Szuperchess Acquisition and Tencent Cloud Partnership set to accelerate Speed Chess and Champion Fair Play.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – (April 18, 2023) – VADR Media is excited to announce the acquisition of European-based Szuperchess, a company renowned for its groundbreaking AI Gaze tracking Anti-Cheat technology, for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition comes in tandem with Checkmate.live’s recent partnership with Tencent Cloud, paving the way for a new era of fair play in the online chess and gaming world.
VADR Managing Director John McRae stated, “When we initiated the project, we identified the issue of cheating in online chess as a significant fair play and business risk, especially with cash prize pools being added into the equation. After considerable efforts by our team, the acquisition of Szuperchess, partnerships with key governance bodies and our newly minted partnership with Tencent Cloud, we’re ready to bring the fight to those who don’t play fair.”
Szuperchess’s innovative AI and computer vision-based technology has been billed the “Zoom for chess tournaments,” as it monitors players in real-time during competitive matches to ensure a level playing field. The acquisition aligns perfectly with VADR Media’s development of Checkmate.live, an esports-first chess tournament and broadcasting platform that uses cutting-edge technology to enable players of all skill levels to compete for cash prizes, credits, and collectibles.
Joan Buch Prades, Founder of Szuperchess, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “Our proprietary technology gives Checkmate a significant competitive edge and the ability to scale cash tournaments globally. Szuperchess has been battle-tested by grandmasters across multiple tournaments, and I’m excited to join their AI and integrity team and help expand its capabilities.”
Checkmate’s commitment to fair play extends beyond chess, with plans to implement the acquired technology in mind sports, video games, igaming, and metaverse projects. VADR, a member of the Esports Integrity Commission, has also secured an exclusive partnership with the Asian Chess Federation and Arab Esports Federation, establishing Checkmate as their exclusive tournament platform, data, and broadcast partner. The two international Federations represent 73 national chess and esports Federations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East (and GCC) and Oceania.
His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahayan, President Asian Chess Federation (ACF), commented.
“Technology has played an important part in the journey and development of sports over the years, often overlooking chess. In recent years, the onset of online gaming and internet improvements has enabled greater access globally. The lack of effective integrity measures for online chess have also been a concern for the community hindering greater involvement. The partnership with Checkmate will allow the Asian Chess Federation to deliver competitive online tournaments and increase opportunities for our players. A key determining factor in the decision to partner with Checkmate was their commitment to improving the integrity of online chess and their ability to successfully create a solution that satisfies ACF’s vision for the future. Once launched, ACF will be able to host official online events that are inclusive, equitable and will provide even greater access for our members.”.
The strategic partnership with Tencent Cloud, a global leader in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, media services, gaming, and anti-cheat protection, will further bolster Checkmate’s mission to promote fair play in chess and beyond. Leveraging Tencent Cloud’s services and technical expertise, both parties plan to accelerate chess as an esport and ensure the integrity of the competitive play.
Recent high-profile cheating allegations, such as the Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann incident, have highlighted the need for effective real-time anti-cheat solutions.
Stephen Hanna, Director of Global Strategy and Partnerships at the Esports Integrity Commission, added, “The VADR team have shown that they are gearing up to be leaders in promoting integrity measures in chess and online, and we are delighted to be working with them to bring fair play and true competitive integrity to casual and tournaments.”
Checkmate.live
Checkmate.live is a next-gen esports-first chess broadcasting and tournament platform. We’re focused on producing and broadcasting linear and online tournaments for a new generation of players. The platform provides a level playing field for both casual and competitive players with the opportunity to compete for glory, ratings, cash, collectables and credits. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, forging collaborative partnerships, and fostering a culture of fair play and tolerance, we aim to level the playing field for all players.
w: www.checkmate.live
t: @playcheckmate
Media Contact
David Jenns MA LLM
David@whitewolfconsultancy.com
+971506180752 [Mobile | WhatsApp]
Szuperchess
SzuperChess is the first real and effective solution to combat cheating in online chess tournaments. We have developed an innovative AI-based anti-cheating system, which will allow players to focus only on what is truly important: playing chess, enjoying the tournament and competing for the prizes.
VADR Media
VADR is an Australian-UAE-based executive production firm that produces and promotes new media, sports and entertainment. The project is VADR’s second major play in the gaming and esports space following the sale of Let’s Play Live, Oceania’s largest esports platform and linear and online broadcaster.
Tencent Cloud
Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through its extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT and network security. Its constant mission is to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel and transportation.
Asia Chess Federation (ACF)
The Asian Chess Federation (is the international governing body of chess across the Asian Continent. Its membership comprises 53 national associations across Asia, the Middle East ( and GCC) and Oceania.
Arab Esports Federation (ARESF)
Founded in 2017 to emulate the Arab Olympic Federation, the Arab Esport Federation consists of 18 countries across the Middle East and Gulf countries.
www.arabesportsfederation.com
Esports Integrity Commission
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is a not-for-profit members’ association established in 2015 by key esports stakeholders worldwide to deal with issues of common interest – in particular, the threat that match manipulation, betting fraud and other integrity challenges pose to esports.
www.esic.gg