How to watch Twitch PogChamps 2 chess tournament ft. xQc, Forsen, more

The second Twitch chess tournament, PogChamps 2, returns with an all-star cast of streamers battling for a share of the $50,000 up for grabs. Here’s how to watch the action unfold.

[jwplayer Y7PB7YwV]Chess has become an unlikely winner on Twitch in 2020, suddenly finding thousands of new viewers, mainly thanks to big-name streamers trying their hand at the legendary board game.

Twitch is better known for video game streaming, but with chess now an online multiplayer game in its own right, it’s a somewhat natural progression to see it gain traction on the platform.

Twitch: Chess

xQc losing in only 6 moves against moistcritikal became a viral meme from the last PogChamps tournament.

With the hype continuing, Chess.com are returning with PogChamps 2, a sequel to their successful first event, starting on August 21.

Twitch PogChamps 2 stream

While some of the players themselves will also be streaming on their personal channels, there is also a main broadcast for the tournament on Chess.com/TV and the Chess.com Twitch Channel, which will feature commentary from master players.

Although players can stream, they will need to do so with a delay and not be permitted to use their chat for any assistance.

The event itself will run in a similar format to the first tournament, starting with four groups of four once all 16 competitors are finalized. Top two from each group move to the championship bracket, while the bottom two move to the consolation bracket.

• Group Stage: August 21-31
• Quarterfinals: September 2-4
• Semifinals: September 5
• Finals: September 6

Top prize in the championship bracket is $10,000, while consolation players will compete for the top prize of $3,500.

PogChamps chess players

Headlining the tournament are some of the biggest streamers on all of Twitch:

Clearly, these streamers are not all chess experts, but some, like xQc, have been receiving some of the best training possible from chess Grandmaster and fellow Twitch streamer Hikaru Nakamura.

PogChamps 2 schedule

Group Match Schedule

Bracket Match Schedule

Though not seen traditionally as an esport, Chess.com are hoping that with more players watching competitive play on Twitch, it could naturally fit among the likes of League of Legends and CS:GO.

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Of course, the streamers taking part are far from the best chess players in the world, but their star power is enough to attract fans. The popularity of chess on the platform has led to top-level players like Nakamura and Alexandra Botez, a Woman FIDE Master, growing massively on their personal channels.