Latest news with #MicrosoftNetwork
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
World No.1 Magnus Carlsen forced to a draw by a team of 143,000 players: 'They haven't given a single chance'
The 'Magnus Carlsen vs The World' online chess match ended in a surprising draw but the No.1 Grandmaster created a new world record. Check how Carlsen was held to a draw. read more Even if it's more than 143,000 players on one side, many would have expected world No.1 chess player Magnus Carlsen to win his match against 'The World'. Surprisingly, the 'Magnus vs The World' has ended in a draw after a 46-day online freestyle chess clash between the Norwegian grandmaster and 143,000 people from across the world. The 'Magnus Carlsen vs The World' online match began on 4 April on As per the rules of the game, each side had 24 hours to make the move and Carlsen started the match with 1.e4. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Carlsen was forced to a draw The highest rated player in the history of chess, Carlsen, was billed as a mega favourite in the match, but 'The World' team managed to secure a draw after 32 moves by checking Carlsen's king and repeating the position three times. While the match ended in a draw, the five-time world champion Carlsen has set the record for facing the highest number of players in an online chess match. He was full of praise for his opponents after settling for a draw. 'I felt that I was a little bit better, early in the opening, then maybe I didn't play that precisely,' said Carlsen. 'Honestly, since then, they haven't given me a single chance.' 'Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start,' added Carlsen. 'Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess – which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time.' Carlsen sets world record In 1999, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov took on over 50,000 opponents through the Microsoft Network. After four months of play, the former world champion emerged victorious and described it as 'the greatest game in the history of chess." Also Read | Magnus on whether Gukesh is a worthy world chess champion or not More than two decades later, Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand defeated nearly 70,000 players in a similar 'versus the world' challenge on The aim of Magnus Carlsen's match was to surpass Anand's mark — and it did so emphatically, doubling the number of participants.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Magnus Carlsen vs The World: Chess GM forced into draw in showdown against over 1.43 lakh players
Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen was forced into a draw Monday (May 20, 2025) by more than 1,43,000 people worldwide playing against him in a single, record-setting game. Billed as 'Magnus Carlsen vs. The World,' the online match began April 4 on the world's largest chess website, and was the first-ever online freestyle game to feature a world champion. The mega-match ended after Team World checked Carlsen's king a third time, a stunning outcome after had predicted Carlsen would win by a wide margin. Members of Team World — anyone around the globe could sign up — voted on each move and each side had 24 hours to make their play. Carlsen played the white pieces. Threefold repetition The world forced the draw on move 32 after checking Carlsen's king three times in the corner of the board where it could not escape. The rule is called 'threefold repetition,' meaning all of the pieces on the board are in the exact same position three times to prompt a draw. Carlsen, 34, became the world's top-ranked player in 2010 at 19 and has won five World Championships. He achieved the highest-ever chess rating of 2882 in 2014 and has remained the undisputed world No. 1 for more than a decade. 'Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start. Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess — which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time,' Carlsen said in a statement Friday as Monday's draw seemed imminent. In a freestyle match, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king are randomly placed around the board at the start while the pawns are in their usual spots. Freestyle chess is popular because it allows players to be more creative and avoid memorisation. This was the third 'vs. The World' record-setting online game. In 1999, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov played against more than 50,000 people on the Microsoft Network and won after four months. Anand won in 2024 Last year, Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand won his 'vs. The World' match against nearly 70,000 players on In the virtual chat this week, players appeared split on whether to force the draw — and claim the glory — or to keep playing against Carlsen, even if it ultimately meant a loss. 'Don't Draw! Let's keep playing Magnus,' one user wrote. 'This is an opportunity that won't come along again. I'd rather play the Master all the way to the end and see if we can battle it out another 20 or 30 moves! Let's have some FUN!!!' Another added: 'Thanks Magnus for such a great game. We made history.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Epic 46-day chess match that pitted Magnus Carlsen against 143,000 people ends in draw
Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen faced off against over 143,000 players from around the globe, resulting in a dramatic draw. The groundbreaking online chess match, dubbed "Magnus Carlsen vs. The World", unfolded on the world's largest chess website, beginning on April 4th. This marked the first online freestyle game to feature a reigning world champion. The match concluded after Team World delivered a third check to Carlsen's king, a surprising outcome that defied initial prediction of a decisive victory for Carlsen. The scale of the game shattered previous records for online "vs. The World" matches. In 1999, Garry Kasparov, then world champion, played against over 50,000 participants on the Microsoft Network, ultimately winning after a four-month battle. More recently, in 2022, Viswanathan Anand emerged victorious from his own "vs. The World" match on facing nearly 70,000 players. Carlsen, 34, became the world's top-ranked player in 2010 aged 19 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. 'Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start. Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess — which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time,' Carlsen said in a statement Friday as Monday's draw seemed imminent. Because it was a freestyle match, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king were randomly shuffled around the board while the pawns remained in their usual spots. Freestyle chess is popular because it allows players to be more creative and avoid memorisation. Team World voted on each move and each side had 24 hours to make their play. Carlsen played the white pieces. The world won on move 32 after checking Carlsen's king three times in the corner of the board where it could not escape. The rule is called "threefold repetition," meaning all of the pieces on the board are in the exact same position three times to prompt a draw. In the virtual chat, players appeared split on whether to force the draw — and claim the glory — or to keep playing against Carlsen, even if it ultimately meant a loss. 'Don't Draw! Let's keep playing Magnus,' one user wrote. 'This is an opportunity that won't come along again. I'd rather play the Master all the way to the end and see if we can battle it out another 20 or 30 moves! Let's have some FUN!!!' Another added: 'Thanks Magnus for such a great game. We made history.'
