Magnus Carlsen, Hans Niemann Drama Just Got Much Worse

Summary

In this episode of 'What's New This Week,' the spotlight is on the chess rivalry between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann. The ongoing feud since 2022 takes center stage with Carlsen avoiding four potential matches against Niemann at the World Team Championship in Kazakhstan. The drama unfolds as Carlsen's absence sparks controversy and Niemann's response on Twitter fuels the fire. The video dives into the implications of this avoidance, the history of chess rivalries, and the potential for a face-off in the Speed Chess Championship, while also showcasing some thrilling games and unexpected moves from the tournament.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The ongoing rivalry between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann is a significant topic in the chess world as of August 2024.
• 🔄 Carlsen avoided playing against Niemann in four potential matchups during the World Team Championship in Kazakhstan.
• 🐦 Carlsen's decision to sit out games against Niemann has sparked controversy and theories about his motives.
• 💬 Niemann responded to Carlsen's avoidance with a tweet implying that avoiding play is a sign of cowardice.
• 🏆 The World Team Championship features a pool stage followed by a knockout section, where Carlsen's team ultimately reached the finals.
• 🎲 Carlsen's unique and sometimes risky opening strategies were highlighted, including a game where he gave pawn odds and still managed to win.
• 🇫🇷 The French Defense was employed by Carlsen in a game against Arjun Eriga, showcasing a classical approach to the opening.
• 👑 Carlsen's team won the World Team Blitz Championship and came second in the rapid event, making Carlsen an 18-time world champion.
• 🤷‍♂️ The chess community is left to speculate about the reasons behind Carlsen's refusal to play Niemann and what it means for future matchups.
• 📅 The chess world is anticipating the potential for a Carlsen vs. Niemann match in Paris in September 2024.
• 📈 The drama has significantly increased interest and viewership in chess events, highlighting the impact of personal rivalries on the sport.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is the ongoing rivalry and drama between chess players Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, particularly their non-confrontation in a tournament in Kazakhstan.

What is the significance of the World Team Championship mentioned in the script?

The World Team Championship is significant because it is the tournament where Magnus Carlsen chose not to play against Hans Niemann in multiple potential matchups, which is a central point of discussion in the script.

Why did Magnus Carlsen's decision to sit out certain games create controversy?

Magnus Carlsen's decision to sit out certain games created controversy because it was seen as an avoidance of playing against Hans Niemann, which is unprecedented in the chess world and led to speculation and debate.

What did Hans Niemann tweet in response to Magnus Carlsen sitting out a game?

Hans Niemann tweeted a message suggesting that if one is not willing to handle things on the chessboard, they shouldn't bother playing, as chess is the greatest combination of art and war, and cowardice leads to inevitable defeat.

What is the 'pool stage' in the context of the tournament discussed in the script?

The 'pool stage' refers to an initial phase of the tournament where teams play against each other, and then they are seeded into a knockout section based on their performance.

What was the outcome of the games between Hans Niemann and Jan Nepomniachtchi?

Hans Niemann and Jan Nepomniachtchi played against each other in the knockout stage of the tournament. In one of the games, Niemann was winning but made a blunder and lost to Nepomniachtchi.

What chess opening does the script describe as 'kind of goofy'?

The script describes Magnus Carlsen's choice of the move H5 in a game as 'kind of goofy', indicating an unconventional and risky opening strategy.

How does the script describe the potential future match between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann in Paris?

The script suggests that there is anticipation for a potential match between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann in the Speed Chess Championship quarterfinals in Paris, which could be a significant event given their recent history.

What is the significance of the game between Arjun Eriga and Magnus Carlsen in the script?

The game between Arjun Eriga and Magnus Carlsen is significant because Eriga managed to defeat Carlsen in a tournament, showcasing a strong performance against one of the world's best chess players.

How does the script describe Magnus Carlsen's overall performance in the tournament?

The script describes Magnus Carlsen's overall performance as solid, with two losses out of around 12 to 13 games, despite the controversy surrounding his avoidance of playing against Hans Niemann.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Chess Rivalry: Magnus Carlsen vs. Hans Niemann

The script discusses the intense and controversial rivalry between chess grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann that has been a focal point in the chess community since 2022. It highlights an ongoing tournament in Kazakhstan, the World Team Championship, where Carlsen notably abstained from a match against Niemann. Niemann's tweet in response to Carlsen's absence and the implications of Carlsen's decision on their rivalry are also covered. The summary touches on the unusual nature of Carlsen avoiding all three potential matchups with Niemann during the tournament, a move unprecedented in the chess world, and speculates on the potential future encounters between the two players.

