7 Reasons You Should Watch The Champions Chess Tour Finals
After six qualifying tournaments throughout the year, the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) is ending 2023 with one of the most anticipated finals ever. Our last eight contenders for the throne: GMs Magnus Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alireza Firouzja, and Denis Lazavik. All of these high-class grandmasters are focused on one goal: to be knighted with the Champions Chess Tour title! It all happens December 9-16 in Toronto, Canada with broadcasts on YouTube, Twitch, and ChessTV.
We could rattle off 100 reasons why you should watch the biggest and strongest culmination of the tour yet, but we'll settle for seven:
- Over The Board Action
- Fan Zone
- The Commentating Crew
- Special Guest
- A Tale Of Two Rivals
- Players At Their Best
- Prizes And Pride
- Conclusion
Over The Board Action
To paraphrase Eminem: Their pawns are sweaty, knights sweep, (clock) arms are heavy... you get it. For the first time in CCT history, everything in the finals will be decided over physical boards. Beautiful games won't be spoiled by mouse slips or Wi-Fi mishaps.
But be warned: You may see pieces tumble during time pressure. You may feel the adrenaline of a shuddering hand transfer over to you. We cannot promise that you'll remain calm. You WILL be at risk of emotional excitement.
Fan Zone
Toronto, Canada: Home of the Chessbrahs. What would be sweeter than getting exclusive tickets to a venue near the chess pros' playing site? You would get the chance to experience the fluctuating heart rates of your favorite competitors beside fantastic streamers, top content creators, and an audience ricocheting cheers off the walls!
The Commentating Crew
The event wouldn't be complete without top commentators who know how to convey the spirit of a position in heated battles. Join IM Danny Rensch, GM Daniel Naroditsky, and Kaja Snare, who will be courtside witnesses relaying the non-stop play-by-play action. This dynamic trio will bring to life the fire on the board, live on Chess.com's YouTube channel, with easy-to-follow analysis and infectious synergy!
Special Guest
You don't want to miss out on special guest IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess himself, who will also be on-site in Toronto to add to the energy with his firsthand analysis of the games. Before the rough ruckus of chess graces the boards, Rozman will also do a meet-and-greet along with a book signing of his latest bestseller How to Win at Chess. Look out for these tickets to get an in-person view of all the hype!
This is one of my greatest accomplishments.
— GothamChess (@GothamChess) July 17, 2023
I am holding the first-ever printed copy of my upcoming book, "How To Win At Chess"! 😊 pic.twitter.com/0J1FlT8bl1
A Tale Of Two Rivals
Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura: We cannot gloss over these beasts of the board. When they're not drawing blood from the other, everyone else will be seen as underdogs to these hypermodern hyenas. They have firmly established their dominance in the world of speed chess in the last decade and their clashes will be ones you cannot miss. Who will inch out the other on the path to greatness?
Players At Their Best
But it's not just about Carlsen and Nakamura; all eight participants are at the height of their powers. Here are only a few highlights to remind you all that everyone is out for blood, guts, and gambits.
- Six out of the eight finalists have been part of the extraterrestrial 2800 FIDE club at one time or another.
- Vachier-Lagrave defeated the big boss Carlsen TWICE in the AI Cup finals to qualify for Toronto.
- "Mentality monster" (as he was dubbed by Carlsen) and rising star Abdusattorov stunned the chess world with his showing at Tata Steel earlier this year.
- Winner of the 2022 Global Chess Championship, Wesley So, is no slouch in fast chess battles.
- This year Caruana won his third US Chess Championship and dominated the Grand Chess Tour, proving he will always be a force to be reckoned with.
- The young Lazavik is making his debut in the CCT Finals, signing his name in the eighth slot ahead of other elite giants of the game.
Prizes And Pride
The full tour has a huge purse of $2,000,000 in prizes, and half a million of that cash is still up for grabs. A whopping $200,000 is on the line for first place, $100,000 for second, and more on down the standings... but none of these players are even interested in second place. With the illustrious prize money awaiting the victors, we can only expect detailed preparation and devastating drama as they fight for that magnificent number-one spot!
Conclusion
What part of the 2023 Champions Tour Finals in Toronto are YOU most excited for? Let us know in the comments!
