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

Friday - 20/06/2025 04:19

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 Achieves Historic 2900+ Rating in Freestyle Chess

Magnus Carlsen has reached a monumental achievement, surpassing the 2900 rating threshold in freestyle chess. This milestone has eluded him in classical chess, making this an unprecedented feat. No other chess player has ever attained this level.

Magnus Carlsen celebrates rating with his wife.

Magnus Carlsen celebrates his achievement with his wife, Ella Victoria.

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

The latest freestyle chess ratings, released by the Freestyle Chess organization, are 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.

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

Indian Chess Players in the Freestyle Rankings

Among Indian players, Praggnanandhaa leads the pack, securing fourth place with 2773 points. He trails behind Carlsen (2909), Hikaru Nakamura (2818), and Fabiano Caruana (2804).

Other notable Indian players in the rankings include:

Arjun Erigaisi: 8th place (2758 points)
Vidit Santosh Gujarathi: 18th place (2713 points)
Aravindh Chithambaram VR: 22nd place (2707 points)
Gukesh: 26th place (2701 points)

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

Carlsen has demonstrated remarkable skill in freestyle chess, 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.

Carlsen nearly reached the 2900 mark in classical chess back in 2019. During that time, he also established a record by playing 125 classical games undefeated between July 2018 and 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.