05:01

🎭 The Drama of Chess: Avoidance and Controversy

This paragraph delves into the specifics of Carlsen's decision to not play against Niemann during the World Team Championship, detailing the structure of the tournament and the implications of Carlsen's choice. It provides insights into the potential reasons behind Carlsen's avoidance and the reactions from the chess community. Additionally, it discusses the potential impact on Niemann's career and reputation should he manage to score a win or a draw against Carlsen in future encounters. The summary also includes commentary on the historical significance of such an event in the chess world and the anticipation of their next possible meeting in Paris for the Speed Chess Championship.

10:02

🏰 Chess Tactics: The Great Escape by Magnus Carlsen

The script recounts an extraordinary game played by Magnus Carlsen, where he started with an unconventional opening and found himself in a losing position against an opponent with a 600-point lower rating. Despite being down a bishop and a queen for a significant portion of the game, Carlsen managed to turn the tide and ultimately win. The summary describes the key moves and strategies employed by Carlsen, including his decision to give up material for the sake of development and his ability to create threats that led to his opponent's collapse. It showcases Carlsen's resilience and skill in turning a seemingly lost game around.

15:03

👑 Nepo's Victory Over Hans Niemann in the Knockouts

This paragraph focuses on the games between Hans Niemann and Alireza Firouzja, known as Nepo, during the knockout stage of the World Team Championship. It details the opening moves and strategies employed by both players, highlighting the critical moments where Niemann had the opportunity to win but ultimately lost due to a tactical oversight. The summary provides an analysis of the game's progression, the missed chances by Niemann, and the decisive moves by Nepo that led to his victory, emphasizing the complexity and tension of their encounter.

20:04

🏆 The World Team Championship: A Clash of Chess Titans

The script describes the progression of the World Team Championship, touching on the games played by Hans Niemann and his team's performance. It discusses the various strategies and tactics employed by the players, including the Catalan opening that Niemann is known for. The summary outlines the key moments of the tournament, the teams that made it to the finals, and the individual performances that stood out, including the only player who managed to defeat Magnus Carlsen in the tournament, Arjun Eriga.

25:05

🌟 The Showdown: Arjun Eriga vs. Magnus Carlsen

This paragraph narrates the exciting match between Arjun Eriga and Magnus Carlsen in the Speed Chess Championship quarterfinals. It details Eriga's bold opening strategy of trading his queen and his subsequent aggressive play that put Carlsen on the back foot. The summary highlights the critical moves and the resulting positions, showcasing Eriga's confident play and Carlsen's struggle to regain control of the game. It culminates in Carlsen's resignation, marking a significant victory for Eriga.

30:06

🔄 The Rematch: Carlsen's Comeback in the Classical French Defense

The script recounts the second game between Arjun Eriga and Magnus Carlsen, where Carlsen opted for a different opening strategy, the Classical French Defense. It describes the cautious and calculated moves by Carlsen to avoid the pitfalls of the previous game. The summary explains Carlsen's adjustments to his play, his successful maneuvers to neutralize Eriga's threats, and the turning points that led to Carlsen's victory, thus preventing a second consecutive loss to Eriga.

🏅 Magnus Carlsen's Legacy: World Champion in Team Chess

The final paragraph wraps up the script by reflecting on Magnus Carlsen's overall performance in the World Team Championship. Despite his two losses, Carlsen's team emerged victorious, earning him the title of an 18-time world champion. The summary emphasizes the significance of Carlsen's achievements and the broader implications of his avoidance of playing against Hans Niemann. It concludes with a teaser for an upcoming chess tournament and a sign-off from the script's narrator.

Keywords

💡Magnus Carlson

Magnus Carlson is a Norwegian chess grandmaster and was the World Chess Champion from 2013 to 2019. In the video's context, he is central to the ongoing chess drama, particularly in the rivalry with Hans Neeman. The script discusses Carlson's decisions and games in a tournament, highlighting his significance in the chess world.

💡Hans Neeman

Hans Neeman is an American chess grandmaster who is mentioned in the script as being in a feud with Magnus Carlson. The video discusses a situation where Carlson avoided playing against Neeman in a tournament, which is a focal point of the drama described in the script.

💡World Team Championship

The World Team Championship is an international chess competition where teams compete against each other. In the script, it is the tournament currently taking place in Kazakhstan, where both Carlson and Neeman are participating, and where the drama between the two unfolds.

💡Chess rivalry

A chess rivalry refers to a competitive and often intense relationship between two chess players. In the video, the ongoing rivalry between Carlson and Neeman is a key theme, with their interactions and non-interactions in the tournament being a major point of discussion.

💡Sitting out

In the context of the script, 'sitting out' refers to a player choosing not to participate in a scheduled game. The video describes a situation where Magnus Carlson sat out of a game that would have paired him against Hans Neeman, which is a significant event in their rivalry.

