Chess: 'My wife is way more attracted to me now' — Magnus Carlsen after record rating in freestyle

Magnus Carlsen Breaks 2900 Rating Barrier in Freestyle Chess, Jokes About Marital Benefits

Magnus Carlsen has reached a new pinnacle in his illustrious chess career, surpassing the 2900 rating mark in freestyle chess. This milestone, which eluded him in classical chess, solidifies his status as a dominant force in the game. Carlsen's achievement is unprecedented, as no chess player has ever attained such a high rating before.

The five-time world chess champion, who has consistently held the world number one position for nearly 15 years, had previously reached a peak of 2882 in classical chess in May 2014.

The latest freestyle chess ratings, released by the Freestyle Chess organization, are based on performances in five tournaments: Weissenhaus 2024, Singapore 2024, Weissenhaus 2025, Paris 2025, and Karlsruhe 2025. The rankings include 578 players who have participated in at least one freestyle chess event in the past two years.

In a lighthearted moment, Carlsen quipped about the personal benefits of his achievement. "My wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900," he joked after learning about his rating.

Currently, among Indian players, Praggnanandhaa holds the top position at fourth place with 2773 points. He trails Carlsen (2909), Hikaru Nakamura (2818), and Fabiano Caruana (2804).

Other notable Indian players in the rankings include:

• Arjun Erigaisi (8th place, 2758 points)
• Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (18th place, 2713 points)
• Aravindh Chithambaram VR (22nd place, 2707 points)
• Gukesh (26th place, 2701 points)

Gukesh's relatively lower ranking can be attributed to his recent challenges in freestyle chess tournaments. Carlsen, on the other hand, has thrived in this format, achieving a perfect score of nine wins in nine games at the Grenke Freestyle Open. His freestyle ELO rating of 2909 surpasses his classical chess rating by 72 points.

Carlsen nearly reached the 2900 mark in classical chess in 2019. He also established a record by playing 125 classical games without a loss between July 2018 and October 2020.

In 2023, Carlsen expressed some doubt about reaching the 2900 milestone, stating on the Norwegian podcast Sjakksnakk, "I have given up a bit on trying to reach 2900. It will just be very, very difficult." However, his recent success in freestyle chess has proven that he is still capable of achieving new heights in the game.