“I played atrociously.. It was a blunder fest”: Magnus Carlsen after Wiping Out Fabiano Caruana

In a match that felt closer than the scoreline suggested, Magnus Carlsen defeated world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana in a Speed Chess Championship showdown. The two faced off in the quarterfinals of the annual online speed chess event on November 14, across 5+1, 3+1, and 1+1 time controls.

The encounter echoed the 2018 classical World Championship, yet unlike those 12 draws, Magnus and Fabi traded blows early. Despite his reputation for not being a “speed chess specialist,” Caruana challenged Magnus fiercely in the blitz portion before collapsing in the bullet section. The match featured repeated opening errors from both players, with Fabi improving only when the contest was effectively lost in the bullet phase. “I played atrociously… It was a blunder fest… I think I might have collapsed,” said a self-critical Magnus Carlsen in the post-match interview. While the quarterfinals still hold Hikaru-Wesley and Nepo-Firouzja in store for fans, Carlsen now awaits a spirited opponent in the form of the Lazavik-Niemann winner in the semifinals.

Will the world no. 1 retain his title or a new champion will rise in 2025 Speed Chess Championship? Stay tuned to find out!