Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose has organized an elite Las Vegas chess tournament, aptly named ‘Chesstival’. The New York Knicks point guard and his friends will be participating in the event while in town for the NBA Summer League.
The Chesstival will commence on July 7th and 8th at Resorts World and will feature professional athletes, musicians and amateur chess players competing in a high-stakes tournament. A generous prize purse of $147,500 will be distributed amongst the top 16 finishers with the winner taking home $50,000, the second place receiving $20,000, and third and fourth place being rewarded with $10,000 each.
Rose, who won the MVP award in 2011 at the tender age of 22, expressed his enthusiasm for the game of chess in a press release. “Chess is undeniably competitive and strategic at its core, which are two characteristics I’ve carried throughout my career,” he said.
The former Chicago Bulls player has been looking forward to his retirement from basketball for some time, as indicated in a New York Daily News story. His plans for post-retirement include founding a chess league, vertical farming and buying a library.
Registration for the Chesstival is open and priced at $7,500. This fee covers one seat at the tournament and one spectator pass, admission to all events including a Zouk after-party, food and beverages at select events, and a gift bag.
Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose has created an exclusive Las Vegas chess tournament, the ‘Chesstival’, which he and his friends will compete in while attending this year’s NBA Summer League. The tournament will be held at Resorts World on July 7th and 8th, and will feature professional athletes, musicians and amateur chess players in a high-stakes series. A prize pool of $147,500 will be distributed among the top 16 finishers, with the winner receiving a hefty $50,000, the runner-up taking home $20,000, and third and fourth place receiving $10,000 each.
The 34-year-old point guard has had a strong passion for chess since high school, as he stated in a press release, “Chess is undeniably competitive and strategic at its core, which are two characteristics I’ve carried throughout my career.” Rose was the NBA’s youngest MVP at 22, and is looking forward to his eventual retirement from basketball, listing founding a chess league, vertical farming, and buying a library as some of his post-retirement plans.
Registration for the tournament is available at Chesstival.com, and includes one seat at the tournament with a spectator pass, entry to all events including a Zouk after-party, food and beverages at select events, and a gift bag, all for the price of $7,500.
