REPORTED! || Alua Nurman vs Magnus Carlsen || Grenke Festival 2026 R2

Welcome to game two of the GR Chess Festival 2026. Magnus, who won the previous iteration in 2025 with a perfect score of 9 out of 9, is looking to repeat that success. His opponent in this game is 18-year-old Alua Nurman from Kazakhstan, a Women Grandmaster rated 2443, her highest rating ever. She is the 2025 Asian individual women's champion and an Olympic silver medalist from 2024. Before the game, Alua requested a selfie with Magnus, an unusual occurrence, especially in a serious tournament with prize money. Bringing a cell phone into the playing hall is generally against the rules, and the arbiter confiscated her phone. It's unclear if Magnus reported her, though he has reported players for less in the past. The game began with Alua, playing white, opening with pawn to C4, the Fischer Random English. Magnus responded with pawn to G6, followed by pawn to G3, pawn to D6, and pawn to D3. Alua then offered a trade of light-square bishops with bishop to C6. Unlike Magnus's previous opponent, who struggled with the opening, Alua, a blitz champion, was expected to play more quickly. Magnus played pawn to E4, gaining control over the D5 square, followed by bishop to D7. Alua offered another bishop trade with bishop to C3. Magnus responded with pawn to C5, and then Alua captured on H8 with her bishop, followed by rook captures and queen to H6 with check. Magnus moved his king to G8, avoiding E8 which could lead to a dangerous queen G7. The game continued with knight BC3, knight B to C6, and knight to D5, an excellent square for the knight. Magnus played knight to E6, placing his own knight on D4. Alua responded with knight one to C3, and Magnus offered a queen trade with queen F8. Alua moved her queen back to D2, and Magnus placed his knight E to D4, mirroring Alua's knight placement. Alua castled kingside, and Magnus advanced his pawn to H5, then H4, and attacked Alua's rook with bishop to H3. Alua played bishop to G2, and Magnus played pawn to E6, chasing away the knight. Alua moved her knight to E3. Magnus captured with his bishop, and Alua recaptured with king captures A6. Magnus played pawn to F4, and Alua responded with pawn to B5, followed by B pawn to B3. Magnus advanced pawn to B4, a strong move. Alua played knight to A4, and Magnus responded with pawn to A5. Alua moved rook to F2, likely preparing to double up on the F-file and attack Magnus's king. Magnus played queen G7, Alua responded with rook A to F1, and Magnus moved rook to D8, defending the D6 pawn. Alua moved her king to H1, getting it off the G-file, and Magnus moved his king to H7. Alua played rook to H2, and Magnus played knight to E7, followed by Alua's queen to G2. Magnus moved knight to G8. With 15 minutes on her clock compared to Magnus's 40, Alua advanced pawn to G4, initiating an attack on Magnus's king. Magnus captured with H captures, and Alua responded with pawn to H5. Magnus played pawn to F5, a scary-looking move, but the position was open for both sides to attack. Alua instantly played knight captures on G4. If Magnus had captured the knight, Alua would have captured with the king, and after another knight capture, if Magnus captured the knight again, queens would be traded, and Alua would win a free rook. So, Magnus would have had to decline the offer with rook captures on H2, leading to an equal position. However, Magnus ignored Alua's knight capture and played knight to E7, avoiding the previously described losing line. Alua then played pawn to H6, a better move than capturing on G6, which would have led to a dangerous position for white. Magnus responded with queen to F8. Alua played knight to E3, and Magnus moved his queen to F6. Alua played queen to G3, and Magnus moved knight E to C6, demonstrating strong positional play and keeping his king safe behind the pawn shield. Alua played rook to G1, and Magnus responded with rook H to G8, preparing pawn to G5. Alua moved knight to B2. Magnus played rook D to F8, followed by Alua's rook to F1. Magnus then played pawn to G5, opening the G-file. Captures followed, and Magnus captured on G5 with his queen. Rooks were exchanged, and Magnus played E captures on F5, a critical move that the engine confirmed as the only winning option. Alua played knight D1, and Magnus responded with knight to D4. Alua moved rook to H3, and Magnus played rook to G6, threatening to pick up a pawn. Alua played rook E3, and Magnus captured on H6 with his king. Alua played knight to F2, and Magnus offered a rook trade with rook to E6. Alua accepted, leading to captures and king to G2. Magnus played knight to D4, and in this position, on move 44, Alua Nurman resigned the game. Magnus was up a pawn in an elementary knight and pawn endgame, a completely winning position for him. Alua's resignation acknowledged Magnus's superior play. Magnus demonstrated incredible positional play, using Alua's own pawn as a defensive resource and repositioning his knights to perfect squares, leading to the collapse of Alua's position. He now stands at two out of two, continuing his hunt for a perfect score. The initial selfie request and the presence of a smartphone in the playing hall remained an unusual aspect of the event.