Saudi Arabian esports organisation Crew Falcons has introduced the signing of chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.
Just like different esports groups within the house, Crew Falcons has picked up the chess legend forward of the Esports World Cup (EWC) chess competitors, which is able to happen later this summer season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hikaru will probably be competing within the two Champions Chess Tour (CCT) occasions to achieve entry to the EWC. In response to the qualification format, solely the highest 12 gamers from the CCT will advance to the multi-title occasion. The remaining 4 spots will probably be decided by means of a Final Likelihood Qualifier.
Not like different grandmaster gamers, who’ve not often been related to esports groups, Hikaru is among the few who has collaborated with organisations prior to now. As one of many greatest chess streamers within the house, North American staff TSM signed Hikaru again in 2020 on a six-figure deal.
The collaboration, nonetheless, led to 2022, and the Grandmaster participant closed a take care of Misfits Gaming Group shortly after, receiving monetary assist and sources for content material creation. Becoming a member of Crew Falcons, Hikaru is seeking to goal for the EWC title and a share of the $1.5m (~£1.18m) prize pool that will probably be placed on the road.
The competitors will probably be powerful given different GMs and high-ranking gamers have joined among the business’s top-tier esports organisations.
