Chess.com Announces The Next Pogchamps
Chess.com is announcing the second edition of Pogchamps, the critically-acclaimed Twitch streamer chess tournament featuring some of the most well-known content creators in the world. The second edition of Pogchamps will kick off August 21, starring 16 of Twitch's most-followed streamers.
It's fitting to announce the sequel to the original Pogchamps on International Chess Day because it follows in the footsteps of a cultural phenomenon that became the most-watched chess tournament of all-time. The new edition will feature top streamers like xQc, Mizkif, CallMeCarson, Austin (Rajj) and HafthorJulius (The Mountain from Game of Thrones) competing for their share of $50,000 in prizes.
As was the case in the first edition, superstars GM Hikaru Nakamura and WFM Alexandra Botez, as well as Chess.com's IM Danny Rensch and others will be providing commentary throughout the event's two weeks, with Nakamura and Botez providing lessons. Joining them as coaches will be top chess streamers like IM Levy "GothamChess" Rozman, GM Daniel "The Prophet" Naroditsky, WGM Qiyu "akaNemsko" Zhou, and more.
Unlike the first edition, this Pogchamps will be broadcast across multiple platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and international outlets. This edition comes off the success of Twitch Rivals, which took place on July 10 and featured notable stars from the first edition of Pogchamps.
The new PogChamps event will once again be broadcast live on Chess.com/tv with its final set to take place on September 6. Nakamura, the world's highest-rated blitz player, recently became the most-followed chess channel on Twitch and is nearing half a million followers as the game continues to grow at a rapid pace on the streaming platform. Botez has also seen wild growth, closing in on 300,000 followers during the same period.
The first Pogchamps was an almost surreal experience for viewers, with an average of 42,000 viewers and a peak of 87,000 viewers witnessing epic comebacks, hilarious blunders, and some impressive play on display by competitors.
In preparation for this Pogchamps, top streamers have already begun their training with coaches, including political pundit David Pakman, League of Legends star Gripex90 and others. Many other top streamers have been streaming chess independently, continuing the momentum from the original Pogchamps:
During #pogchamps...
— Chess.com (@chesscom) June 20, 2020
* #chess reached 150,000 concurrent @Twitch viewers.
* A chess @YouTube video trended.
* https://t.co/kL75QeFnmc reached 85,000 viewers.
* A chess stream reached 1,000,000 unique views.
* https://t.co/kL75QeFnmc gained 140,000 followers.
* @Erobb221 got a W.
In addition to the coaches, the broadcast will feature special guest appearances from famous content creators, some of whom played in the first Pogchamps.
As was the case in the first edition, this Pogchamps will feature a group stage held August 21-31, which will feed into the post-tournament bracket. Instead of playing a single-round robin, players will now play a double-round robin in the group stages to ensure there are even more epic moments. Once again, Pogchamps will feature both a championship and consolation bracket, meaning that the participants can compete for top prizes, while also focusing on providing entertainment for their followers.
In the new field, there is less variance between the participants' ratings, which means that this tournament is truly up for grabs with multiple chess newbies set to battle it out. One-on-one coaching with top Chess.com streamers like Nakamura and Botez means that players will be improving rapidly throughout the event, adding a unique element into this FIFA World Cup-inspired format.
Chess.com will be awarding one-month Diamond membership drops to random viewers throughout the event, so make sure to tune into each player's stream, and you could win while watching the action.
Among the confirmed participants are xQc, Mizkif, AustinShow, Hafu, TFBlade, IWillDominate, and HafthorJulius, who played The Mountain on the hit HBO show Game of Thrones, one of the most popular television shows in history. Chess.com will be releasing the final streamers in the field over the next two weeks to promote this edition of PogChamps. There are still three spots up for grabs in the field of 16 which have been set aside for top streamers who wish to express their interest in playing.
The media's appetite for chess remains elevated, with some of the top media outlets in esports and entertainment expressing interest in covering this edition of Pogchamps, including The Esports Observer, who have already released a comprehensive preview article with a focus on the business side of the event.
In addition, ESTNN has released an article, while ESPN, Sporting News, Esports Insider, and many others have indicated interest in covering the event.
This incredible sequel is sure to bring even more attention to the already-booming chess streaming world, and fans of all skill levels can catch the action on Chess.com/TV.
Contact:
Chess.com's Esports Department
email: esports@chess.com
phone: (800) 318-2827
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