Derrick Rose Hosts Star-Studded Chess Event in Las Vegas

Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose is making headlines for his dedication to chess, aiming to elevate the game’s profile and challenge old assumptions about athletes and intelligence.

On July 13, Derrick Rose joined forces with reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen to host the first-ever “Chesstival” at Wynn Las Vegas. The event brought together NBA players, including Rajon Rondo, Grant Williams, and Quinten Post, and some of the world’s top chess grandmasters, including Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura.

The goal is to spotlight chess as a game of strategy and skill while making it more accessible and visible, especially within the Black community.

“There are [600] million who play around the world, but everyone says it so quietly,” Rose told The Washington Post. “I’m trying to get them to yell about it and to put eyes on the game.”

Since stepping back from the NBA, has devoted himself to promoting chess, spending two years developing Chesstival. He’s outspoken about wanting the game to reach underrepresented communities and become a tool for critical thinking among young people.

“Where I’m from, [it’s important to] get kids to think about it before they pull the trigger, do harm, or get involved in nefarious things,” he said. “The game can prevent that if you’re playing at an early age.”

Chesstival broke with traditional tournament norms, players ditched formal attire, and the format featured fast-paced blitz matches with pieces in randomized starting positions to encourage creativity.

The energy was as much like an NBA game as a chess competition, with lively crowd interaction, playful banter, and trash talk from the stage. Six cameras streamed the action to thousands watching online, while over 100 fans attended in person.

Nakamura, who is ranked second globally behind Carlsen, praised the effort to combine competitive chess with entertainment, comparing it to the difference between Olympic wrestling and WWE.

“It’s amazing these NBA players, who are far above who we are in stature… actually look at us like we’re geniuses,” Nakamura said. “If more people view chess that way, that can only be a good thing.”

Rose, who was eliminated in the first round, embraced the loss as part of the learning process something he believes is crucial to both chess and life. “Losing is worse in chess than basketball,” he admitted. “But losing is the best thing in chess because you understand how important one move is. That one move is a choice in life.”