from over-the-board competition to high-production digital events,” said Anjali Menon, an esports analyst at Digital Insights. “India’s young, mobile-first audience is ready for a premium chess viewing experience.”
Partnership Details
The initiative, scheduled to launch in June 2025, will feature a range of online and broadcast tournaments, influencer-driven content and original intellectual properties. Chess.com will provide platform infrastructure across web and mobile channels, NODWIN Gaming brings broadcast production expertise and sponsorship capabilities, while ChessBase India will ensure grassroots engagement and community credibility.
Highlighting the partnership’s competitive ambition, India will field a professional chess team at the Esports World Cup 2025, competing for a combined prize pool of $1.5 million. The roster, managed in collaboration with esports organisation S8UL, includes grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram.
“Our goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem that elevates players, engages fans and attracts brands,” explained Rahul Sharma, CEO of NODWIN Gaming. “By combining our strengths, we can showcase chess as a spectator sport on par with top esports titles.”
Market Impact
Analysts project that premium chess broadcasts could rival traditional esports viewership benchmarks. The 2024 World Chess Championship, livestreamed by the three organisations, drew 24 million views in India with peak concurrent viewership exceeding 200,000, according to official reports. Brands and content creators are already expressing interest in sponsorship and influencer partnerships, drawn by chess’s intellectual challenge and burgeoning fanbase.
However, industry observers caution that balancing educational depth with entertainment value will be critical. “Chess content must appeal to novices and aficionados alike,” noted Priya Rao, director at GamePlan Research. “Rapid formats and personality-driven coverage are key, but the discipline’s integrity cannot be compromised.”
If successful, the venture could usher in a new era for chess as a mainstream competitive spectacle in India and beyond, demonstrating how legacy games can adapt to the demands of digital audiences and esports economies.