The Norwegian Magnus Carlsen won the blitz (ultra-fast) world championship in Uzbekistan on Saturday, two days after winning the rapid game, gleaning his 16th and 17th world chess titles. This is the fourth rapid blitz double achieved by Magnus Carlsen, with the two competitions traditionally taking place back to back during the last week of the year. Of the 34 games he played in four days, he only lost one, on Saturday against Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, fourth in the competition.
The Norwegian confirms his supremacy in the world of chess, even if since April he no longer holds the most prestigious title, that of long game world champion. After winning five matches for the title – the long game world crown is contested in the form of a duel, like in boxing – he preferred to give up defending it again, tired of the format. The Chinese Ding Liren won the duel for the most prestigious coronation in chess, but he has been rare in competition since and has not participated in both competitions.
Preferential treatment
Magnus Carlsen, in addition to his five long game victories from 2013 to 2021, has won the blitz world championship seven times, and the rapid game five times. Such is his influence in chess that he was the only player to benefit from a personal box during the competition, which triggered strong criticism from the other great players present in Samarkand.
But this was not the only controversy of the four days of competition, marked by “parlor draws”, where the players agreed on a tie after a few shots played. Two top Russian players, Daniil Doubov and Ian Nepomniachtchi, were also sanctioned for “match-fixing”: the two grandmasters only moved one of their knights during the 13 moves that the game lasted, before return to their original place and agree to a draw.
The International Chess Federation also fined a player, Anna-Maja Kazarian, 100 euros on Wednesday because her shoes were found not to comply with the regulations. The Dutch woman was forced to change her “sports shoes” – sneakers – and put on heels.