In 2013, Magnus Carlsen didn’t just win the World Championship. He changed chess forever.
That moment marked the birth of a new era: chess became a business-driven sport.
For the first time, fans were willing to pay for what had always been free — tickets, broadcasts, exclusive access. What started as shock soon turned into a revolution in how chess is played, sold, and experienced.
In this episode, World Chess CEO Ilya Merenzon reflects on how the game evolved from a passion project into a global platform. We also hear from fintech entrepreneurs backing Hikaru Nakamura and IT innovators investing in the first-ever televised chess show.
The official partner of the World Chess Show is it.com Domains, a provider of innovative domain solutions. As the operator of the .it.com domain registry, it offers a dynamic platform that empowers individuals and businesses to effectively showcase their digital presence, offering domains under the .it.com suffix (for example, yourname.it.com). Visit https://get.it.com today and create your unique online image.
We would like to express our gratitude to WeWork Berlin for their kind support.
Media Attribution
This video includes images licensed under Creative Commons. Attribution as follows:
Photos:
Borris Spasky 17 July 1973, by Rob Croes, Anefo CC BY-SA 4.0
Anatoly Karpov 2017, by –, cropped in to subject, CC BY-SA 4.0
Excerpt from Fischer is King, Los Angeles Times, September 1, 1972 https://en.chessbase.com/Portals/all/thumbs/067/67814.jpeg
Excerpt from Fischer Captures Chess Title as Spassky Resigns by Phone, New York Times, September 2, 1972. https://x.com/tackettdc/status/638792752482942976?lang=bn
Garry Kasparov by Frank Hoppe https://www.vondoren.com/single-post/CHESS-AND-FINE-TIMEPIECES?_amp_=&utm_source=chatgpt.com
Deep Blue, by Jim Gardner (James the photographer), CC BY 2.0
Garry Kasparov, 1985 by Rob Bogaerts for Anefo https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%87_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D0%BE_%D1%88%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BC_1985
Excerpt from It’s Kasparov Who’s Blue After Defeat, LOS ANGELES TIMES, May 12, 1997
https://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/688386?acl=943779173&rc=blog&imagelist=1&srsltid=AfmBOoooSkZAAkVxKO2c_4lw7-ZAV00BoaUwT2wpbN21UlZmTjcGuLXQ
IBM Aptiva 2144-M51 desktop computer with IBM G40 VGA monitor and IBM M2 buckling spring keyboard, circa 1995, by Ruben de Rijcke CC BY-SA 4.0
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates his goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying match between Armenia and Portugal at Republican Stadium in Yerevan, September 6, 2025, by YantsImages, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Video excerpt courtesy of Axiom Digital Hues,”Boris Spassky Vs Robert James Fischer (Bobby Fischer)” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8MlGHJKAuM
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