Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen showed incredible resilience at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, battling back from early setbacks to secure a third-place finish.
Carlsen’s Comeback in Las Vegas
World No. 1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen recently completed a remarkable comeback at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam event. Despite a rocky start, he managed to clinch third place, demonstrating his legendary fighting spirit.
Carlsen faced early challenges, losing to rising Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa and American-Armenian Levon Aronian in the classification round. These defeats meant he missed out on a direct spot in the quarterfinals, making his path to the title seem impossible.
However, the Norwegian superstar refused to give up. He dominated the lower bracket, winning an impressive five knockout rounds in a row. His strong performance culminated in a victory over fellow chess giant Hikaru Nakamura in the third-place match.
Pride in the Fight Back
Reflecting on his performance, Carlsen admitted he had “one really bad day,” which ultimately cost him the chance at the top spot. Despite this, he expressed satisfaction with his recovery, stating that “winning five matches in a row, even if the stakes aren’t that high, feels really good.”
He acknowledged feeling “pretty hard on myself” earlier in the tournament when things weren’t going well. However, securing the final matches and a $100,000 prize brought confidence. Carlsen emphasized the importance of his fighting spirit, noting, “I’m not going to win every tournament but I’m very happy with the way I fought back. So, I will definitely take some positives from this tournament.”
Aronian Claims the Title
The Las Vegas event was ultimately won by Levon Aronian, who defeated Hans Niemann in the final. Carlsen was quick to congratulate Aronian, commending his “incredibly impressive” and “very well deserved” victory.
Carlsen highlighted Aronian’s mental strength, especially his ability to press on despite difficult positions. He also noted Aronian has “probably been the biggest fan of freestyle among the top players for many years.” For Carlsen, there was also a “consolation in having lost to the tournament winner,” acknowledging Aronian as the rightful champion.
- Magnus Carlsen finished third at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam after a strong comeback.
- He recovered from early losses to dominate the lower bracket, winning five consecutive matches.
- Carlsen expressed pride in his fight back, despite not winning the tournament.
- Levon Aronian won the event, earning praise from Carlsen for his resilience and well-deserved victory.
Carlsen’s performance in Las Vegas serves as a reminder that even the best face challenges, but true champions find pride in their resilience and ability to fight back.
