PogChamps 6 announced with athletes, streamers, and YouTubers set to duke it out in Chess: Date, format explored 

The PogChamps 6 has been announced by Chess.com and the sixth installment in the rookie tournament is set to boast even more glitz and glam than last year. From famous Twitch streamers and YouTubers to star athletes in the mix, the tournament is set to have a different format this time around and promises to be a four-day chess spectacle starting on April 29, 2025.

PogChamps started in 2020 with the rise in interest in chess with Twitch streamers playing the game on their channels, broadcasting to a whole new set of fans around the world. Since then, the tournament has only garnered more attention.

PogChamps 6 will see many returning faces along with new ones, such as Ludwig, Dr Lupo, Mongraal, and more. Olympic athlete Stephen Nedroscik and footballer Ebere Eze will also be present among the star-studded list of participants duking it out for the $100K prize pool.

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PogChamps 6 tournament format, and prizes explored

The 2025 PogChamps 6 tournament hosted by Chess.com will feature 12 participants competing in a round-robin Group Stage to make it to the Knockout stage. Unlike the previous editions of the tournament, this time around there will only be two groups with six players each.

Players in each group will be matched against each other once, with two games per match. The match will be 10+5 Time Control. In case of a tie, the match will continue in the 3+5 format till there is a winner. An outright win will be awarded with 3 points. Winning in a tiebreaker will net the player 2 points while losing during tie-breakers will net them 1 point.

The top three contestants from the two groups will be seeded in the Championship Bracket of the Knockout stage, while the bottom three will compete in the Consolation Bracket. The match rules from the Group Stage remain the same for the Knockout Stage.

Each bracket will be a single-elimination knockout, with the Grand Winner of the Championship Bracket taking home $20K. 2nd place winner will receive $14K, while 3rd and 5th place finishes will get $8K and $6K respectively.

In the Consolation Bracket, the first-place finisher will receive $10K, and the second-place finisher, $8K. The third- and fifth-place finishers will take home $6K and $4K, respectively.

All of the PogChamps 6 matches will be live-streamed on the official Chess.com channel on Twitch, from April 29 to May 2.