A chess tournament at DreamHack Atlanta will run from May 15 to 17, offering four qualification spots to the Esports World Cup and a $50,000 prize fund. The event at the Georgia World Congress Center is open to all players who register online by May 11 and attend in person. Top finishers will advance through Swiss-system qualifiers to a double-elimination final.
The chess competition highlights DreamHack's growing role in bridging traditional chess with esports. Held during the world's largest gaming festival, the tournament features an increased prize pool, with $15,000 for first place. Players must compete in person at the venue in Atlanta, United States, using a 10+0 time control throughout. Eight seven-round Swiss qualifiers will determine the finalists, with the top two from each advancing: winners to the upper bracket and runners-up to the lower bracket of the knockout stage. Last year at DreamHack Dallas, grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk won among 62 entrants, while finalists Alexey Sarana, Aravindh Chithambaram, and Andrew Tang earned trips to the Esports World Cup Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh. Organizers position this event as a key remaining path to the main Esports World Cup, with most spots already allocated through other series like the Speed Chess Championship and Champions Chess Tour. Registration closes May 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET.