India secures chess line-up for Esports Nations Cup 2026 as Mitrabha Guha leads qualifier

RIYADH: It is checkmate for hesitation and a clear opening for India, as the country finalises its chess squad for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, with grandmaster Mitrabha Guha sealing his spot in style.

India’s chess challenge at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 now features two grandmasters, after Mitrabha Guha topped the regional qualifier to join Nihal Sarin, who had already booked his place via the Champions Chess Tour leaderboard. The global event will be held in Riyadh from 2 to 8 November 2026, bringing together elite players from across the world.

The chess competition at ENC 2026 will feature 128 players battling for a prize pool of around USD 600,000, approximately Rs 5.7 crore. The format begins with a 16-group round-robin stage, followed by a 64-player single-elimination playoff bracket that will determine the final champion.

The field already includes some of the biggest names in global chess, including Magnus Carlsen, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura. Women’s representation is also set to make history, with players such as Alexandra Kosteniuk and Mai Narva among those who have qualified.

The regional qualifier covering the Middle East, India and Central Asia followed a demanding format, beginning with a nine-round Swiss stage played under rapid time controls. From there, the top eight advanced into a double-elimination knockout, with only four securing places at the finals.

Mitrabha Guha emerged as the standout performer, finishing unbeaten with six wins and three draws. He carried that momentum into the knockout stage, defeating Syria’s Malek Koniahli in the Upper Bracket quarterfinals before overcoming Iran’s Artin Ashraf in the semifinals to clinch qualification.

His consistency across formats marked him out as one of the most composed performers in the bracket, strengthening India’s reputation in the global esports chess circuit.

Speaking after qualification, Mitrabha Guha said, “The regional qualifier was challenging from start to finish. Chess has become an increasingly important part of the global esports ecosystem, and the Esports Nations Cup is a great reflection of that growth. The tournament will bring together some of the strongest players from around the world, so preparation will be key. Over the coming months, my focus will be on refining different aspects of my game and ensuring I am ready to perform at my highest level when the competition begins.”

India’s broader preparations for ENC 2026 are being coordinated by NODWIN Gaming, which serves as the national team partner across multiple titles. Alongside chess, India has fielded squads in DOTA 2, MOBA Legends: 5v5 and Rocket League, with several teams heading into regional qualifiers between June and August.

With momentum building across both traditional chess and esports formats, India’s dual qualification in the individual chess category signals a growing convergence between classical mind sport excellence and the rapidly expanding global esports arena.