Chess player poses for photograph with opponent before reporting her for cheating

Ed Griffiths
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:21:15 +0000

Magnus Carlsen, the world's leading chess player, agreed to pose for a photograph with his teenage opponent at a prestigious German tournament last week, only to immediately alert officials she was carrying a mobile phone.

The incident occurred at the Grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, where the 35-year-old Norwegian faced the 18-year-old Kazakhstani grandmaster Alua Nurman in a freestyle chess match.

Video footage captured Nurman requesting the selfie as both players took their seats at the board.

Carlsen obliged with a broad grin before walking across the hall to inform arbiter Michael Ruetten about the device.

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The official subsequently confiscated Nurman's phone before play commenced.

Tournament regulations strictly prohibit electronic devices in the playing area, as phones could potentially be used to access chess engines or receive covert assistance through vibrations and hidden messages.

Carlsen's decision sparked debate among chess enthusiasts online.

Some accused the five-time world champion of being excessively pedantic, while supporters noted he was simply adhering to established protocol.

Others suggested he may have actually protected Nurman from more serious consequences, as a victory while possessing a phone could have resulted in her expulsion from the competition.

There was no indication that the young grandmaster intended to use the device for any improper purpose.

Following a formal handshake, the pair began their contest, with Nurman mounting what observers described as a lengthy and determined resistance before eventually succumbing to defeat.

Despite losing to the man widely considered the greatest chess player in history, the young Kazakhstani remained in high spirits.

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She secured second place in the women's category at the tournament.

Nurman, who holds the top ranking among women under 20 in the International Chess Federation's classical world standings, shared the photograph on Instagram, where it quickly went viral.

"Dream come true! Truly enjoyable game," she wrote alongside the image, appearing entirely unfazed by the phone confiscation.

Speaking to ChessBase India, Nurman explained her motivation for the photograph.

She said: "When I saw the pairings, I was out of my mind. Last year Étienne Bacrot also took a selfie. I thought like, why not? I'm very grateful that Magnus agreed to this."

Carlsen, a 21-time world chess title holder who once possessed the highest classical rating in history, appeared relaxed about the episode.

He said: "It's alright for me. I won both the games so I'm not complaining."

The tournament itself was claimed by German grandmaster Vincent Keymer, with Carlsen finishing third after several draws.