Nahar Net
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Nahar Net
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen forced into draw in showdown against 'the world'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 May 2025, 16:57 Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen was forced into a draw Monday by more than 143,000 people worldwide playing against him in a single, record-setting game. Billed as "Magnus Carlsen vs. The World," the online match began April 4 on the world's largest chess website, and was the first-ever online freestyle game to feature a world champion. The mega-match ended after Team World checked Carlsen's king a third time, a stunning outcome after had predicted Carlsen would win by a wide margin. Members of Team World — anyone around the globe could sign up — voted on each move and each side had 24 hours to make their play. Carlsen played the white pieces. The world forced the draw on move 32 after checking Carlsen's king three times in the corner of the board where it could not escape. The rule is called "threefold repetition," meaning all of the pieces on the board are in the exact same position three times to prompt a draw. 'Very, very sound chess' Carlsen, 34, became the world's top-ranked player in 2010 at 19 and has won five World Championships. He achieved the highest-ever chess rating of 2882 in 2014 and has remained the undisputed world No. 1 for more than a decade. "Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start. Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess — which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time," Carlsen said in a statement Friday as Monday's draw seemed imminent. In a freestyle match, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king are randomly placed around the board at the start while the pawns are in their usual spots. Freestyle chess is popular because it allows players to be more creative and avoid memorization. 'We made history' This was the third "vs. The World" record-setting online game. In 1999, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov played against more than 50,000 people on the Microsoft Network and won after four months. Last year, Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand won his "vs. The World" match against nearly 70,000 players on In the virtual chat this week, players appeared split on whether to force the draw — and claim the glory — or to keep playing against Carlsen, even if it ultimately meant a loss. "Don't Draw! Let's keep playing Magnus," one user wrote. "This is an opportunity that won't come along again. I'd rather play the Master all the way to the end and see if we can battle it out another 20 or 30 moves! Let's have some FUN!!!" Another added: "Thanks Magnus for such a great game. We made history."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Magnus Carlsen v The World: chess champion's 46-day match ends in draw
On the surface it hardly seemed like a fair fight. But after 46 days the online freestyle chess match between the Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and 143,000 enthusiasts from around the globe has ended in a surprise draw. There was, however, a major consolation for Carlsen as he smashed the record for facing the biggest number of opponents in an online chess match. Related: Manx Liberty's wildcards deliver in style to regain British team chess crown The game, which was billed as Magnus Carlsen v The World, began on on 4 April, with the former world champion and highest-rated player in history regarded as a significant favourite. After he played his first move, Team World then voted on a reply, with each side then having 24 hours to make their next move. Despite appearing to have the early initiative against Team World, Carlsen was unable to find a way to further improve his position. The match ended after 32 moves when Team World was able to force a draw by checking Carlsen's king and repeating the position three times. 'I felt that I was a little bit better, early in the opening, then maybe I didn't play that precisely,' said Carlsen. 'Honestly, since then, they haven't given me a single chance.' With freestyle chess, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king have randomised starting positions, while the pawns remain in their usual spots. Carlsen has proven a master at the format, which allows for more creative and unusual positions, and last month won a tournament against other grandmasters in Grenke with a staggering 9/9 score. However, he admitted he had been able to find a way past the Team World's defences, with many casual fans using chess computers to help them choose sensible moves. 'Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start,' added Carlsen. 'Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess – which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time.' The match was the third record-setting online chess match between a grandmaster and the world. In 1999, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov played against more than 50,000 people on the Microsoft Network. The former world champion won after four months and hailed it as 'the greatest game in the history of chess'. Last year another chess legend, the Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, won his 'v The World' match last year against nearly 70,000 players on The goal of the Carlsen match was to break Anand's 70,000-player mark, and ended up doubling it.
