NODWIN Gaming Joins Hands With Chess.com And ChessBase India to Build future Of Chess Esports In India

Last Updated:June 18, 2025, 19:49 IST

The partnership combines NODWIN Gaming’s expertise in production and broadcast, ChessBase India’s grassroots network and Chess.com’s global platform to revolutionise chess in India

NODWIN Gaming joins hands with Chess.com and ChessBase India

In a landmark move set to shape the future of chess in India, NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia’s esports and gaming sector, has announced a strategic partnership with the world’s largest chess platform, Chess.com, and India’s top chess media and grassroots organisation, ChessBase India. This collaboration brings together three major players from esports, content creation, and competitive chess to form a cohesive ecosystem that nurtures talent, broadens reach, and enhances India’s presence on the global chess esports stage.

This alliance combines the unique strengths of these leaders in the chess and gaming industry. NODWIN Gaming contributes its expertise in production, broadcasting, and commercial strategy. ChessBase India offers unparalleled access to India’s vibrant chess community and grassroots networks. Chess.com brings its extensive global platform, community, creator partnerships, and world-class tournament infrastructure. Together, they create a synergy aimed at developing and scaling original intellectual properties, delivering premium competitive formats, fostering deeper engagement across player and creator communities, and offering significant opportunities for brands to partner in the rapidly growing chess ecosystem.

Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, stated, “Chess is experiencing a cultural renaissance, from park benches and schoolrooms to sold-out esports arenas and creator streams. Chess has now become the fourth most-watched sport in the country, following cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI tournaments. This partnership is not just about supporting a heritage game; it’s about facilitating its natural progression. By combining our unique strengths, we are creating a future-ready ecosystem that can elevate Indian chess from heritage to hype. It’s time for our grandmasters to meet the energy of our digital generation."

Chess is receiving unprecedented global attention, with over 7.6 billion games played worldwide on Chess.com in 2024 alone. The platform now boasts over 200 million registered users, including more than 9 million monthly active players from India, with an average of 550,000 new signups each month. Viewership has soared, with 925 million total organic views, reflecting a 640% year-over-year growth.

This visibility spike was evident during the World Chess Championship, exclusively streamed in India through the efforts of NODWIN Gaming, Chess.com, and ChessBase India. The final match between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren, which crowned Gukesh as the World Chess Champion, garnered over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership reaching 200,000.

India plays a central role in this surge, with cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai ranking among the top chess-viewing regions globally. Indian users primarily access content via mobile, with 80.9% of viewership on smartphones, and the largest age group being 18 to 34 years old, highlighting the game’s strong connection with India’s digital-native Gen Z and millennial audiences.

Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, commented, “This partnership isn’t just a business alliance — it’s a vision to grow the chess community in India from the grassroots to the grand stage. For the past decade, we’ve focused on building a robust chess culture in the country. Now, with NODWIN and Chess.com by our side, we aim to create more opportunities for everyone involved in the chess ecosystem."

Avadh Shah, Country Director of Chess.com India, added, “Chess has been one of the most dominant and fastest-growing sports in the last three years across India and the world. In terms of both participation and viewership, chess is achieving record-breaking numbers. Given the excitement around the sport, it’s fitting that leading companies within the ecosystem collaborate to further its development and invite partners to join this journey."

The partnership also aligns with the rise of chess as a recognised esports discipline. At the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, chess will debut with a prize pool of $1.5 million. Leading Indian esports organisation S8UL will represent India in competitive chess at the Esports World Cup with its team of Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, marking the first-ever representation of an Indian esports team in competitive chess on a global stage. Their involvement highlights the growing recognition of chess as a spectator-friendly, high-skill esport.

As India prepares to make its mark on this new frontier, the alliance between NODWIN Gaming, Chess.com, and ChessBase India promises to build the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term growth, from top-tier broadcasts and influencer-led content to community tournaments and professional leagues.

Together, NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India, and Chess.com aim to establish a robust ecosystem for Indian chess that honours the nation’s legacy, empowers creators, and positions India as a global hub for online competitive chess.

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