What is Team Chess Battle? Chess.com announces a new 2v2 tournament featuring GMHikaru, GothamChess, and more

Chess.com is once again pushing the boundaries of online chess with an exciting new event, Team Chess Battle 2024. The event is scheduled to commence on February 21, 2024, at 1 pm ET / 7 pm CET, running until March 15, 2024. While chess is traditionally seen as a solo endeavor, this tournament introduces a unique twist by adopting a 2v2 format, requiring players to compete in pairs.

The teams are particularly exciting as they comprise chess players who also double as streamers and content creators like GMHikaru and GothamChess. This article will delve into the details of this brand-new competition.

---

Who are the teams in Chess.com's Team Chess Battle?

Chess.com is gearing up to launch an exciting new event: the Team Chess Battle 2024. The most significant departure from the norm in this competition is its unique 2v2 format. Unlike conventional 1v1 matches, players will compete in pairs, and they will be able to communicate with teammates during games.

The official Chess.com website has already unveiled the lineup for the teams. With eight teams in total, the roster will consist of 16 players. Here are the pairs:

• GM Hikaru Nakamura & IM Levy Rozman
• GM Anish Giri & IM Danny Rensch (Chess.com's COO)
• GMs Fabiano Caruana & Cristian Chirila
• GMs Robert Hess & Daniel Naroditsky
• GMs Eric Hansen & Jorden van Foreest
• GMs Peter Svidler & Jan Gustafsson
• GM Wesley So & IM Alice Lee
• GMs Peter Leko & Pia Cramling

The full lineup in Team Chess Battle (Image via Chess.com)

---

Where to watch Team Chess Battle?

Chess.com hosts its stream on their website (https://www.chess.com/tv). Additionally, fans can tune in to the official Twitch channel or YouTube channel to catch the live broadcast of the Chess.com event starting on February 21.

Here is their Twitch channel: Click here

Here is their YouTube channel: Click here

---

What is the format of Team Chess Battle?

Eight teams, each comprising two players, will engage in a single-elimination bracket format. Each match comprises two games, except for the Final, which is a four-game encounter. The games adhere to a 10+10 time control. In the event of a tie, an Armageddon is employed to determine the winner.

An intriguing aspect of this chess tournament is that players on the same team are permitted to communicate during the game. Furthermore, the player with the lower rating in the team takes control of the pieces, adding a strategic layer to the competition.

Format for the new tournament revealed (Image via Chess.com)

---

The tournament offers a $25K prize pool, with the winning team receiving $7K and the runner-up $4K. The two teams that come in third will each earn $3K, and the next two teams will receive $2K.