Fresh from retiring in boxing this week, Pacquiao takes on world chess champ Magnus Carlsen in an exclusive online celebrity challenge.
Game starts at 18:45 CEST / 09:45 PST / 00:45 Philippine time (October 2), during the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour broadcast
Pacquiao faces his strongest challenge yet—a 10-year-old app version of chess king Carlsen played via an electronic online chess board.
The 12-time boxing world champ will make a rare appearance to compete in the Magnus Carlsen Celebrity Charity Challenge.
The match will be available in real time: https://championschesstour.com and https://www.twitch.tv/
Pacquiao is one of the latest and biggest names lined up to take on the World Chess Champion’s younger self. The unique spectacle will be showcased during the Finals event of the $1.6 million Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, the most prestigious event in the online chess calendar including Carlsen and Filipino-American genius Wesley So.
Pacquiao, a huge chess fan and a Senator in the Philippines, will be hoping to land the knockout blows in a blitz, 2-minute limit, play-to-finish format. But so far, no celebrity taking the challenge has beaten Carlsen, the highest-rated chess player in history, on his Play Magnus app. The longest anyone has survived is 49 moves.
The stakes are high for Pacquiao who is hoping to raise awareness for the “Stop Asian Hate” campaign. He will get $5,000 to donate to his chosen charity just for taking part. If he wins the challenge by lasting the longest, he will secure an extra $50,000.
Carlsen said: “I can’t wait to see how the legendary Manny Pacquiao does against a 10-year-old me on the Play Magnus app. I wasn’t World Champion back then, but I was already playing decently so it’s going to be hard!”
“I am very much excited to play Magnus Carlsen, the world chess champion. This is something that doesn't happen every day and I will be placed in a different arena this time around," said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao will be raising funds for the Manny Pacquiao Foundation, the charity built on the Senator’s commitment to giving back and fighting for those less fortunate. The foundation uses the hashtags #pacquiaofoundation #pacquiao #jointhefight #bethechange and #teampacquiao on social media.
