Announcing The $1,000,000 Chess.com Global Championship

Chess.com is delighted to announce the Chess.com Global Championship (CGC), our biggest tournament ever. With a total prize fund of $1,000,000, including $500,000 for our final live event at the five-star 1 Hotel in Toronto, Canada, this is an event that you won't want to miss.

The best part of it all? Any Chess.com member can play and become the first-ever Chess.com global champion!

Interest in chess has grown tremendously since Chess.com launched in 2007. Today, millions of members log in every day to play, read about the latest news, learn about the game, or watch their idols playing.

The interest in online chess competitions has also skyrocketed. Events like the Speed Chess Championship, the Rapid Chess Championship, and PogChamps attract hundreds of thousands of viewers—a testament to the appeal of chess competitions. The 2021 World Chess Championship alone amassed more than 25 million unique views. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered to watch GM Magnus Carlsen defeat GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and retain his world champion title.

As much as watching your heroes is exciting, nothing compares to the thrill of playing in a chess competition yourself. But what if you could do both at the same time? That's where the Chess.com Global Championship comes in! For the first time in history, anyone can participate in an elite worldwide event!

"Nothing exemplifies the thrill of organized competition more than a global championship open to everyone who wants to participate," said Chess.com's VP of Esports Michael Brancato. "Chess has been rapidly gaining fans with hugely successful events like the Speed Chess Championship, PogChamps, and the World Chess Championship, and we're excited to offer fans an opportunity to throw their hats into the ring and participate in Chess.com's largest event yet."

We're excited to offer fans an opportunity to throw their hats into the ring and participate in Chess.com's largest event yet.
— Michael Brancato, VP of Esports

From May 1 to July 31, a total of 81 qualifier tournaments exclusive to non-titled players will happen. With three qualifiers spread across each tournament day, you will find a convenient time to play no matter your time zone. And with more than 300 spots up for grabs, everyone will have a shot at advancing to the next stage of the tournament!

The online phases of the tournament will culminate in one last epic set of over-the-board matches, with the strongest players coming under the same roof to fight for the championship title. The event's live finals will give players the chance to meet face to face while giving the fans the opportunity to enjoy the familiar image of their favorite players leaning over the board and trying to outwit their opponent.

While playing in a high-class worldwide event is reason enough to participate, the million-dollar prize fund is nothing to be ignored. The event's sizeable purse is comparable to the most elite over-the-board tournaments—the 2018 World Chess Championship, for instance, had a one-million euro prize fund.

Usually, an event of this magnitude would cost players a significant amount of money to participate in. However, the only cost of entry for the CGC is verification—all verified members will be able to participate. We believe this is the best way to ensure that this event is open to all while also ensuring the most trustworthy playing environment possible.

"It has been one of our long-term goals to create and deliver a truly global chess event where anyone in the world can participate, and we can't wait for it to start!" said Chess.com's Chief Chess Officer IM Danny Rensch. "We believe that this is a huge moment for the game and that the Chess.com Global Championship will change the chess landscape forever! To anyone who ever dreamed of becoming a global champion: THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! You won't want to miss this one."

We believe that this is a huge moment for the game and that the Chess.com Global Championship will change the chess landscape forever!
— IM Danny Rensch, CCO

The CGC is your chance to step out of the audience and onto the main stage to be a part of chess history. Become a Chess.com verified player now and get ready to play against your heroes, starting on May 1!