FIDE World Cup commentators Irene Kharisma Sukandar and Sagar Shah in Baku ©FIDE

The entry of the top seeds at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Cup is expected to intensify the spotlight on an event which will dominate the sport for the next three and half weeks.

"We are expecting a total of about 200 million total views," FIDE chief executive Emil Sutovsky told insidethegames.

"This event starts a bit slowly, then when all the big players come, that figure might be a little conservative, we may even top 250 million."

World number one Magnus Carlsen's quest for the trophy he has never lifted is likely to generate huge interest in his native Norway where state broadcaster NRK have televised his competitions as he became a national hero.

"Usually you can engage online but in Norway, partly because of Magnus we have every major event covered on TV, very, very smoothly," Sutovsky added.

Carlsen is one of the 50 top players exempt from the first round, and will play their first matches on Wednesday (August 2).

Here in Baku, daily coverage is being streamed from a small production suite next to the ballroom in the Marriott Boulevard where the competitions are taking place.

Commentator Sagar Shah, himself an International Master, has come here from describing the Global Chess League which took place in Dubai in late June and early July.

The competition featured franchises skippered by Carlsen and 2021 FIDE World Cup winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland as part of a six team format.

"People like all sorts of things, here you have a more formal viewing audience, otherwise you have people who just love personalities in chess," Shah explained.

For the tournament here, Shah sits alongside Indonesian chess player Irene Kharisma Sukandar and from Wednesday, they will be joined by FIDE vice-president Vishwanathan Anand, the first Indian to lift the world title.

The online stream of the FIDE World Cup was projected onto a big screen at the Marriott Boulevard in Baku ©ITG
The online stream of the FIDE World Cup was projected onto a big screen at the Marriott Boulevard in Baku ©ITG

"Commentary is mainly to tell people the story of what is happening it involves chess of course but it also involves what’s going on in the mind of the players, what is it that they are they thinking," Shah said.

"Everyone knows Magnus Carlsen is a genius, they don’t know which opening he plays and I think that is what chess commentary is about you bring out these personalities and that is what I try to do."

The tournament is scheduled to run until August 24.