The third ESpot B-Cup is scheduled to take place on December 9, 2023. This unique event blends online and in-person chess with the exciting addition of a live audience; it’s competitive chess, but not quite as you know it!
An additional tournament for online participants will also be held as part of the event, with Chess.com members able to join and be in to win prizes.
How To Watch B-Cup 3
You can follow the event live on Twitch, with French coverage by Kevin Bordi and English coverage by WFM Anna Cramling. The event starts at 2:50 p.m. CET / 6:50 a.m. ET.
To participate in the online bullet arena event, join the official Blitzstream club below.
What Is The B-Cup?
The B-Cup is an ongoing series of tournaments organized by French chess player and streamer Kevin Bordi. Spectators at this in-person event are encouraged to shout their encouragement and share their excitement while the action unfolds, adding an additional layer to the chess battles happening in front of them, and promoting chess as a spectator sport with an active audience.
Basically: it’s a lot of fun.
The event takes place at Espot Paris, France’s largest e-sports complex, directly opposite the iconic Louvre Museum. The last edition saw GM Alexandra Kosteniuk take home the top prize, and previous editions of the tournament have featured appearances by GMs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Etienne Bacrot, and PogChamps winner Sardoche.
What else can a chess player do after a long transatlantic flight? Play chess, of course! Thanks to Kevin for creating such an incredible event and to @espotparis for hosting it! Had a blast yesterday! 😍♟ https://t.co/Jsk9DH50HJ
— Alexandra Kosteniuk (@chessqueen) June 18, 2023
Bordi, also known as BlitzStream, will be taking the event to new heights this year alongside WFM Anna Cramling, who will be providing commentary and event coverage. Last year’s champion Kosteniuk returns, as do Sardoche and GM Etienne Bacrot, alongside other titled and non-titled participants.
Online Bullet Arena
Chess.com members are also invited to join the online portion of B-Cup 3. While the main event takes place on-site, an online bullet arena can be joined through the official Blitzstream club.
The bullet arena will start at 3:50 p.m. CET (local time in Paris) / 7:50 a.m. ET, with a time control of 1+0. The first-place finisher qualifies for the final phase of the B-Cup, giving you an amazing chance to play alongside chess legends!
| Bullet Arena Prizes: |
| First place: €250 |
| Second place: €150 |
| Third place: €100 |
| Additional bonus prizes will be given throughout the tournament |
Chess.com’s Fair Play team will be monitoring the event to ensure the integrity of the competition. It is prohibited to have multiple browser tabs open while playing (at the risk of being removed from the tournament), and it is strongly advised to make sure you are active/connected to the server before the start of a round.
We look forward to enjoying the action with you on December 9, whether it’s online or in person at ESpot Paris!
