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Carlsen, Nakamura, and GothamChess join BETBY at ICE Barcelona 2026
BETBY has announced a historic activation for ICE Barcelona 2026, where three of the most influential figures in chess; Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Levy Rozman (GothamChess), will appear together in Europe for the first time.
Carlsen, BETBY’s global brand ambassador, five-time World Chess Champion, and grandmaster officially considered to be the greatest player in chess history, will be joined by Nakamura, five-time US Champion, the current ranked world number two, and one of the best grandmasters in the modern era. Accompanying them will be Rozman, otherwise known as GothamChess, who has a following of over 7 million on YouTube. Rozman, a chess International Master, is the world’s largest chess content creator, and is a central figure in chess’ surge in mainstream popularity.
BETBY’s vision for chess
BETBY stated that this unique gathering underscores its shared vision with the global chess community, a vision of innovation, strategic excellence, and for the pursuit of new frontiers in digital entertainment. It said that chess continues to experience a cultural renaissance, one fuelled by new competitive formats, digital viewership, and chess’ recent inclusion in the Esports World Cup, where Carlsen claimed the inaugural title.
This activation also marks a major moment in the second phase of BETBY’s global campaign with Carlsen, “Leaders Choose Leaders”. BETBY stated that this campaign is built on the idea that true leaders, in chess and business, recognise excellence and choose to surround themselves with others who operate at the highest level.
A special event for the sport
Carlsen, Nakamura, and Rozman will join BETBY at 12:00 pm on 20 January, which is Day 2 of ICE Barcelona 2026. They will be at stand 5K20 in Fira Barcelona Gran Via, offering attendees a rare opportunity to get up close and engage directly with three of the most recognisable figures in chess.
The appearance will include a live press conference, as well as exhibition matches featuring Carlsen, Nakamura, and GothamChess.
Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO at BETBY, said that bringing Carlsen, Nakamura, and Rozman together at ICE Barcelona is a “once-in-a-lifetime moment”. He added that anyone who loves chess knows how special this event is, as he remarked that having the three of them on the same stage “guarantees an incredible show full of energy, personality, and the kind of excitement you rarely get to see live”. Pertsovskiy said that BETBY is proud to create a moment that fans and its partners will remember for a long time.
BETBY invites chess fans, industry professionals, and ICE delegates to witness this exceptional activation at stand 5K20, where it said that strategy, entertainment, and elite talent will converge in a show one would not want to miss.
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