Played on computer screens at a fast pace, chess is a natural fit for the Esports World Cup. For the second year running, it took its place alongside dozens of major computer games, and Magnus Carlsen, who won last year’s event in Riyadh, was back to defend his title in Paris earlier this month. The Norwegian was undefeated throughout the event, and took home $250,000 by defeating 19-year-old Denis Lazavik, from Belarus, in the final, winning both sets 3-1.
Lazavik’s presence in the final (who won $190,000 for second place) was itself a sign of how much the game has changed. He plays very little classical (slow) chess, where he is still ranked outside the world’s top 100, but is one of a growing band of players to make their mark through consistent excellence in online play. On his way to the final, Lazavik defeated Nepomniachtchi, Abdusattorov and Nakamura, with the latter emphasising that Lazavik’s victory was ‘very, very deserved’. Carlsen noted of Lazavik that ‘He just doesn’t beat himself! He plays very, very solid positional chess and doesn’t really place his pieces on bad squares.’ That was not faint praise; particularly at fast time controls, many games are lost when players are seduced by some fanciful idea, only to regret the escapade. Lazavik played steady, pragmatic chess throughout the event.
The final game from their match, in which Carlsen played a stylish long-term queen sacrifice, is shown below.
Magnus Carlsen–Denis Lazavik
Esports World Cup Final, Paris, August 2026
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Nf3 a6 7 cxd5 Nxd5 8 Bc4 Be6 9 Ng5! 9 Bb3 is the standard move, but Carlsen’s choice is tailored to the match situation. Nxc3 10 Bxe6! Carlsen must have prepared this spectacular queen sacrifice at home. Nxd1 11 Bxf7+ Kd7 12 Be6+ Kc7 The identical position was reached in a top-level clash, Maroroa-Jones–Abdusattorov, London Chess Classic 2025 in which Black thought for some time before acceding to a draw by repetition with 12…Ke8 13 Bf7+ etc. Abdusattorov, normally an ambitious player, nevertheless decided that playing on with the extra queen was too risky! Lazavik had no choice but to gamble, needing a win to stay in the match. 13 Bf4+ Kb6 14 Rxd1 (see diagram). Despite having queen for bishop and pawn, Black is struggling: the Kb6 remains in jeopardy, and Ng5-f7 is looming. Clinging on with 14…Qe8 only invites further trouble e.g. 15 d5 Nd8 16 Be3+ Kc7 17 Rc1+ Kb8 18 Rc8 mate Ka7 15 d5 Qa5+ 16 Bd2 Nb4 17 O-O g6 18 a3 Qb5 19 Bxb4 Bg7 20 Bxe7 Lazavik’s decision to jettison the knight in order to complete development was sensible, but the passed d-pawn continues to pose problems. Rhe8 21 Bd6 h6 22 Nf7 Rxe6 A natural try, but the decisive mistake. 22…Qb3 (eyeing up Rxe6 in future) was a better try. 23 dxe6 Qf5 Lazavik was surely hoping for 24 Rfe1 Re8, when the e-pawn drops off, but Carlsen’s response is far stronger. 24 b4! Cleverly ignoring the threat, since now 24…Qxe6 25 Bc5+ b6 26 Rd6 Qxf7 27 Rxb6 wins, with dual threats of Rb6-f6+ and Rb6-b5#. Rc8 25 Rfe1 Bc3 26 Bc5+ Rxc5 27 bxc5 Bxe1 28 Rxe1 Black resigns as the e-pawn cannot be stopped.
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