CCT Finals, Championship Match: Magnus Carlsen goes wire to wire

Magnus Carlsen has defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the six-game Championship match to win the 2024 Champions Chess Tour Finals. He jumped out to a 2-0 lead, drew games three and four, then won game 5 to secure another early victory by a 4-1 score. He takes home $206,000, and Nepo $105,000 for finishing in second place.

Magnus remarked after the match on his success, “to beat me in a tournament is very possible; to beat me in a match is quite a bit harder.” That, incidentally, is why he also pushed for the Classical World Championship to have more games, so that there would be a better chance for the stronger player to come through.

This victory is a good, if perhaps unneeded, confirmation for Magnus’s hopes in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship next week. He’ll be coming off a crushing win against many of the world’s top players, and have every chance of defending his crowns.

Day 1 of the Rapid kicks off at 2:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CET on December 26th in New York.