Magnus Carlsen criticises classical chess format after D Gukesh's World Championship win: 'Probably the worst way because...'

Five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen has hit out at the classical chess format, claiming that the faster form of the game is “pure sport”. He said that classical chess is the “worst” way to declare who the best player is because it is “too forgiving”.

‘Too easy to mask the deficiencies in your game’: Carlsen 

“It’s hard to say exactly what measures the best player overall. I would say that right now, if you want the kind of chess in which you need the most well-rounded game, classical chess is probably the worst way because it’s sort of too forgiving. It’s too easy to mask the deficiencies in your game. And I think if you’re able to handle both faster chess and freestyle, you have covered a lot of bases. You do have your basic pattern, and quick tactics," Carlsen said on the Take Take Take podcast.

“Faster chess, it is a sport. It’s sort of a pure sport kind of thing. But when you get to longer forms of freestyle, it becomes like more science, art,” he added.

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Carlsen had even recently criticised the quality of the 2024 World Chess Championship match between India’s D Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren, which Gukesh won with a 7.5-6.5 margin. After 13 games, the scores were tied 6.5-6.5 and while it seemed like it would head to tie-breakers, a blunder from Ding in Game 14 sealed a historic title for Gukesh. Tiebreakers follow the rapid chess format.

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“This does not look like a game between two World Championship contenders. It just looks like maybe the second round or third round of an open tournament. It’s like it’s the stage where you play somebody who is like decent with openings but then you just win with class,” the Norwegian Grandmaster had said.

Carlsen had beaten Ian Nepomniachtchi to clinch the 2021 World Chess Championship tile, but decided not to defend his title in 2023. Ding, who finished second in the 2022 Candidates tournament took on Nepomniachtchi, the winner of the Candidates in the World Championship match. Ding emerged victorious in the match on tiebreaks. Gukesh had qualified for the 2024 World Championship match against then defending champion Ding after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.

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Gukesh, who became the youngest-ever world chess champion, said that Carlsen was still the best player despite the Indian emerging victorious. “Becoming the world champion does not mean I am the best player, obviously that is Magnus,” Gukesh had said .