BASILISK has announced the signing of Dutch Chess Grandmaster Anish Giri to the esports organization, further intertwining the Chess and esports spaces.
BASILISK describes itself as ‘Science’s Esports Team’, focusing on big-brain titles such as StarCraft II, Magic: The Gathering, and Chess, where Giri will join teammate Vincent Keymer as part of the org.
Giri and BASILISK join forces
Anish Giri and new teammate Vincent Keymer currently sit as number 4 and number 5, respectively, on the FIDE World Rankings for Standard Chess, holding top 75 rankings in Rapid and Blitz formats.
Giri will make his first official competitive appearance for the team on the Grand Chess Tour beginning with the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, scheduled to take place from July 31 to August 7, 2026.
Giri will not take part in the Esports World Cup 2026 Chess tournament, despite playing the 2025 edition where he placed 13-16th for Team Secret after progressing through the Last Chance Qualifier by defeating the high-profile American player, Hans Niemann.
Giri recently finished second in the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, narrowly missing out on the opportunity to contest the World Chess Championship 2026.
Gukesh Dommaraju will instead defend his World Championship Champion status against Candidates winner, Team Vitality’s Javokhir Sindarov at a yet-to-be-announced location from November 23 to December 17.
The people at Polymarket think Sindarov has a 66% chance of winning that contest and claiming the World Chess Championship.
Anish Giri and BASILISK CEO celebrate signing
Anish Giri gave the following statement upon signing for the org, stating, “The idea of taking chess seriously, of it being more than just a game, of it being a science, is an idea that is very dear to me.
“Often my preparation resembles scientific work, and that connection between science, chess, and esports is what makes BASILISK a perfect fit. I am excited to be joining a team that brings these worlds together.”
Christopher Bothur, CEO and co-founder of BASILISK was also keen to emphasize the org’s scientific mission, stating, “The overlap between chess and science is obvious. The game rewards systematic study and offers a controlled, data-rich environment for experimentation.
“Chess’s impact is global, cultural, and directly tied to science. From Steinitz and Lasker, to Turing’s Turochamp, to IBM’s Deep Blue and Google’s AlphaZero, chess has inspired generations of scientific thinking and discovery.
Adding, “Anish brings a rare combination of competitive drive and an orientation towards continuous learning. We are thrilled to have him join BASILISK.”
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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