Chess world number one Magnus Carlsen clinched victory at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia tournament, a win he achieved while feeling he was in “survival mode,” much to the humorous dismay of his wife, Ella Carlsen.
Ella Carlsen’s Hilarious Take
After Carlsen secured his win in Zagreb, his wife Ella shared a funny video on her Instagram Stories. She playfully revealed, “I actually told Magnus to just lose this tournament. But he couldn’t. He tried. Just wasn’t possible.”
Ella was a prominent fixture at the event, watching from a front-row seat. Her presence clearly brought luck, as Carlsen himself later called her his “lucky charm” following his impressive performance.
A Comeback Victory
Carlsen’s path to victory was anything but straightforward. He found himself four points behind tournament leader Gukesh after the initial three-day rapid section. However, the tide turned dramatically during the 18 blitz games played over the weekend.
By the tournament’s end, Carlsen had powered through to win by a comfortable 2.5-point lead over the rest of the field. It’s worth noting the scoring difference: rapid games awarded two points for a win and one for a draw, while blitz games gave one point for a win and half a point for a draw.
Carlsen’s Honest Assessment
Despite his triumph, the Norwegian grandmaster admitted feeling like he “struggled most of the event.” He confessed he couldn’t find any real “flow” throughout the five-day competition, highlighting the intense competition.
“It felt that I struggled most of the event. Partly because it was a very strong field this year. There weren’t a lot of weaker players at all,” Carlsen explained. He added that getting chances in the rapid section was particularly difficult.
Carlsen credited his strong performance on the first day of the blitz section as being crucial. He felt the tournament was quite even overall, with no single player truly dominating the pack.
“It doesn’t feel like I won. It feels like I just came here and played alright. Nobody really did anything special in the end. Then I usually end up winning,” he candidly stated, downplaying his own extraordinary achievement.
Playing “Old Man Chess”
The world champion also joked about playing what he called “old man chess,” which he described as competing without relying on complex tactical maneuvers. This approach seemed to serve him well, even when he wasn’t feeling at his sharpest.
Carlsen had arrived at the tournament fresh from his honeymoon with Ella. Before their romantic getaway, the couple had spent time in Stavanger for the Norway Chess event, which is Carlsen’s primary classical tournament appearance this year.
- Magnus Carlsen won the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia tournament despite feeling in “survival mode.”
- His wife, Ella Carlsen, humorously claimed she told him to lose but he couldn’t.
- Carlsen made a significant comeback, overcoming a four-point deficit after the rapid section.
- He described the event as challenging, noting the strong field and his own struggle to find “flow.”
- Carlsen also mentioned playing “old man chess,” focusing less on tactics.
This latest victory reinforces Carlsen’s dominance, even when he feels he’s not at his peak, proving why he remains the world’s top chess player.
