2025 Clutch Chess: The Legends

Two former world champions, Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand, go head-to-head in a special Clutch Chess: The Legends exhibition match. This once-in-a-generation clash celebrates the legacy of two chess greats and officially launches the month of reopening festivities.

The exhibition match will be the first event held in the Club’s enhanced facility, reaffirming the city’s role as the chess capital of the United States and a global leader in the game. The event will feature a $144,000 prize fund awarded across a spirited 12-game Chess960 (Fischer Random) match between the two icons, played at rapid and blitz time controls and with an innovative scoring system designed to captivate both players and fans.

Clutch Chess is a unique type of chess tournament format, the brainchild of Grandmaster Maurice Ashley where the stakes build round by round with ever-increasing points and dollar prizes available each day. Unlike traditional chess tournaments, in Clutch Chess no lead is ever safe and every single game has meaning. Since point values for wins increase each day, players who start off slowly can stage dramatic comebacks all the way to the very end.

On Day 1, each win is worth 1 point and $1,000. For Day 2, each win is worth 2 points and $2,000. And for day 3, each win is worth 3 points and $3,000.

In Clutch Chess: The Legends, the winner will receive $70,000 and the runner-up $50,000 ($60K each in the event of a tie). The players will play 12 games over 3 days in a Chess 960 format with a new position drawn each day.

Whether it’s a match or a tournament, the Clutch Chess format guarantees that each and every game has meaning all the way to the finish line.