Chess: 'My wife is way more attracted to me now' — Magnus Carlsen after record rating in freestyle

Friday - 20/06/2025 03:50

Magnus Carlsen, the chess maestro, has shattered barriers by exceeding a 2900 rating in freestyle chess, a milestone previously unattained in classical chess. This achievement, based on Freestyle Chess organization ratings, marks a new high for Carlsen, surpassing his peak classical rating. Among Indian players, Praggnanandhaa shines at fourth place, followed by other notable players like Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh.

Magnus Carlsen Shatters 2900 Rating Barrier in Freestyle Chess

Magnus Carlsen celebrates freestyle chess rating with his wife.

Magnus Carlsen and his wife Ella Victoria (Image via Instagram/Magnus Carlsen)

Magnus Carlsen has achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing the 2900 rating threshold in freestyle chess. This accomplishment marks a significant breakthrough, as he had previously fallen short of this mark in classical chess. He is the first chess player to ever reach this milestone.

The five-time world chess champion, who has held the world number one ranking for nearly 15 years, had a previous peak of 2882 in classical chess, achieved in May 2014.

The new freestyle chess ratings, released on Thursday, are compiled by the Freestyle Chess organization, independent of FIDE, the global chess governing body.

"My wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900," Carlsen quipped to Freestyle Chess, upon learning of his new rating.

The freestyle ratings were calculated based on performances in five tournaments: Weissenhaus 2024, Singapore 2024, Weissenhaus 2025, Paris 2025, and Karlsruhe 2025. The list encompasses 578 players who have participated in at least one freestyle chess event in the past two years.

Indian chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa is the highest-ranked Indian player, securing fourth place with 2773 points. He trails Carlsen (2909), Hikaru Nakamura (2818), and Fabiano Caruana (2804).

Other prominent Indian players featured on the list include Arjun Erigaisi (8th, 2758 points), Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (18th, 2713 points), Aravindh Chithambaram VR (22nd, 2707 points), and classical world champion Gukesh (26th, 2701 points).

Gukesh's relatively lower ranking can be attributed to his recent challenges in freestyle chess tournaments.

Carlsen, on the other hand, has demonstrated exceptional prowess in this format, achieving a perfect score of nine wins in nine games at the Grenke Freestyle Open. His freestyle ELO rating of 2909 exceeds his classical chess rating by 72 points.

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Carlsen had previously approached the 2900 mark in classical chess in 2019. During that period, he also established a record by playing 125 classical games without a single defeat, spanning from July 2018 to October 2020.

"I have given up a bit on trying to reach 2900. It will just be very, very difficult," Carlsen confessed on the Norwegian podcast Sjakksnakk in 2023.