Chess grandmaster playing match against 140,000 people reveals expected result
A chess grandmaster who is playing a single game against 140,000 people thinks the match is heading for a draw.
The mega-match features undisputed world number one Norwegian Magnus Carlsen playing freestyle chess online against "the world".
The game, which began on 4 April, allows Team World to vote on each move, and each side has 24 hours to make their play.
In freestyle chess, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king are randomly shuffled around the board while the pawns remain in their usual spots. The format is popular because it allows players to be more creative and avoid memorisation.
Described as "Magnus Carlsen versus The World", it had been predicted Carlsen would win by a wide margin but his Team World opposition could force a draw if it checks Carlsen's king three times.
"Right now we're heading towards a draw by perpetual check," Carlsen said in a statement.
"I felt that I was a little bit better, early in the opening, then maybe I didn't play that precisely. Honestly, since then, they haven't given me a single chance. So now, I think, it's just heading towards the draw."
Grandmaster is a chess celebrity
Carlsen became a grandmaster at 13 and enjoys celebrity status that few other players have.
The 34-year-old became the world's top-ranked player in 2011 and has won five world championships. He achieved the highest-ever chess rating of 2882 in 2014 and has remained the undisputed world number one for more than a decade
Last year, he quit a tournament in New York after refusing to change out of the jeans he was wearing. He later accepted a fine, and officials agreed to relax the dress code.
This is the third record-setting online game versus "The World".
In 1999, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov played against more than 50,000 people on the Microsoft Network, which Kasparov won after four months.
Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand won his match last year against nearly 70,000 players on Chess.com, which is also hosting Carlsen's match.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
WSL revenues soar 34% despite drop in attendances
Revenues for Women's Super League (WSL) clubs soared by 34% during a record-breaking 2023-24 season, despite a drop in 12 teams in the WSL amassed a combined revenue of £65m, with each club generating more than £1m for the first from the Deloitte Sports Business Group found revenues grew from £48m in the 2022-23 season to £65m the following increase was driven by growth in commercial revenue, which increased by 53% from the previous season and now accounts for 40% of WSL clubs' total revenue. The revenue increases were largely driven by four clubs, with Arsenal (£15.3m), Chelsea (£11.5m), Manchester United (£9.2m) and Manchester City (£6.6m) accounting for two-thirds of the money made across the league. Matchday revenue increased, despite a 10% drop in attendances from the previous average league attendance dropped to 6,642. The drop, which followed England reaching the 2023 Women's World Cup final, contributed to pre-tax losses of £28m - up from £21m in 2022-23. However, Deloitte is forecasting revenues to top £100m across the league at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, helped by the upcoming Euros in Switzerland, "Women's football in England is evolving rapidly," said Tim Bridge, lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group."While challenges remain, it is clear there is potential for a passionate and engaged fanbase to drive the game's development."Capitalising on major international tournaments is important at specific points in time, but sustainable growth hinges on the domestic league's organic development."Bridge added that a "competitive balance is a key priority" if the WSL is to sustain long-term growth, with the gap widening between the top-earning clubs and the lowest-earning clubs in the league. Head here to get involved
Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Premier League clubs in the race to sign Newcastle duo with Magpies set for overhaul after securing Champions League qualification
Two Newcastle midfielders could be on their way out of St James' Park this summer amid interest from Premier League sides. The Magpies secured Champions League qualification on the final day of the Premier League season and will be keen to bolster their squad after struggling to deal with the demands of domestic and European football during the 2023-24 campaign. Having failed to break into Eddie Howe 's settled starting side, several first team stars are expected to depart the club this summer. Among them include the likes of Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock, who started eight and 11 matches in the Premier League respectively. Newly promoted side Leeds United are showing interest in Longstaff, who failed to register a goal or an assist in his 25 appearances in the top flight. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are among the clubs keen on Willock, who fared slightly better with two assists in his 32 outings. Elsewhere, Leeds also admire Shea Charles of Southampton and have asked about Udinese defender Jaka Bijol. Charles made 44 appearances on loan in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and has earned three senior international caps for Northern Ireland.
Reuters
31 minutes ago
- Reuters
Portugal's emotional Ronaldo rejoices in winning Nations League
MUNICH, Germany, June 8 (Reuters) - Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo shed tears of joy as they won their second Nations League title on Sunday, insisting that winning trophies with his country beats all club honours. Ronaldo's 138th international goal in the second half took the final to penalties after a 2-2 draw with Spain, with the substituted 40-year-old forward looking on from the sidelines as Portugal netted all five spot kicks to claim the title. The triumph, which left the five-times Champions League winner in tears, was Ronaldo's third on the international stage, accompanying his 2016 European Championship and 2019 Nations League winners' medals. "What a joy," Ronaldo told Sport TV. "First of all for this generation, which deserved a title of this magnitude, for our families. My children came here, my wife, my brother, my friends. "Winning for Portugal is always special. I have many titles with clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal. It's tears. It's duty done and a lot of joy. "When you talk about Portugal it is always a special feeling. Being captain of this generation is a source of pride. Winning a title is always the pinnacle in a national team." Ronaldo's future remains uncertain. He said last week he did not plan to play at the Club World Cup in the United States, which starts later this month, despite being courted by clubs taking part in the 32-team tournament. The Al-Nassr forward said he had several offers from other teams to play in the U.S., while his side's sporting director, Fernando Hierro said last month they were negotiating with Ronaldo over a contract extension but faced competition from clubs eager to sign the five-times Ballon d'Or winner. For now, however, he is only focused on celebrating his latest triumph, having played in the final with an injury. "It's beautiful," he added. "It's for our nation. We are a small people, but with a very big ambition. "The future is short term. Now is the time to rest well. I had the injury and that was the maximum, the maximum ... I pushed, because for the national team you have to push."
