Presentation
Online Chess: A Revival Thanks to Twitch
The lockdown saw a dramatic increase in the number of chess players and games played on online platforms, amplified by numerous influencers and streaming channels.
Contributing to the promotion of the discipline, we can cite Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the world’s second-ranked chess player, supported by a large online community, as well as the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit,” which garnered global critical acclaim.
In a new development, chess has joined the list of disciplines benefiting from a dual status as both a sport and an esports.
Sports & Video Games: Is Chess an Esports?
In France, the legal framework for esports, renamed video game competitions, was created separately from that of traditional sports for various reasons, essentially stemming from the difficulty of defining a sport or an esports, and the existence of intellectual property rights associated with video games.
In 2000, chess was officially recognized by the French Council of State as a sport. This led to the creation of the French Chess Federation (Fédération Française des Échecs) to organize the sport.
Consequently, physical games fall under the French Sports Code, while all online games are governed by the French Internal Security Code and the regulations for online gambling and betting.
How did chess enter the world of esports?
Esports comprises two essential components: the existence of a video game that facilitates competitions and its dissemination to an interested audience.
Chess in the form of video games has existed for many years, with artificial intelligence enabling the creation of formidable opponents and analytical tools used by professionals.
Online chess platforms developed rapidly with the internet, allowing anyone to quickly play with any opponent in the world via a computer or smartphone.
For the past two years, the broadcasting of numerous chess events involving players and influencers has fostered a new community eager for chess: Kevin Bordi’s BlitzStream channel, which provides commentary on official tournaments and teaches the game to its community, boasts impressive audience figures for the sector.
Other personalities from the world of video games and streaming, such as Domingo, Sardoche, and other influencers, regularly offer chess-related content, further solidifying its audience and indirectly bridging the gap between the chess and digital communities.
Recruitment and contracts of chess players by esports clubs
The impressive audience figures for chess competitions on Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms have prompted the esports world to invest in this new discipline.
Several esports clubs have recruited professional chess players to their teams in recent years: Hikaru Nakamura at TSM, Andrea and Alexandra Botez at Envy, and Andreea Navrotescu at Vitality.
Their integration into esports teams certainly raises legal issues: what type of contract are they offered? That of an athlete or a service provider? Are their contributions considered equivalent to participation in sporting events or competitions?
These are all points that require particular attention given the risk of their contracts being reclassified by the courts.
The digital future of chess: more esports than traditional sports?
Since the Ministry’s forced renewal of its status in 2005, the French Chess Federation (FFE) has had its requests for additional delegated powers repeatedly denied in 2009, 2012, and 2014.
In fact, its status as a cerebral sport is increasingly problematic for public authorities, particularly in light of the numerous other physical activities that have been refused official recognition. It is possible that chess will lose its status as a sport in the future.
However, it remains an esport, as a video game that allows for competition. This is contingent on the continued participation of the player community and its audience.
Chess players will inevitably become more closely associated with influencers and gamers than with elite athletes.
