Magnus Carlsen makes rookie make during Bullet Chess Championship
Recently-dethroned world champion Magnus Carlsen turned up in Barcelona for the Bullet Chess Championship recently, only to learn that the event was not an over-the board tournament. He ended up playing his games on Day 1 of the Championship from his hotel room with another player, Eric Hansen, who had made the same rookie make.
“We both made the same make. We thought the Bullet Chess Championship was an over-the-board tournament. So we showed up here in Barcelona ready to play and now have to face each other on the screen,” says the World No 1 in a video shot in a Barcelona hotel room where he is accompanied Canadian Grandmaster Hansen.
“It’s better in person. Hope you watch,” chimes in Hansen.
The Bullet Chess Championship is a one-minute chess tournament, which started on Monday and will run till Friday.
Besides Carlsen and Hansen, this year’s competition will also see players like Hikaru Nakamura (the defending champion), Anish Giri and Alireza Firouzja competing for the title.