Even the world’s greatest chess player can make a mistake. Magnus Carlsen, renowned for his near-perfect play, found himself just one move away from securing his eighth consecutive tournament victory at the Chess.com Classic. However, in a surprising twist, he blundered against Iran-born French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja, letting the game slip from his grasp.
The critical mistake came in the fourth game of the final. After two draws and a win for Carlsen in the third game, he was in a commanding position. In move 39, Firouzja, playing with the white pieces, moved his rook to the f1 square, protecting his king from Carlsen’s threatening rook on c1. Carlsen had the opportunity to exchange rooks, which would have secured his victory. Instead, he moved his rook to the second rank with 39…Rcc2??, a decision that shifted the momentum in Firouzja’s favor.
As the error became apparent, Carlsen’s frustration was palpable. He let out a string of expletives and eventually threw his bottle to the floor, a rare display of emotion from the typically composed champion. “We were just one move away from congratulating Magnus Carlsen on an eighth consecutive tournament victory. Had he swapped rooks in that double-rook endgame, he would have won,” grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky explained during the live stream on Chess.com.
Firouzja capitalized on Carlsen’s blunder, securing the title and becoming just the second player (after Maxime Vachier-Lagrave) to defeat Carlsen twice in a Grand Final of the Champions Chess Tour. This victory earned Firouzja a $30,000 prize, 100 tour points, a spot in the live Finals, and a place in Division I for the next event.
Reflecting on the dramatic conclusion, Firouzja remarked, “I was lucky that he got so tilted after game four. I knew that after that he couldn’t come back.” When asked about his own methods of dealing with frustration, Firouzja humorously admitted, “I broke my mouse many times. But I never throw things,” with a smile.
Carlsen’s rare lapse serves as a reminder that even the best can falter, and Firouzja’s composure under pressure underscores the ever-evolving nature of competitive chess. The next events in the Champions Chess Tour will undoubtedly be watched with great anticipation, as both players look to continue their impressive runs.
Stay tuned for more exciting matches as the Champions Chess Tour progresses towards the live finals in December!
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