It was an unprecedented showdown: Magnus Carlsen, chess' reigning titan, versus a global team of over 143,000 online players, who ought to be patting themselves on the back. "Magnus Carlsen vs. the World," an online match hosted by Chess.com, ultimately ended in a dramatic draw, the AP reports. The match saw users from around the globe face off against the Norwegian chess grandmaster and five-time world champion. Users would collectively vote on moves, with 24 hours for each side to play. The match concluded Monday with a draw, as Team World checked Carlsen's king a third time. Under the rules, the game ends if the same position occurs three times.
It was a shocking outcome as Chess.com predicted Carlsen would win by a wide margin. Chess legends Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand both won against more than 50,000 online players in the two previous "vs. the World" matches in 1999 and 2024, respectively. Carlsen, who has held the world No. 1 spot for over a decade, noted that his many challengers played "very, very sound chess," opting for safe, conventional strategies over riskier moves.
The event used a "freestyle" format, shuffling all non-pawn pieces randomly before the start, emphasizing creative play over memorized strategies. As the match neared its close, Team World's decisions sparked debate, with some players eager to keep battling rather than settle for a history-making draw. After 32 moves and three checks in a cornered position, Carlsen's king could go no further. Though the grandmaster ultimately avoided defeat, his global group of adversaries celebrated as though they had pulled off a win. As one participant put it: "We made history." (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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