Magnus Carlsen defended his Esports World Cup Chess title unbeaten, defeating Denis Lazavik in straight sets to claim his second EWC crown
New Delhi: Magnus Carlsen successfully defended his Chess title at the Esports World Cup 2026, claiming his second consecutive EWC trophy without losing a single game throughout the tournament.
The Team Liquid grandmaster defeated AG.AL’s 19-year-old Denis Lazavik in two straight sets in the grand final. Lazavik managed to draw four games against Carlsen but could not register a win as the Norwegian remained in control and neutralised his opponent’s attacking plans.
Carlsen went unbeaten through both the group stage and playoffs, recording only wins and draws. He had earlier defeated Team Falcons’ Alireza Firouzja in the semifinals to reach the championship match.
Lazavik, meanwhile, secured his place in the final after overcoming Hikaru Nakamura in the semifinals. The Belarusian had suffered only one match defeat before the championship clash. “I’m thrilled to go undefeated,” Carlsen said after the victory, adding that his strategy was to play “pretty tight Chess” while taking opportunities as they arose.
In the third-place playoff, Nakamura defeated fellow Team Falcons player Firouzja 3-1 to secure third place for the organisation and 500 Club Championship points.
Carlsen’s unbeaten campaign further strengthened his dominance in competitive chess and set the stage for another title defence in 2027.
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