Magnus Carlsen has done it again. The Norwegian maestro just wrapped up a flawless run in Paris, successfully defending his Esports World Cup (EWC) chess title without dropping a single game.
In the grand final, the world No. 1 took down Belarusian grandmaster Denis Lazavik, sweeping both sets with a convincing 3-1 scoreline. The win netted Magnus Carlsen a cool $250,000 and secured vital points for Team Liquid in the overall EWC Club Championship.
“I don’t think too much about the expectation of winning. You just have to do the right things and take it step by step… It’s a very boring answer, but that’s more or less how it is.” -Magnus Carlsen, CNN Sports
Magnus Carlsen’s path to the trophy was clinical, finishing with 11 wins and nine draws. He powered through the group stage with wins over Andrey Esipenko and Hans Niemann, followed by knockout victories against Nihal Sarin and Alireza Firouzja before the final showdown. One CNN reporter said.
One CNN reporter said. “Specifically mine, I would say yes – absolutely. There is nobody stronger in the history of the game.”- Nemo Zhou, CNN Sports
Entering as the heavy favorite, the 35-year-old lived up to the hype. Magnus Carlsen has now sat at the top of the FIDE world rankings for 15 straight years—the longest dominant streak in modern chess history.
Magnus Carlsen’s Grip on Esports Chess
This latest win further cements Carlsen’s status as the GOAT. He’s now won both editions of the Esports World Cup and remains completely undefeated across his entire EWC career.
Commentator Nemo Zhou called him the strongest player to ever touch a board, while Carlsen himself admitted that at this point, winning tournaments feels like the expected result.
While he famously stepped away from the classical world championship in 2023 due to a lack of motivation, the high-stakes esports environment seems to have reignited his competitive fire.
The EWC uses a lightning-fast 10-minute format with no time increment. It’s a pressure cooker that forces mistakes and rewards aggressive play, making it a hit with viewers.
The speed often leads to chaotic finishes where players try to "flag" their opponents—winning purely on time in positions that would normally be a draw.
But even in the chaos, Magnus Carlsen’s precision stayed unmatched.
Denis Lazavik: The New Threat
While Carlsen took the gold, 19-year-old Denis Lazavik was the story of the tournament. Despite being ranked outside the world top 100 in classical chess, the Belarusian has become a legitimate monster in the online speed chess scene.
Even Magnus Carlsen was impressed, praising Lazavik’s rock-solid consistency and positional sense after their final match.
Denis Lazavik’s runner-up finish earned him a massive $190,000 payday.
Chess as a Tier-1 Esport
Chess is no longer just a side attraction; it’s a core part of the EWC alongside titles like League of Legends and Fortnite.
According to Chess.com, the 2025 event was the most-watched chess tournament of the year, peaking at 260,000 concurrent viewers. That’s more than major traditional events like Norway Chess or Tata Steel.
Magnus Carlsen believes the game’s potential as an esport is huge because everyone knows the basics. You don’t need a manual to understand the drama when a King is under fire.
The $1.5 Million Stakes
With a $1.5 million prize pool, the EWC is one of the richest events on the calendar. While the FIDE World Cup technically offers more ($2M), that money is split between 200+ players. At the EWC, that wealth is concentrated among just 16 elite competitors.
Now, Carlsen is already looking toward 2027 for a potential "three-peat."
Hikaru Nakamura Takes Third; Alireza Firouzja Forfeits
The battle for third place had its fair share of drama. Hikaru Nakamura took the spot after Alireza Firouzja withdrew from the match. Nakamura was leading 3-1 when Firouzja, frustrated by technical internet lag in the previous game, forfeited the fifth game before it even started.
Elsewhere in the chess world, Wesley So clinched his third Sinquefield Cup title after a nail-biting tiebreak against Praggnanandhaa, while Tan Zhongyi dominated the Cairns Cup.
Special shoutout to 16-year-old Alice Lee, who finished second in the Cairns Cup to earn her first GM norm. She’s had a massive year, even taking down world champions Ju Wenjun and Hou Yifan online.
Whether it's classical or high-speed esports, Carlsen is still the man to beat. His second EWC title proves that no matter the format, he’s in a league of his own.