Chess.com Open: Carlsen reaches Grand Final, Duda qualifies to Esports World Cup

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/25/2026 – Magnus Carlsen reached the Grand Final of the Chess.com Open after two closely contested 3–2 victories over Denis Lazavik and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Despite falling short, Duda secured qualification for the Esports World Cup by reaching the Winners Final. In the Losers Bracket, Sina Movahed and Nodirbek Abdusattorov advanced with two wins each, while six players were eliminated as the field narrowed further ahead of the final two days of action. | Photo: ChessBase / Nils Rohde
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Movahed v. Lavazik and Abdusattorov v. Nihal to fight for right to face Duda in Losers Final

On the second day of the Chess.com Open Playoffs, Magnus Carlsen secured his place in the Grand Final from the Winners Bracket after overcoming Denis Lazavik and Jan-Krzysztof Duda by identical 3–2 scores. By reaching the Winners Final, Duda guaranteed one of the three available qualification spots for the 2026 Esports World Cup.

Meanwhile, Sina Movahed and Nodirbek Abdusattorov advanced through the Losers Bracket after winning both of their matches on the day, and are set to face Denis Lazavik and Nihal Sarin, respectively, who were knocked down to the Losers Bracket on Friday.

Chess.com Open 2026

Carlsen's route to the final was hard-fought. In his semifinal against Lazavik, all five games produced decisive results. After losing the opening game due to an early miscalculation, Carlsen recovered by taking the next two, including a well-handled endgame. Lazavik struck back in game four, capitalising when his opponent abandoned a solid defensive setup. The match was ultimately settled in Armageddon, where Carlsen, with the black pieces, neutralised White's initiative and then converted his advantage.

The other semifinal proved far more one-sided, as Duda defeated Nihal Sarin 3–0 without the need for a fourth game. His clean sweep ensured both progression to the Winners Final and early qualification for the Esports World Cup, given that a top-three finish was now assured.

The Winners Final between Carlsen and Duda followed a similar pattern to the earlier Carlsen v. Lazavik semifinal. Duda took the first game and held firm in the next two, needing only a draw to close out the match. However, Carlsen won on demand in game four and then repeated the feat in the Armageddon decider. The Norwegian played black in both games, first pressing in a controlled endgame from a King's Indian Defence and later maintaining stability in a Queen's Gambit Declined before capitalising on Duda's must-win approach.

Carlsen 3-2 Duda

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In the Losers Bracket, Movahed and Abdusattorov were the standout performers, each winning two matches to reach the quarterfinals. Abdusattorov eliminated Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in closely contested encounters. Movahed progressed by defeating Yu Yangyi in Armageddon before scoring a 2–0 win over Daniil Dubov.

Six players were knocked out during Friday's play: Pranesh M, Yu Yangyi, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Vincent Keymer, Daniil Dubov and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Lazavik and Nihal, having dropped from the Winners Bracket, remain in contention and will join Movahed and Abdusattorov in the next stage of the lower bracket.

Duda will face the eventual winner of the Losers Bracket semifinals, and the survivor of that match will then challenge Carlsen for the title.

Chess.com Open 2026

All games

Schedule

Date Event
Apr 23 Round of 16
Apr 23 Winners QF/ Losers R1
Apr 24 Winners SF/Losers R2
Apr 24 Winners Final/Losers R3
Apr 25 Losers QF
Apr 25 Losers SF
Apr 25 Losers Final
Apr 26 Grand Final
Apr 26 Grand Final Reset

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Topics: Chess.com Open 2026, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Magnus Carlsen
Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.