💡Tournament structure

The tournament structure refers to the format and organization of a chess competition. The script explains the structure of the World Team Championship, including the pool stage and knockout section, which is crucial for understanding the opportunities for Carlson and Neeman to play against each other.

💡Chess opening

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a game. The script discusses various chess openings, such as the King's Indian Defense and the French Defense, played by Carlson and other players during the tournament, which are significant for understanding the strategic choices made by the players.

💡Blitz Games

Blitz Games are a form of chess where each player has a limited amount of time to make all their moves. The script mentions blitz games in the context of Carlson's unconventional opening moves and the resulting positions on the board.

💡Umbrella Pawn

An umbrella pawn is a chess term for a pawn that protects the player's king by being in front of it, making it a target that could lead to a dangerous pin if captured. The script uses this term to describe a strategic move in one of the games analyzed.

💡Rook endgame

A rook endgame refers to the final stage of a chess game where only a few pieces remain on the board, often involving rooks. The script mentions a scenario where a player is down a pawn but contemplates the difficulty of losing to a lower-rated opponent in a rook endgame.

💡Tactical blunder

A tactical blunder is a mistake in a player's move that leads to a significant loss of material or position. The script describes a moment in a game where a player, under time pressure, makes a blunder that costs them the game.

Highlights

Ongoing feud between Magnus Carlson and Hans Neeman is a major chess drama since 2022.

Magnus Carlson sat out a match against Hans Neeman at the World Team Championship in Kazakhstan.

Hans Neeman tweeted a response to Magnus Carlson's absence, implying cowardice leads to defeat.

Magnus Carlson avoided playing Hans Neeman in all three potential matchups at the tournament.

The World Team Championship format includes a pool stage and a knockout section.

Magnus Carlson's team won the tournament despite his avoidance of playing Hans Neeman.

The chess community is divided in its support for either Magnus Carlson or Hans Neeman.

A potential future match-up between Magnus and Hans is anticipated in Paris in September 2024.

Magnus Carlson played an unusual and risky opening, giving his opponent pawn odds.

Despite being in a losing position, Magnus Carlson managed to win a game against a lower-rated opponent.

Hans Neeman played as board two but had to take the board one position when Magnus didn't play.

Hans Neeman beat Yan Nepo in one of the games, showing his competitive strength.

The rivalry between Magnus Carlson and Hans Neeman is unprecedented in the chess world.

Arjun Eriga defeated Magnus Carlson in a game, marking a significant achievement.

Magnus Carlson's team won the World Team Blitz Championship, adding to his list of titles.

The chess drama between Magnus and Hans raises questions about sportsmanship and competition.

