Magnus Carlsen has done it again. Since the inception of the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour during the pandemic in 2020, the Norwegian superstar has dominated the most prestigious annual online chess series. Renamed the Champions Chess Tour in 2021, the event has seen Carlsen maintain an unbroken streak, winning all four editions. His latest triumph reaffirms his status as the undisputed king of fast-paced chess formats.
The final match of this year's Tour was a rather one-sided affair, with Carlsen defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi 4-1 to claim the title. Carlsen's back-to-back wins in the first two games set the tone for the match, putting immense pressure on his opponent. The next two games ended in draws, leaving Carlsen needing only a draw in game 5 to secure victory. Instead, he delivered a masterclass in defeating Nepo's French Defence, sealing the match and the title with an emphatic victory.
After clinching his fourth Champions Chess Tour title, Carlsen reflected on his unmatched consistency in the series:
To beat me in a tournament is very possible, to beat me in a match is quite a bit harder.
With the World Rapid and World Blitz Championships just days away, Carlsen is poised to add to his impressive tally of global titles, including five World Rapid and seven World Blitz crowns. At 34 years old, the chess legend continues to dominate the game at every level.
The final match showcased Carlsen's brilliance in converting complex positions. In game 1, Carlsen unleashed the striking 28.Rxc4, leaving his queen en prise on d2.
If Nepo had responded with 28...Rxd2, Carlsen had prepared 29.Rxc8+ Kh7 30.Rxd2, leaving White with two well-coordinated rooks against the queen in a winning position. Instead, Nepo opted for 28...Ra8, leading to a sequence of trades that culminated in a rook endgame with a 4 v. 3 pawn structure - i.e. 28...Rxa4 30.Qxd8+ Qxd8 31.Rxd8+ Kf7 32.Rd7+ Kf6 33.Rxb7 Rxa2.
(Instead, 28...Qxf2+ 29.Kxf2 Rxd2+ 30.Rxd2 Rxc4 would have kept the balance for Black).
While the ending was objectively drawn, Nepo faltered under pressure, and Carlsen capitalised to secure the win.
A remarkable moment came in that same game when the players reached a queen vs. rook endgame, favouring Carlsen. With only 4 seconds on his clock compared to Nepo's 26, Carlsen demonstrated precise technique, forcing resignation after 13 moves.
The technical difficulty of such a position prompted chess.com's Mike Klein to ask whether Carlsen could convert this against Stockfish. Carlsen replied with characteristic confidence:
I'm not sure, but I'd like to think I have a good chance.
The playing hall in Oslo, Norway - audience and players wearing headphones | Photo: Maria Emelianova / chess.com
