Magnus vs The World is a groundbreaking online chess event that broke records with its massive participation. In the event, five-time world champion, Magnus Carlsen, competes against a massive team of 100,000 players from the Chess.com community. This event marked the largest online chess match in history, surpassing previous records set by similar matches involving chess legend Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kasparov. So, what exactly is Magnus vs The World? Let’s take a look at the details.
What Is Magnus vs The World?
Magnus vs The World is a freestyle chess (chess960) match where the starting positions of the pieces on the board are randomized. This format allows for more creativity and unpredictability as compared to traditional chess. The match is played in a vote chess game format where Carlsen plays the white pieces, making his moves individually while the Chess.com community plays as Black. Each team has 24 hours to make a move, adding a strategic layer to the game. Still don’t understand how it works? Let’s take a look at the basics.
How Does Magnus vs The World Work?
The game is played between the world number 1, Magnus Carlsen, and 100,000 players of the Chess.com community via a vote chess method. Each party has 24 hours to make a move, where Magnus plays individually while 100,000 players decide collectively on the next move. The community decides each move by voting.
The move with the most votes at the end of the voting period is selected and played. This format allows a large number of players to participate in the game, even if they can’t be present for every move. A team of experienced coaches is also providing guidance to 100,000 players to aid their challenges. These coaches offer insights and analysis of possible moves through game chat, making it even more exciting.
Is It The First One Of Its Kind?
Magnus vs The World is truly one of a kind, but it’s not the first. Previously, Vishy vs The World took place in 2023 while included nearly 70,000 players while another match of Kasparov vs The World also took place in 1999 which involved 50,000 participants. However, Magnus Carlsen is the first one to use the Freestyle Chess format on this scale with such a large number of participants.
When Did Magnus vs The World Start?
The match began on 4 April 2025 with Magnus Carlsen making his first move. Given the 24-hour voting window, the match is expected to unfold over several days or weeks even.
Magnus vs The World truly represents new milestones in online chess, combining innovative formats with massive participation. As the match continues, the fascination will just increase, and it will be interesting to see how the community strategizes against Carlsen to win the match. Regardless of the outcome, the event has also written its name in history books for being the largest online chess match in history, with 100,000 players.
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