Transcripts

ladies and gentlemen welcome back to

another episode of what's new this week

in the world of Chess drama of course

I'm talking about uh the

ongoing feud the ongoing rivalry the

ongoing situation between Magnus Carlson

and Hans Neeman it's currently August of

2024 and since 2022 these two names have

been at the Forefront of uh of a

fascinating uh story in the Chess World

very controversial one and people are on

both sides uh they believe what they

believe they support who they support

now at this very moment that this video

is being recorded uh there's a

tournament going on in Kazakhstan and

it's called the world uh Team

Championship so people play together on

a team and uh Hans demon is on his team

and Magnus Carlson is on Magnus

Carlson's team and yesterday Magnus

Carlson sat out of a matchup which would

have paired him versus Hans

Neeman and that was a big story uh and

when that happened uh Hans Neeman

tweeted this he tweeted if you aren't

willing to handle things on the chess

board don't even bother playing chess is

the greatest combination of Art and War

and uh I said cowardice which is

apparently not how that word is

pronounced um it's actually pronounced

coward no uh leads to inevitable uh

defeat now there was uh there were

theories thrown out that maybe Magnus

just wanted to get some rest Etc like

why would Magnus avoid playing Hans that

would that yeah that doesn't make any

sense Magnus is having such a great

tournament well today I'm here to tell

you that Magnus did not play Hans three

more times the only three games the only

uh three potential matchups where Magnus

did not play were all against Hans

neeman's Team every single one so the

way that this tournament works is first

you play in a pool right you not not

like a swimming pool you play and then

you seed yourself into The Knockout

section and then you play The Knockout

and The Knockout is two rounds so in the

pool stage Magnus did not play hanss and

then in the round of eight teams

remaining Magnus did not play Hans and

Magnus played every other game

so this is really uh this is really

incredible uh I I I don't in my lifetime

and just just for the record see once

again again Magnus sits out this was the

group stage uh we see some smiling there

in the background and then again again

team Hans and team Magnus were paired

this time and again

Carlson uh is sitting out

now this has never happened in my

lifetime of playing and watching chess

events and I've been doing that for 20

years all right not to sound like one of

those people that's like I knew them

before they were famous listen I've been

playing chess since the days that eight

people would play chess folks in my

childhood I would have to sit like 10

minutes waiting for an opponent in some

online portals I mean I'm telling y'all

I've been playing chess my whole life

all right I've been watching chess

events I've been following top level

events and I don't remember ever ever in

my life seeing anything like this there

have been rivalries where people don't

shake hands Vladimir karnick and

vesselin talv ever since the world

championship match with crazy you know

wild stories and accusations they they

don't shake hands against each other

there have been stories like this I mean

but this is straight up like I think I'm

going to play that guy in the next round

and I'm and I don't feel like playing

him and I did say this in yesterday's

recap like the winning uh the the the

potential to boost your brand and career

and everything and and all those things

is really in hans's favor like if Magnus

were to have played Hans four times in

this event and beaten him all four

games you know can of be like well yeah

he's Magnus like why are we acting like

that's impressive if Hans even splits 2

two it's it already becomes a

story on top of that I think I think he

just doesn't particularly like the guy

and so he's like if I don't have to play

him I won't and there are comments All

Around like why are you why are people

making this a bigger deal like whatever

no it's a very big deal this has

literally never

happened uh in the in the Chess World I

mean but here's the thing we are about 4

days away here in August of finding out

whether Magnus and Hans are going to

play against each other in Paris in

September of 2024 in the spe

championship and if you're watching

already beyond that go check some Recaps

out you know what I mean like maybe it

happened maybe it didn't but I think if

they're paired against each other and

there's nothing you can do about it

Magnus will play I cannot imagine Magnus

will sit out in

Paris that just doesn't even but I think

here given the option not going to do it

unless he's like the greatest troll of

all time and he's you know he actually

doesn't mind all that much uh now that's

the drama he sat out once yesterday and

three times today and every single time

he didn't play hunt it's just it's just

so just crazy like this is such a wild

situation I'm going to show you some

games I'm also going to show you the

games that Hans had to play nepo because

nepo is the board two of the team but he

has to play board one when Magnus

doesn't play and actually Jan beat uh

rather Hans beat Jan in one of those

games so that's going to be fun uh and

then we're going to look at you know the

wrap-up of the tournament but first

we're going to start with one of the

craziest games I've ever seen Magnus

Carlson play where he had a losing

position against somebody over 600 rated

rating points lower than him so G3 was

the first move chosen in this game by C

toonin I don't know why he has a space

in between those two I think I think

that's just one word um and he's from

Kyan uh shout out to Valentina

shevchenko and in this game uh Magnus

played H5 now Magnus likes to mess

around with Goofy openings in title

Tuesday all the time like I don't know

why I drew an arrow here I haven't had

my morning coffee night to F6 you know I

