Chess players were beside themselves when Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi decided to end the FIDE championship in a tie.
The 2024 FIDE World Blitz Championship was played on the night of New Year’s Eve in New York. While the game typically ends with one winner, on this occasion, the two finalists agreed to share the title.
GM’s Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi were set to go head-to-head until a definitive winner between the two was declared. However, after three consecutive draws, Carlsen suggested he and Nepomniachtchi end the match in a tiebreaker.
Carlsen initially won the first two matches, with Nepomniachtchi winning the next two. But, a split decision between the two resulted in a rather controversial victory among chess fans and fellow players.
GM Hans Niemann calls the chess world a “joke”
“The chess world is officially a joke,” GM Hans Niemann tweeted. “This has never been done in history. I can’t believe that the official body of chess is being controlled by a singular player for the 2nd time this week. There can only be one world champion!”
“Chess is getting soft… this is a world championship title c’mon,” tweeted professional chess player, Alexandra Botez.
Despite the criticism from fellow chess players, some fans were in favor of the first-ever tie in FIDE history.
“True champions rise above competition. Magnus’ suggestion to share the first place with Nepo embodies exceptional sportsmanship and respect for the game,” tweeted one fan.
“I am ok with this. I don’t think Magnus wanted to cost Ian his first (and maybe only) world championship. And I don’t think we were getting anybody’s best after many games today,” wrote another.
Magnus Carlsen admits he knew viewers would be upset by decision
Following his tie-breaking win, Carlsen stated to the press that he knew “some people are going to like it, some people are not going to like it.” However, he felt no need to heavily defend the shocking decision.
Though he’s been met with some support for his win, Carlsen initially set fire to the rain during the chess championship when he wore jeans to play in the competition.
When he was supposed to face Volodar Murzin on December 27, Carlsen forfeited the match after he was fined $200 for breaking conduct with his wardrobe.
Despite the controversy surrounding the entire competition, both Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi were happy with their tie.