Magnus Carlsen is the FTX Crypto Cup champion for the second year in a row after holding off a fierce challenge from Indian teen Praggnanandhaa. Norway’s World Champion overcame the talented 17-year-old with a game to spare in their final round shootout for the title. All about FTX Crypto Cup 2022: Learn everything about the FTX Crypto Cup 2022 lineup here / Follow the FTX Crypto Cup 2022 live games / Magnus Carlsen’s courses – Olympiad sale at Chessable
FTX Crypto Cup news: Carlsen, Duda, Pragg, and Aronian win in FTX Crypto Chess Cup day 1 / Eventful day 2 of the FTX Crypto Cup / Carlsen and Pragg continue perfect at the FTX Crypto Chess Cup after day 3 / Carlsen and Pragg flawless again in day 4 / Alireza Firouzja joins the race for first in day 5 /
In doing so, Carlsen notched up a third win of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour season and his first Major win. The result also stretches his lead at the top of the $1.6 million Tour leaderboard and wins him the tournament’s unique NFT trophy.
Pragg and Carlsen were neck-and-neck throughout the whole tournament with the youngster putting in a real statement performance throughout.
But in Round 7 of the all-play-all event Pragg faced the real acid test – world number 1 Carlsen. The youngster had chances in the first game and then had to defend like a lion in game 2. Finally, he ran out of steam in the third.
Carlsen clinched the win that guaranteed him the title and in classic Magnus-style – with a piece of endgame brilliance and a huge sense of relief.
Reacting before the final rapid game, Carlsen said: “This game was very nervy, I think, for both of us. Today I haven’t been able to find a rhythm at all, but hopefully I can relax a bit in the last game.”
Carlsen did relax – but it barely mattered to him. In the fourth game the champion looked to be steering the game to a draw but blundered in the endgame.
“I think Magnus just wanted to have more fun!” Pragg said, who still had work to do to finish second.
In the final tiebreak, Pragg won the first and then ended it in a dramatic second game in which Carlsen blundered badly. Pragg ended the tournament on a high, securing the runner-up spot.
Carlsen hailed his tournament win a “great result”.
The $210,000 elite esports tournament, held at Florida’s Eden Roc Miami Beach, had gone into its final day with all eyes on Carlsen and Pragg’s eagerly-awaited showdown.
But in the other matches, Alireza Firouzja was battling to overtake Pragg at the last hurdle and secured at least a third place finish with a 2.5-1.5 win over Levon Aronian.
The struggles continued for 19-year-old New Yorker Hans Niemann, who has entertained everyone throughout with his interviews. Niemann finished pointless as he went down 2.5-1.5 to Vietnam’s Liem Quang Le.
However, the newly-crowned “bad boy of chess” can take away from the tournament memorable wins over Carlsen, Pragg and Aronian, plus an army of new fans.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the winner of the Oslo Esports Cup, finished his tournament off with a 2.5-0.5 win over Dutch No.1 Anish Giri.
Duda had a tough start to the event but finished with impressive wins over Carlsen, Pragg and then Giri.
The Meltwater Champions Chess Tour will return with its next “Regular” event on September 19.
Parallel: Top Chess Engine Championship Season 23 is now live
