National Bureau : NODWIN Gaming has announced a partnership with Chess.com and ChessBase India to collaborate on a long-term initiative aimed at expanding the chess esports ecosystem in India.
The partnership brings together three organizations with different roles in the chess and gaming landscape. NODWIN Gaming will oversee production, broadcast, and commercial operations. ChessBase India will provide access to the domestic chess community and its grassroots networks. Chess.com will offer its digital platform, tournament infrastructure, and community engagement tools.
According to the companies, the collaboration will involve joint efforts in producing original content, launching new competitive formats, and engaging both professional players and online creators. The initiative also seeks to open new channels for brand partnerships in the chess space.
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said that the agreement reflects ongoing changes in the public perception and consumption of chess in India. He pointed to increasing digital engagement and viewership figures, stating that chess has become the fourth most-watched sport in the country, following cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI.
Global interest in chess has continued to rise. Chess.com reported that more than 7.6 billion games were played on the platform in 2024, with over 200 million registered users. India currently records over 9 million active monthly users and adds around 550,000 new signups every month. The platform registered 925 million total organic views last year, with a 640 percent year-on-year growth.
The partnership was active during the recent World Chess Championship, where the final between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren was broadcast in India. The event, streamed jointly by NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India, and Chess.com, reached more than 24 million views. Peak concurrent viewership reached 200,000 during the final.
India has emerged as one of the leading markets for online chess. Cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai are among the top global regions in chess viewership. The user base in India is primarily mobile, with more than 80 percent of views coming from smartphones. The dominant demographic includes users aged between 18 and 34.
Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, said the aim of the alliance is to scale access and participation in chess across all levels. “We have spent the past decade working with players and communities across the country. With this partnership, we hope to expand these efforts further,” he said.
Avadh Shah, Country Director of Chess.com India, said the sport has recorded sustained growth in both participation and viewership. He added that the collaboration is designed to address increasing demand and interest from players, audiences, and partners.
Chess is scheduled to make its debut as an esports discipline at the 2025 Esports World Cup, with a prize pool of $1.5 million. S8UL, a gaming organization based in India, will compete in the event. Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram are expected to represent the team.
The organizers said that the partnership is part of a wider plan to build infrastructure for professional chess competitions, digital content, community events, and league systems in India.
NODWIN Gaming, Chess.com, and ChessBase India plan to support long-term development of online chess through coordinated investments in content, competition, and community.