This doesn’t happen very often, and in fact, this is one of the only times it’s happened. In TePe Sigeman 2026, Jorden van Foreest has successfully defeated Magnus Carlsen in a classical match.
This wasn’t just a regular victory, as it was filled with chaos, missed opportunities, anxiety, and an absolutely brutal ending of just over 1 hour’s worth of play.
The last time Magnus Carlsen lost a classical match was June 1, 2025, when D Gukesh beat him at Norway Chess, which means that there have been 337 days that have passed since someone successfully defeated Magnus Carlsen in an official game.
Van Foreest had White and came in with a clear plan against Magnus Carlsen’s Sicilian Najdorf. Early on, things were balanced. Then came the first crack.
After 21.Nc6, Magnus Carlsen was forced into an uncomfortable decision, giving up the exchange. It wasn’t losing yet, but it shifted the game into a messy, double-edged fight.
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Exactly the kind where one mistake changes everything. And that’s what happened.
The endgame, rook versus knight, should have been a draw. Engines said it. Magnus Carlsen probably felt it too. But chess isn’t played by engines, especially when the clock is ticking down.
Magnus Carlsen Lost Under Pressure
Under pressure, Magnus Carlsen started missing defensive resources. One slip became two. Van Foreest kept asking questions, pushing, probing, refusing to let the position settle.
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Then came the moment that decided it all. On move 86, Carlsen had one last chance to hold. The move Nb6 could have saved the game. Instead, he played Na3. It looked harmless for a second but it wasn’t.
Rc3 followed, and suddenly the knight had no squares. Trapped. Game over within two moves.
Magnus Carlsen resigned.
After the game, Van Foreest kept it real: “I never thought it would happen.”
Why This Loss Matters
It is not simply a result when Magnus Carlsen loses; it is an event. He continues to win the vast majority of classical matches against his opponents by outplaying them in equal positions, which has become almost his trademark. However, in this instance, he was unable to draw the final position of the game in expression.
Additionally, there was a significant mental element to the loss. Unlike many of the other times, when he lost due to some sort of opening blunder or being caught in preparation, this was a long game where Carlsen had opportunities again and again, yet failed to convert them into points.
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Van Foreest’s victory is a tremendous achievement. He has previously defeated Carlsen in quicker time controls, but doing so in classical time controls, and in the manner that he did, is an extremely different experience
It is also important to remember that he was part of Magnus Carlsen’s team during the 2021 World Championship and, therefore, may have been able to use their familiarity with each other to help him remain calm amid all of the chaos.
Round 4 Wasn’t Just About One Game
While all eyes were on Magnus Carlsen’s loss, the tournament shifted in other ways, too.
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus quietly took the sole lead after beating Nils Grandelius. The turning point came when Grandelius missed a tactical sequence, allowing Erdogmus to unleash his knights in a dangerous attack that ended in checkmate. With this win, he moved to 3 out of 4.
Zhu Jiner picked up her first win of the tournament against Andy Woodward. The game was basically decided in the opening itself. Woodward got his knight trapped early and never recovered.
Meanwhile, Arjun Erigaisi held Nodirbek Abdusattorov to a draw. Abdusattorov had the better position at one point, but Arjun defended accurately and neutralised the pressure.
After four rounds, Erdogmus leads the standings, with Abdusattorov, Arjun, and Van Foreest close behind. Magnus Carlsen, unusually, is sitting mid-table.
Round 5 now gets even more interesting. Magnus Carlsen faces Zhu Jiner next, and all eyes will be on how he responds. One loss doesn’t define him, but back-to-back slip-ups would raise real questions.
The games resume today at 3 PM CET, which is 6:30 PM IST.
Also Read: ‘He Would Play as Long as He Could’: Tamizh Amudhan’s Father on Son’s Win Over Vincent Keymer
