Indian grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi has joined Team Apex Gaming, marking the esports organisation’s entry into chess and adding another title to its expanding competitive portfolio.
The announcement was made on November 9, with Team Apex Gaming welcoming the 31-year-old through a social media post that read: “Every great game needs a Grandmaster. Ours just arrived. Welcome, Vidit Gujrathi.”
Vidit also confirmed the move on X, writing: “Happy to be part of Team Apex Gaming. Let’s kill it!”
The signing makes Vidit the organisation’s first chess player. However, neither Team Apex Gaming nor the grandmaster has disclosed the financial terms, duration of the agreement, or the specific responsibilities attached to the deal. It also remains unclear whether his role will focus on competitive tournaments, content creation, or both.
Founded in April 2026 by popular BGMI player and content creator Jonathan Amaral, better known as Jonathan Gaming, Team Apex Gaming has been expanding beyond its initial focus on mobile esports. The organisation has added Free Fire and EA Sports FC Mobile to its portfolio, with Vidit’s signing now bringing chess into the mix.
For Vidit, the move adds an esports organisation to a career that has combined elite-level competition with streaming and digital content. He became a Grandmaster in 2013 and won the FIDE Grand Swiss in 2023, earning qualification for the 2024 Candidates Tournament in Toronto. He has also won two gold medals with India’s team at the Chess Olympiad in 2022 and 2024.
His association with esports is not entirely new. Earlier in 2026, Vidit reached the final of India Rising, the qualifier for the chess competition at the Esports World Cup, but lost to Dutch Grandmaster Benjamin Bok in an Armageddon tiebreak.
The signing also reflects the growing overlap between traditional chess and the esports ecosystem, where competitive play, livestreaming and creator-led audiences increasingly intersect.
Team Apex Gaming’s expansion comes as other esports organisations also build chess divisions. S8UL has previously signed Indian grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, while Arjun Erigaisi represents Gen.G.
Vidit’s arrival gives Team Apex Gaming an established name in international chess as it looks to broaden its presence across competitive gaming. The organisation has yet to announce its first tournament or appearance under the TAG banner.