gotta let me let me just get right on

that this is uh kind of goofy and he

even plays

H4 so he straight up gives the Pawn away

he just gives his opponent Pawn

odds now generally what happens here in

Blitz Games is you do this and then you

play E5 and you get your queen over here

and it's you know you have what's called

compensation but the position is

bad uh well you know mag Magnus is

Magnus so he's just going to develop his

pieces he takes the center life is good

he he trades off the light squared

Bishop of white right so white doesn't

have a comfortable position now we have

C4 and this is actually a brilliant

strategy by white because in this

position the best thing for black to do

is to trade everything play Knight F6

and play Knight

B4 but white is just comfortable you

know white is totally okay instead of

that Magnus plays Knight F6 taking a

calculated Risk by playing Bishop B4 but

here's the thing White's moves are very

natural and very easy right so he stops

the

pin and all of a sudden Magnus is dead

lost like

completely lost it's just it's an extra

Pawn for white which may I remind you

was granted to him here and I mean

Magnus basically wanted to get an attack

going in this game and instead of

getting an attack he traded a bishop a

bishop and now a queen and white is just

completely winning he has no weaknesses

and what you do here with white is you

just very slowly and and and you know

slowly push the pieces out and then you

target this pawn and he's just got a

completely winning position against

Magnus what is this game

H3 Knight to D5 G4 he pushes The Rook

back and here you have to calculate this

you have to calculate Knight takes

E5 because if take take and if take

right now this is hanging go here uh

Rook C6 and bc3 and I have a feeling

that black saw this move and was like oh

no I'm not

winning but he has Rook

A7 and if Rook

B3 you're just a clean Pawn up and I

mean you can I mean okay I get it you're

playing Magnus so you think he'll beat

you in a rook end game down a

pawn uh but so we have Bishop takes E5

and in this version you know he he's

still he's still winning but like for

the moment it's actually it's actually

white who's just completely up two pawns

now you don't want to go Knight F7

because uh it looks like you might you

know allow a lot of counterplay Knight

F4 check being of course the most lethal

white plays D4 here F6 and G5 which is

kind of kind of unnecessary like just

Retreat the KN but he was worried of

course about Rook e 2 but you are

totally winning I mean Rook A7 is

hanging Rook e one he plays G5 the idea

of G5 is to get him to take and uh now

you go here and you obviously are nearly

winning the game so G5 Magnus plays Rook

H5 we have takes takes and Knight to C4

but now uh apparently Knight F4 check is

even the best move but rookie two and

Magnus is coming in with counterplay and

all the advantage is gone for white uh

and suddenly he just completely

collapses right like Rook eight is no

longer a threat because the Knight is

not covering the king's Escape so Magnus

in this game had a little bit of a scare

uh then you know order in the world was

restored uh and he won I think he won on

time here I think that's what happened

that's why there's no more moves uh but

you know Magnus can win with Rook F3 and

probably just weave some sort of

Checkmate net here like maybe B5 kick

the Knight out Knight E3 something

something along these lines uh but yeah

that was nuts uh Magnus was just totally

lost like with with no life or hope in

the position it was

like but you know all right he doesn't

lose to a 2200 now the games of nepo

versus uh Hans these are from The

Knockouts in the pool section where

Magnus also did not play Hans uh he uh

Yan won he he he beat Hans there and now

they have to play these these Knockouts

so the team has played two games against

each other and

um there they they played

twice in the first game we had C4 Knight

F6 and then we had this

approach uh here the main line is B uh

Bishop B4 or D5 so D5 is what we call

the reverse Dragon sicilan because white

plays D3 castles and white is playing

what black generally plays uh in the

dragon Sicilian but with the colors

reversed you don't have to know that

it's not going to be on the test and

here hun plays Knight D4 this is a move

uh Knight D4 has just one very simple

thing in mind if you take on E five this

is a pin if you move the Knight you get

mated now in a shocking turn of events

that does not happen in this game as Yan

plays Bishop G2 without any hesitation

and now black trades the Knight I think

black's idea is basically like you know

I'll expand in the center and I don't

have the Knight on C6 which can be

useful for white to Target in many lines

so we have this we have castles castles

Rook D1 and Hans now plays uh E4 it's a

very common idea here for white is to is

to force the black pawn to come here and

now black has the onus of Defending it

otherwise you know white will play

Bishop G5 white is going to take Etc

which is why Hans goes here smart move

and now we have Bishop F4 so we're gonna

we're going to play a game of chess

around the pawn on e4 I'm going to try

to win it you're going to try to protect

it h takes and plays D6 now bc3 is a bad

move it's actually I think better to

play this I think the reason that he

didn't play this is he didn't like D5

and the thing is if you let Hans get

this black is just chilling uh if you

let Hans get this I think black is also

chilling so the point after D5 is you

got to play a move like A4 which doesn't

really make any sense to me I guess it's

a waiting move you also Target this

maybe you'll go B4 in the future that

type of I mean I don't know B4 to me

looks fine but the computer hates it so

we have bc3 and Hans now blunts this

bishop so he has a very nice position C5

D5 but now the difference is that Yan

has more pawns and the pawns can move

Look he plays C4 and now we see the

early makings of the black center

