14
November 2024
World Chess
Plc
("World
Chess" or the "Company")
World Chess Sets New Record
with Hans Niemann's Historic Chess Match at Web
Summit
World Chess PLC (LSE: CHSS), in
collaboration with it.com Domains and Web Summit, is pleased to
announce the success of the "Hans Niemann vs. You" event, which
took place on 13 November 2024, at Lisbon's MEO Arena. This
landmark challenge saw a record-breaking 106,638 participants from
132 countries join forces to challenge Grandmaster Hans Niemann in
an AI-assisted, real-time match that marked a significant milestone
in the history of online chess.
A
New Record for Online Chess Participation
This match, streamed live and
featuring a unique voting system that allowed players of all levels
to vote on each move, surpassed previous records held by events
such as Garry Kasparov's "Kasparov vs. The World" and Viswanathan
Anand's 60,000-opponent match. Participants united under the banner
of the "World Team" and collaborated through an AI advisor system
based on the Stockfish engine, selecting moves at Grandmaster,
Advanced, and Amateur levels. The match concluded in 71 moves, with
Hans Niemann securing victory in a game that captured the interest
of both the chess and tech communities.
Event Highlights:
·
Unprecedented
Participation: 106,638 players, from
diverse backgrounds and skill levels, joined forces to form the
"World Team," setting a new benchmark in the realm of online
simultaneous chess matches.
·
AI-Powered
Engagement: Utilising an AI advisor
allowed participants of varying skill levels to make informed
decisions, enhancing the strategic depth of the game while
highlighting AI's growing role in chess.
·
High-Level
Visibility: Hosted live at Web
Summit and viewed across multiple platforms, the event engaged
thousands of live viewers and underscored chess's appeal in the
tech industry.
Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess,
added: "Chess is seeing
remarkable growth, and we're thrilled to showcase its modern
potential. Events like this allow us to integrate cutting-edge
technology into chess, making it accessible and exciting for a
global audience."
Andrey Insarov, CEO of it.com
Domains, commented: "This
challenge represented our vision of bringing technology and
tradition together. Hans Niemann's skill, combined with the World
Team's strategic depth, made this event an extraordinary display of
collaborative thinking in chess."
Building on Historic Moments in Chess
Taking inspiration from Garry
Kasparov's iconic matches, including his famed bout against IBM's
Deep Blue, "Hans Niemann vs. You" is a reflection of how chess
continues to evolve. This match, integrating a collective
intelligence approach with AI, points toward the future of chess as
both a traditional game and a dynamic, tech-enabled
experience.
For more information, visit:
www.worldchess.com
or contact:
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World Chess
Ilya Merenzon, CEO
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merenzon@worldchess.com
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Novum Securities Limited - Financial
Adviser
David Coffman / George
Duxberry
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+44 (0) 20 7399 9400
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Allenby Capital Limited - Broker
Joscelin Pinnington / Tony Quirke
(Sales)
John Depasquale / Lauren Wright
(Corporate Finance)
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+44 (0) 20 3328
5656
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About World Chess PLC
World Chess PLC is a London-based
leader in chess gaming and entertainment and serves as the official
commercial partner of Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE).
The company operates chessarena.com, the only platform to offer
FIDE-recognized online ratings, and is known for hosting
high-profile chess tournaments, including World Chess Championship
matches. Through innovative partnerships and projects, World Chess
seeks to expand the appeal of chess to both traditional players and
modern audiences.