Magnus Carlsen defends Esports World Cup chess title in Paris

Magnus Carlsen defended his Esports World Cup chess title in Paris, beating 19-year-old Denis Lazavik 2-0 in the grand final. The Norwegian finished unbeaten and took home USD 250,000 and 1000 Club Championship points for Team Liquid. Lazavik earned USD 190,000.

India's campaign ended with two players in the quarterfinals. Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin earned USD 72,500 each after finishing in the top eight. The five-day event at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles featured giant screens, live commentary and a crowd used to esports titles like VALORANT and League of Legends. For Carlsen, chess in this setting felt like 'a happy marriage' with esports, blending fast-paced action with traditional calculation.

Arkus Fredriksson, who has worked on making chess an esport, called the event 'a dream come true'. Carlsen noted this version of chess is different from traditional play, calling it 'jazz as an esport'. He hopes to see more such events in the future.