falling apart we have take take Knight

to D5 but I still have some tricky ideas

if F6 I'm threatening to take on C7 cuz

you just opened up this so Bishop E5

Bishop F5 Hans is trying to play on the

light squares in case that is not clear

to you right he's playing on the light

squares Neo's playing on the dark

squares but again nepo continues to push

with the c pawns the position I show you

earlier in the game this position if you

go here you don't have any more C pawns

so even something like C6 going to be

very difficult to break through you're

going to have to try to use these pawns

and I'm not really sure you're going to

be able to but in the game white does

push those pawns and now we see that you

know the position will be quite delicate

quite soon nice move here from nepo

Bishop is hit but the Rook is hit rook's

got to go right so the Rook goes to A6

now Bishop C7 so now if you take here I

got this if you take here I got this

if you don't take I got Rook C1 I also

might have been able to take on A5 but

you know he plays Rook C1 and uh a very

nice and kind of clinical approach here

uh by Yan but but counterplay is still

possible here even though you are up two

pawns Here Comes Pawn to

E3 and he plays Rook B2 and he actually

blunders hey this is a nice idea and the

best move here was just Bishop D5 it's

just a free

Knight I think he was worried that after

here and King F2 there is Bishop B1 and

queen F5 but what you do is you don't

take on F2 you play King F1 and you use

this as an umbrella Pawn in chest that's

called an umbrella Pawn it's when a pawn

is in front of your king and taking it

would be too dangerous so you hide

behind it and the point

being this is just a check now there is

nothing Rook E2 it looks like you're

going to get mated but Rook F1 this is

the key move now that's kind of hard to

see because you have to be comfortable

with losing the

rug and then you got to win this

position and you know if you don't see

Rook F1 you think you're just getting

mated yeah Rook B2 is played and

actually uh H is winning now after

Knight to E3 which is insane with 5

Seconds on the clock Bishop F3 and now

Rook takes A5 a beautiful move is

winning the game you may ask how is that

winning because after Queen A5 Queen D4

you cannot stop the threats to the king

so Hans was actually really really close

to winning this game against nepo he was

one tactic away but the game gets hectic

and he loses the knight in the center of

the board and now black just simply

doesn't have enough pieces E4 Bishop C7

Rook E1 you see all the pieces come to

the defense and uh simultaneously

creating attacking chances Queen back to

C2 that's it and now the king the king

is safe there's a pin and it's too

little too late even though the king's

in the center you don't have enough fire

power and H sacrifices the house nepo

triumphantly putting the king in the

center of the board and there is just

absolutely nothing here and Hans deman

resigns a very tense game and may I add

you may remember from the beginning it

was actually Hans Neiman who beat nepo

in a game that they played so you know

it's it's it's a thing it's a thing for

sure and he was he was winning the last

game if he found Rook A5 Queen D4 which

on its own was not that difficult but

with 5 Seconds on the clock it it can be

difficult sometimes to to register you

know the the the right move to play but

okay you know here's another

game hans's playing his beloved Catalan

he's played a lot of Catal an we have

Queen C2 A6 A4 this is a main line and

now Bishop to D7 and the idea of Bishop

D7 is you're going to play Bishop C6 and

then you're going to play Bishop D5 and

Bishop 2

E4 and you may think I'm joking I'm not

joking Queen C4 Bishop

C6 and uh I think historically it's been

like Bishop G5 Bishop D5 Queen C2 uh

Bishop E4 I'm not even I'm not

exaggerating like this is real Theory uh

and the point is that the bishop kind of

kind of like blocks the white position

but okay in this game we have Bishop F4

and the point is that you're stopping

Bishop D5 because of Queen C7 so yeah uh

now Bishop D6 this is just Uber Mainline

stuff Queen goes back to C1 defending

the the piece over here Knight C3 and uh

in a lot of these Canal lands you really

want to play H4 but Knight D5 doesn't

really let you play H4 so we have Bishop

G5 Queen

E8 uh you can still maybe play H4 but it

it doesn't really fit the style of the

position now it looks like white should

expand in the center so we have take

take he doesn't let him expand in the

center we have A5 now we have a little

Pawn dance B5 here played by Yan by the

way Yan not even thinking C4 now C5

played by Yan after a minute I think he

was trying to remember his lines C5 not

the move uh but instead it was takes and

takes which is maybe a little hard to do

with this Pawn here but that's what the

computer wants at least on a low depth

Bishop F4 Queen E7 and now you know he's

trying to hold this position together

he's there's a lot of pressure the queen

is going to activate I mean this is this

is the problem with the Catalan is that

it's got layers and layers and layers

kind of like onions all right shout out

to Shrek Knight E5 and we we're seeing

this build you would think that losing

your Bishop in front of your king like

this is bad but actually in the Catalan

it's been proven to be quite good CD4

Rook D4 uh and I think somewhere here

something went

wrong I think yeah I think here instead

of Knight E5 H needed to kind of Chom

down the pawns and trade the queen

so he needed to enter this version of

the position where he says my a pawn is

good your a pawn is weak I have Rook B1

ideas and stuff like that uh instead of

that Hans does it this way and this is

wrong uh this is wrong because black now

gets sufficient counterplay and the

pawns are not in the right positions

however it's still the calan and you are

basically under pressure in the canland

for the entirety of the game and uh yeah

we see that Jan is trying to defend

