Armageddon Championship Series: Everything you need to know

Armageddon, the most dramatic chess series, starts on October 22 on the FIDE Online Arena.

Format & Details

🔸 The Armageddon Championship Series is divided to two parts, the online regional cups and the over-the-board events in Berlin.
🔸 The Online Cups are divided into three regions: Europe & Africa, Americas, Asia & Oceania.
🔸 Six players, the two winners of each Online Region Cup, will meet the world’s top grandmasters face to face in Berlin.
🔸 There are 5 OTB events: three regional series, Women’s Week, and the Grand Finale.
🔸 The Armageddon Championship Series will feature heart rate, stress level read-outs, and even how many calories players lose per match.

Online Regional Cups – Qualifying Stage

Anyone can join the Online Regional Cup and qualify online for the final over-the-board events that take place in Berlin next year. Each region has at least 5 tournaments starting in October ‘22 and the final in January ‘23 where the two winners will qualify for the OTB events. You can participate in up to three tournaments in your region (recommended) to increase your chances of qualifying.

Prizes

Armageddon Online Regional Cups
Total prize fund — €1000 for each tournament:

Armageddon Online Regional Cups. Finals
Total prize fund — €10,000 for each tournament

Schedule

Europe & Africa

Americas

Asia & Oceania

How to participate in the Online Regional Cups

🔸 Get a Pro subscription and verify your account
🔸 Play at least 5 rated blitz games to establish your FOA rating
🔸 Join your Online Regional Cup
🔸 Place in the top ranking and you may be one of the two to earn a spot in the Armageddon OTB events
🔸 To check which region your country belongs to, please read the regulations, scroll down to the bottom of the document and find the list of countries by region approved by FIDE.

Over-the-board events

The final over-the-board tournaments will take place at the purpose-built Armageddon studio in the heart of Berlin in 2023. For each region we have invited 6 players of the world’s top 50 including Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Richard Rapport, who along with the total six winners of the Online Regional Cups will compete in immerse time-control (3+2 blitz, Double elimination system). Besides the regional series, there will be a separate Armageddon women’s week as well.

Regulations

Prizes

Armageddon Women’s Week
Total prize fund of €50,000

Armageddon Regionals
Total prize fund of €50,000 for each tournament

Armageddon Championship Series Grand Finale

Schedule

Streaming and commenting

The Armageddon is created to fit a TV format, will be filmed in Berlin and broadcast on a number of the world’s major platforms, both on linear TV and online (TBA). Also, WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni and WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian will be streaming the Online Regional Cup: Europe & Africa, and GM Vidit Gujrathi will be commenting at the first Online Regional Cup: Asia & Oceania.

Join the Series