Vidit Gujrathi storms into Esports Chess World Cup Qualifier finals

Vidit Gujrathi has reached the grand finals of the India Rising: Road to EWC qualifier and is now one win away from securing a spot in the 2026 Esports World Cup chess tournament.

Vidit Gujrathi storms into Esports Chess World Cup Qualifier finals. Courtesy: PTI

Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi has booked his place in the grand finals of the ‘India Rising: Road to EWC’ qualifier, moving one step closer to securing the coveted spot at the 2026 Esports World Cup chess event. The tournament, which serves as the official pathway to the Esports World Cup (EWC), has become one of the biggest online chess qualifiers for Indian players.

Vidita’s run in the qualifiers again showed his strength in rapid and online formats. Known for his calm approach and sharp tactical play, the Indian star produced a series of impressive performances to reach the top of the tournament. Vidit will face Dutch Grandmaster Benjamin Bok in the grand final, with the winner earning direct qualification to the Esports World Cup.

After the win, Vidit also shared a video confirming his qualification to the finals. He captioned the post: “Made it to the Esports World Cup Qualifier Finals! Finals in Mumbai in July.”

The India Rising event has attracted a lot of attention from the chess community due to its massive prize pool and the growing connection between chess and esports. Organizers announced a prize pool of 27.5 million, underscoring the rapid rise of chess in the esports ecosystem.

Vidit remains one of the most successful Indian chess players in recent years. The Nashik-born grandmaster has represented India at several elite international tournaments and was also part of India’s historic gold-winning team at the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad.

The Esports World Cup has become a major platform for competitive chess after the game was incorporated into the global structure of esports. The best players from around the world compete through several qualifying routes for a place in the main event, which is scheduled to take place in Riyadh later this year.

Earlier this month, Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram became the first Indian player to qualify for an Esports World Cup chess event after winning the Road to EWC Qualifier at DreamHack Atlanta.

Vidit will now hope to join the growing list of Indian stars at the prestigious event and continue India’s growth as a global chess powerhouse.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

May 25, 2026 11:39 AM IST

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