Faker and Chovy's Signed Chess Board from EWC 2026 Is Going to Auction
The handmade board the two League of Legends rivals played on during a content shoot at the Esports World Cup is being sold as a one-of-one collectible, with bidding open until August 31.
Two Rivals, One Board
Faker and Chovy have spent years trying to outmaneuver each other across Summoner’s Rift. At the Esports World Cup 2026, they settled things on 64 squares instead. The two Korean mid-laners sat down for a chess match during a content shoot at the tournament on July 14, and the handmade board they played on is now heading to auction.
It is, by any measure, a peculiar artifact. Not a jersey. Not a signed mouse pad. A chessboard, handmade, bearing the signatures of arguably the two most important League of Legends players of their generation. According to Dexerto, the auction runs until August 31.
What Makes This One Stick Around
The Esports World Cup has described the board as the first one-of-one collectible the organization has released, with no duplicate or additional edition planned. That framing matters. Esports memorabilia has a complicated history with scarcity, and a verified single-edition piece tied to a specific, documented moment carries a different kind of weight than a mass-produced item with signatures slapped on.
The board ships with a full set of premium chess pieces and a certificate confirming it is the exact board used during the shoot, as reported by Dexerto. That paper trail is the thing collectors tend to care most about, and it is apparently included.
Faker is widely regarded as the greatest League of Legends player of all time. Chovy, playing for Gen.G, has spent the better part of the last several years being one of the very few people capable of pushing him at the highest level. Their rivalry is real, documented, and ongoing. That context does not hurt the item’s appeal.
Where Things Stood at EWC 2026
The chess match came in the middle of what turned out to be another meaningful chapter in their head-to-head story. Both Faker and Chovy entered EWC 2026 having each won the event once. They met in the third-place match, where Chovy’s Gen.G defeated Faker’s T1, according to Dexerto. Neither player walked away as the first two-time EWC champion, which means that particular race carries into 2027.
So the chessboard sits at an interesting moment in time. Chovy won the most recent League match between them. Faker remains T1’s anchor and the sport’s defining figure. The board does not resolve anything about their competition. It just captures the two of them agreeing, for one afternoon, to fight on someone else’s terms.
A Collectible With an Actual Story
Esports memorabilia often struggles to feel tangible. Skins, digital drops, and virtual items have their place, but a physical object with a specific origin story occupies different territory. This one has a date, a location, a documented activity, and two signatures from players whose names most League fans would recognize instantly.
Whether the final bid reflects that story or simply reflects how much someone wants Faker’s autograph on anything is a question the auction will answer by the end of the month.
What is the Faker and Chovy chessboard auction?
At the Esports World Cup 2026, League of Legends stars Faker and Chovy played a chess match on a handmade board during a content shoot on July 14. Both players signed the board afterward, and it is now being sold at auction as a one-of-one collectible, with no duplicate planned. Bidding runs until August 31.
What comes with the chessboard?
According to Dexerto, the board comes with a set of premium chess pieces and a certificate confirming it is the exact board used by Faker and Chovy during the shoot.
Who won the chess match between Faker and Chovy?
The source material does not report who won the chess match itself, only that the two players faced off and then signed the board.
How did Faker and Chovy perform at EWC 2026 in League of Legends?
According to Dexerto, both players entered EWC 2026 with one title each. They met in the third-place match, where Chovy's Gen.G defeated Faker's T1. Neither player became the first two-time EWC champion.