World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen suffered a rare defeat in classical chess, going down to Jorden van Foreest in a dramatic Round 4 clash at the TePe Sigeman & Co Tournament, ending his unbeaten run in the format that had stretched for nearly a year.
Carlsen, who had not lost a classical game since his high-profile defeat to D. Gukesh at Norway Chess 2025, appeared well-placed to salvage a draw in what turned out to be a tense and fluctuating encounter. However, sustained pressure and time trouble proved decisive as Van Foreest capitalised on late inaccuracies to seal a memorable victory.
The contest saw both players navigate a complex middlegame before entering a tricky endgame featuring imbalanced material. Although engines assessed the position as drawn and Magnus Carlsen appeared set to extend his streak, the balance shifted as time pressure mounted.
Van Foreest gradually increased the pressure, repeatedly posing practical problems. In a critical phase, Carlsen faltered, allowing his knight to be trapped in a decisive sequence that forced resignation, bringing an end to his long-standing dominance in classical play.
Reflecting on the win and the turning point, Van Foreest said, “I never thought it would happen. I was already resigned to making a draw, and I was OK with it. Then suddenly I got this moment out of nowhere, and things spiralled out of control. It was a fascinating game, and I think he also thought so. That’s why we discussed it a lot.”
The result gains further significance given Carlsen’s limited appearances in classical chess since stepping away from the world title cycle in 2022. His return to Malmo — his first such outing since Norway Chess 2025 — was seen as part of his build-up to Norway Chess 2026.
Elsewhere, 14-year-old Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş defeated Nils Grandelius to take the sole lead. Zhu Jiner notched her first win against Andy Woodward, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi played out a draw with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
(IANS)
