The Chess Final at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris is set: Magnus Carlsen will face 19-year-old Grandmaster Denis Lazavik today, Saturday, August 15, at 1:00 PM. They will be competing for a prize pool of 1.5 million US dollars.
How Did Carlsen and Lazavik Qualify for the Final?
Carlsen was in top form during the playoffs: In the quarterfinals, he defeated Nihal Sarin 2.5:0.5, and then went on to win a close 4:1 match against Alireza Firouzja in the semifinals. Lazavik, on the other hand, delivered the tournament's biggest surprise: The 19-year-old first eliminated Nodirbek Abdusattorov 3:2 in the quarterfinals, before also overcoming Hikaru Nakamura 3.5:1.5 in the semifinals. The two defeated semifinalists, Nakamura and Firouzja, will face each other in the parallel third-place match.
What is the Format of the Esports World Cup Chess Final?
The Grand Final will be played in a best-of-three set format: The first two sets each consist of four games, and if the set score is 1:1, a final set with two games will decide the winner. All games are played in a rapid chess format, which makes the tournament significantly more spectator-friendly than classic tournament games with long time controls.
Why is Lazavik's Success at the Esports World Cup So Remarkable?
For a 19-year-old, who has until now been on the periphery of the absolute world elite, to prevail against established top players like Abdusattorov and Nakamura is anything but a given: Both have been among the best rapid and blitz chess players in the world for years. Lazavik's run thus joins a series of similar surprises at rapid chess events in recent years, where younger players are increasingly challenging established names. For Carlsen, who aims to defend his EWC title from the previous year, Lazavik is likely to be a significantly more unpredictable opponent than a finalist judged purely by world ranking position.
Those who want to follow the final live can find the stream on the official Esports World Cup website as well as on Chess.com.
Source: Chess.com
Who do you think will take the title – veteran Carlsen or breakout star Lazavik? Discuss with us in the comments!
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