Carlsen Draws 143,000 in Online Chess Showdown

Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-ranked player and former world chess champion, competed in an unprecedented online freestyle Chess960 match against more than 143,000 global opponents. The event began on April 4 on Chess.com, with participants voting collectively on each move, executed every 24 hours. The match ended after 32 moves in a threefold repetition, resulting in a draw, despite early expectations favoring Carlsen. Carlsen acknowledged Team World’s strong and sound play, saying his winning chances disappeared after a promising opening. This match set a new record for the largest number of opponents faced by a single player online, surpassing previous events involving Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand. The event was hailed as a milestone for both community engagement and chess history.