himself Hans just has really active

pieces and easy play Jan goes for

counterplay but F3 no counter play to be

had here comes Knight E7 check here

comes Rook D3 and I mean White's got

everything on a right square and blacks

all of Black's pieces are on the back

rank except the Knight Here Comes Knight

F5 looking for D6 looking for E3 looking

for G7 looking for everything and at

some point you're going to get low on

time and you're going to blunder a

tactic and uh that's what's about to

happen we are arriving at that this

ation Rook F6 is winning on the spot so

we have Queen B8 trying to trade the

queen take take Rook A6 now the pawn is

fallen and uh you're probably going to

win a second one and this game was a was

a was an amazing Catalan from Hans

really well played King F2 Knight D6 and

Hans ends this game up 75 pawns and

going for the black king Rook G7 Knight

E4 check Rook B5 Rook D I mean it looks

like you have 70 mates here Rook D1 and

that is not mate but you are up a night

and 40 pawns uh the amount of the pawns

kept changing and Hans actually did take

a game off of nepo so yeah now

ultimately though it was the

ridiculously stacked team of Magnus nepo

Duda Prague NC Abdus satarov Alexandra

cuk like it was a a monster team and

they made it to the finals and they were

playing

mgd1 uh which was the Indian sponsored

team

and I don't know why

my why are the GM titles misaligned

there we go that looks better and the

only man to take a game off of Magnus

Carlson in this tournament is the man

you are seeing there Arjun erigi and

these two are going to be playing

against each other in the speed chest

Championship quarterfinals may I remind

you that the speed chest Championship

quarterfinals uh are uh are are a funnel

into Magnus Hans so if Magnus beats

Arjun uh they are going to play against

each other uh in the uh and if Hans

beats Wesley so they're going to play

against each other now interesting thing

here so Arjun decided that the best way

to play against

Magnus uh was to trade his Queen and

play F four now one little detail here

Magnus did not

castle normally you castle and then you

play E5 this is the main line of the

king's Indian defense and the point is

that if there's this you know you can

play like Knight D5 and the position the

position's about equal you have like

Bishop G5 Stuff Etc but E5 before you

castle that's bold because now your King

has to stay in the center and now white

gets a very big lead in development and

Arjun throws this out there instantly

clearly knows what he's doing Magnus

plays Bishop E6 Knight F3 Knight C6 and

just castles Arjun does not engage does

not does not take anything he just

castles his King and says yo Magnus I

don't know why you left your king in the

center of the board cuz now you have to

move it and he

does but now

F5 and now it becomes abundantly clear

this was a horrendous choice of opening

against the guy who loves a fight Arjun

is not scared he's not scared at all and

the point here is he's giving up this

Pawn to open up the f file to Counter

Strike and then play Rook F5 and you

know he's not up any material here but

he will be

he will be he's going to win all these

pieces over here probably so F5 and

Magnus has to back up yeah arjun's not

backing up I mean Arjun is a Gotham

subscriber and I say frequently eight

about eight times out of 10 the best

move is not going backwards especially

for beginners but for for y'all you got

to go forward look at this arjent every

move forward forward forward forward

backwards because literally going

anywhere forward would have lost you the

game um somewhere here you know he he's

got a nice Advantage but he's got to

actually capitalize yeah Magnus here

does something crazy he takes on F5 yeah

taking on F5 is like picking your nose

just after you had a bloody nose you

know what I like just leave it alone are

you three years old let it heal you know

what I mean like this I mean this is

this is I mean it we are going to have a

a waterfall Bishop C5 Knight E4 bishop

f8 and I mean ultimately it's just it's

just Arjun just confidently outplaying

the best player in the world who

admittedly played a little bit of a

dicey opening but always fun to see when

the uh the young guys just play really

really nicely I look at her just just

just turning the screw you know just

trying to trade the light squared Bishop

repositioning the Knight targeting

everything The Rook is going to

infiltrate this Knight is nice but it's

it's just kind of an I mean it's just

standing there it's not really you know

mhm yeah but but the pawns that black

are is going to lose they're going to be

felt much worse uh now the one thing

that Magnus has here is this move B5

that is the only thing keeping him alive

the point of B5 is that you open up a c

Pawn in end games like this when your

pieces don't have a lot of mobility and

when your pieces are outmatched you have

to find Pawn play did you get that so

you at some point you're going to see

Magnus probably play that move right

because because Arjun is three squares

from queening he's just got to make a

couple of accurate moves and now now

here we go now right so Magnus is

gambling here he's playing the C Pawn

forward Rook H7 but arjin just got too

pawns are too fast pawns are just too

fast and and I mean yeah Magnus is

closed but it's it's just not good

enough you arrive on the other side of

the board first Knight E5 hits

everything King D5 and yeah the pawn is

there but so is mine so you have to

probably do this and that's it I mean

you're you're not going to beat two

Rooks with a knight and a bishop the

Knight is actually meaningless I mean it

literally did nothing this game and here

Magnus resigned now again because Magnus

has a absolutely monsterous Squad they

managed to win the match up anyway and

so they set up a a rematch right they

were playing two games against each

other and this time this time Magnus

decided all right I'm I'm I'm not going

