NAVI expands to chess esports with signing of three grandmasters

by

As a devoted gamer speaking for myself, I’m thrilled to announce that I, along with two other grandmasters, will be proudly representing our esports organization in the opening phase of the Champions Chess Tour 2025. Let’s bring home the victory!

Esports powerhouse Natus Vincere (NAVI) has made its mark in the world of competitive chess by acquiring the services of three grandmasters: Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, and Oleksandr Bortnyk. These esteemed players have now become part of the NAVI family.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, and Oleksandr Bortnyk join NAVI

On February 15th, the announcement for the big unveil came, mere hours before the initial stage of the Champions Chess Tour Chessable Masters 2025 tournament. This announcement included a special video showcasing all three members of the NAVI chess team.

The news about something important was shared on February 15th, just one day before the start of the Champions Chess Tour Chessable Masters 2025 event. This news also included a special video featuring all three players from the NAVI chess team.

“I just want to play some interesting games,” Abdusattorov said in the video.

NAVI’s chess players enter Chessable Masters 2025

As per the esports organization’s announcement, Abdusattorov, So, and Bortnyk are set to compete in the opening stage of the Online Champions Chess Tour 2025 tournament. From February 16th to the 21st, these players will battle it out for a significant portion of the $150,000 USD prize money at stake. The main objective of this circuit is to secure positions in the 2025 Esports World Cup. Only the top 12 ranked players on the Champions Chess Tour leaderboard will qualify for this prestigious event.

NAVI and chess esports content

The addition of Abdusattorov, So, and Bortnyk to their roster signifies Navi’s venture into the competitive chess arena. Notably, this announcement was made shortly following Team Liquid’s signing of Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. Unlike Team Liquid who established a separate YouTube channel for chess content, Navi opted to create NAVIChess X account instead.

As the joint CEO of Team Liquid, Steve Arhancet has announced they will offer a unique perspective on chess content, appealing to both novice and seasoned fans. Will NAVI’s recent move with their X account inspire them to present their own innovative approach to chess esports content? We’ll have to wait and see.

Read More

2025-02-15 23:40