Chess.com is delighted and excited to announce that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, 2021 Candidates Tournament winner and world championship challenger to GM Magnus Carlsen, has signed a long-term sponsorship agreement with Chess.com!

“We are thrilled to have such a highly accomplished, talented, and powerful player as an ambassador for Chess.com and its mission of supporting chess players and their careers at all levels—from beginners to the world’s elite” said Chess.com’s CEO Erik Allebest. “We are proud to support Ian’s continued endeavor to reach the top of the chess world.”

Nepomniachtchi will be seen sporting Chess.com insignia at over-the-board events, starting at the 2021 Norway Chess event. He will also continue to be a regular and prominent fixture in Chess.com’s suite of online chess tournaments, making these already fantastic events even more enthralling.

Nepomniachtchi is no stranger to Chess.com. For years he’s been seen as one of the top grandmasters playing regularly in Titled Tuesday tournaments. Nepomniachtchi has also played in every season of the PRO Chess League, and in every single Speed Chess Championship. He even streams from time to time:

Now, Chess.com will be his exclusive chess sponsor.

“Ian is an electrifying player and a great ambassador for the game,” said Chess.com’s Chief Chess Officer, IM Danny Rensch. “We can’t wait to see what Nepomniachtchi does next!”

We can’t wait to see what Nepomniachtchi does next!
— IM Danny Rensch

The Russian super grandmaster has been a world-class player for over a decade and has amazing lifetime scores against multiple world champions and living legends. He has a positive score against GMs Anatoly Karpov (+2 -0 =0) and Garry Kasparov (+1 -0 =2) in rapid/blitz time controls. In classical time controls, he has a lead over former world champions GM Viswanathan Anand (+3 -2 =5), GM Vladimir Kramnik (+5 -4 =4), and even the reigning World Champion Carlsen (+4 -1 =6).

Chess.com hopes that you’ll enjoy watching Nepomniachtchi’s chess journey unfold as the highly anticipated 2021 World Chess Championship match moves closer and closer to the November 24 start date in Dubai. Join us for this historic event as Nepomniachtchi takes his shot at winning the world championship title!

How excited are you for the 2021 World Chess Championship? Let us know in the comments below!