to lose Knight C3 this is the classical

uh French defense and now this move

Knight E2 here the main line is F4 this

is this is called the classical French

the steinet variation been around for

over a 100 years and you know in in this

position black chooses which setup they

want to take there's setups where you

capture you can play B6 there's also set

ups you don't play Bishop E7 you can

just start an

attack uh but yeah this this Knight to

E2 thing um this is what is called a

prophylactic move because you'll notice

in the thing that I just showed you

there's a knight there and no Pawn

Knight C2 used to be popular the point

is to play

C3 and F4 and not only C3 F4 you also

play H4 and very often you walk the king

out of the castle C5 C3 it's a kind of a

very this is an interesting way to play

in fact I would say below the level of

2,000 Knight C2 might win you like nine

out of 10 games because you're going to

get an enormous space advantage and

started an attack so C5 C3 right now

Knight F3 now you'll here actually white

can play

F4 so point being that like black

doesn't have play on the center you're

too solid and check doesn't do anything

because actually in many lines I can go

King F2 I don't have to play King F2 but

I can and black can very easily get a

losing position like H4 and if you don't

play fast with the counter play you play

Bishop B3 okay because the pawn is

hanging so you should defend it first

but you get my point uh and then you

could start an attack in this game

Magnus chooses Knight F3 which is fine

A3 A5 it's a way to stop the advancement

Here Comes

H4 now A4 Knight F4 right so both guys

are making preparation so the bishop

blocks right uh Queen A5 now Magnus says

okay I don't want a draw now as you can

tell from mag says time spend arjent has

actually outmaneuvered him in this

opening again and I think Magnus maybe

instead of playing like this he should

have played Rook H3 the barbaric

approach and just gone for an attack

which yeah that's what the position

demands he tried to play it a bit slowly

cuz he did just lose you don't you don't

want to lose and then Rush In And then

lose again you don't want to lose twice

so Knight B6 and the game is very tense

now finally Magnus does play Rook H3

Argent plays H6 covering the king side

we have Rook G3 G6 you had to defend

your king now Knight F6 very tense

position Arjun Retreats the knight from

the queen side to trade off the Knight

Magnus also retreats to Target The Pawn

on H6 the pawn on H6 moves forward now

he Retreats again you may say Levy you

just told me eight times out of 10 going

backwards is bad what is the probability

that he would go backwards two times in

a row well I would tell you it's 2 over

10 * 2 over 10 right so it's 02 time 02

so what is that 04

what is 02 time

.2 listen y'all I mean it's a 4% chance

you know what I'm saying like I

uh smart math big brain you know

statistics and quantitative modeling

degree and yet here I am as a YouTuber I

really hope I got that right by the way

I have no proof so I'm about to Hype

myself up and you guys in the comments

who are watching this on demand are

going to go he what what an idiot anyway

yes it's it's very low odds that this

happens but it can it can happen and by

the way he had no choice if he went to

H6 the queen gets traded and then

probably you just lose the Knight so bad

idea Knight E3 Knight B6 Knight

C2 bro just went Knight G4 knight3

Knight C2 point2 times point2 * point2

again

yeah yeah was that point

O8 what's 2 * 2 *

2 did I say 08 or o i

08 I hope I said that anyway this has

just turned into me flexing my quick

math uh folks ultimately Magnus castles

his King directly into the Rook switches

the play completely and just has to play

on arjun's dark squares right his

weaknesses here Bishop E2 Knight C4

uh Arjun is a very uncompromising player

but sometimes to a

fault and in this position the most

natural move by far is to take with the

Knight like you don't even have to think

about

it Arjun thought he was going to go

here and play C3 that was his idea like

he wanted to beat Magnus two games in a

row whereas the move you don't even

think about here is Knight C4 yeah but

you can't do that against Magnus and so

you're going to try to blockade on the

light squares and play C3 but he's just

too fast he's going to play D5 he's

going to stop your attack he's going to

bring his King and now you're not

getting the setup that you want B5 F3

and slowly you lose your grasp on the

position Pawn takes H5 Rook to H6 the

Knight is hitting everything and in this

position it's just a matter of time it's

just a matter of time we have a scramble

rookie eight Knight C6 we're getting

into the position and there it is we're

going to trade the Rooks King B4 and

absolute domination Magnus does not

allow himself to be defeated two times

in a row by arjin he beats

arjin and he finishes the tournament

with two losses out

of like 12 games 13 games he lost a

report he lost to Ari but overall a

solid performance maybe even below his

his actual rating because his rating is

too high uh but uh I mean his team wins

the world team Blitz championship

uh they got second in the world team

rapid so I suppose you can say Magnus is

now an 18-time world

champion uh but the bigger Story by far

in my opinion is that he didn't play

Hans demon in the four potential

matchups that they could have had

against each other which basically begs

the question

of when will they play against each

other and is it going to be when they're

paired and he has no option for me I

think it's just the fact that he had an

option in this event not to play him and

given the option he will not do it

but this has never happened before in

the Chess World so uh that's all I have

for you

today if you are watching this video in

August of 2024 I've got a chess

tournament coming up that will be August

9th to 15th very exciting but that's uh

that's all I have for now get out of

here