Magnus Carlsen joins Hikaru Nakamura in the 3400 Elo Club
On September 19, 2025, world #1 Magnus Carlsen crossed the 3400 Elo mark in blitz on Chess.com, joining Hikaru Nakamura as the only players to reach this almost insurmountable milestone. Magnus enjoys playing casual online blitz against players of all strengths for leisure. He hit a rating of 3401 after beating a 3095-rated International Master in some casual blitz games, showing off his incredible skill in the fast-paced format.
Carlsen’s rating took a slight dip to 3370 after a mini-match against the super-strong Turkish prodigy Ediz Gurel, but getting to 3400 even briefly is no small feat. It puts Carlsen in elite company, though Nakamura still holds the record for peak blitz rating of 3431. Carlsen’s achievement is a big deal for online chess fans, proving he’s still a beast in standard chess despite his inclination towards Freestyle chess as of late. While it’s not the same as classical chess milestones, hitting 3400 shows just how good players such as Magnus and Hikaru are, even when they’re playing casually online. The chess world is buzzing, and it’s cool to see Carlsen and Nakamura pushing the limits of what’s possible in blitz.
Photo courtesy: Esports World Cup 2025
