Oleksandr Bortnyk Secures Victory at Road to Esports World Cup Chess 2025

Ukrainian grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk, representing NAVI, has emerged as the champion of the Road to Esports World Cup Chess 2025, a major event hosted during the prestigious DreamHack Dallas 2025 esports festival.

Bortnyk showcased dominant form throughout the tournament, cruising through the upper bracket and ultimately defeating Serbian GM Alexey Sarana in the grand final with a confident score of 1.5–0.5.

His triumph earned him a $6,000 prize along with a coveted invite to the Esports World Cup 2025 LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier) — the final gateway to the highly anticipated chess competition at the Esports World Cup 2025, scheduled for July 24–26.

The Road to EWC Chess 2025 tournament took place from May 23 to 25, featuring a $20,000 prize pool and attracting top-tier talent from around the world.