Magnus Carlsen addressed the debate on renewing top-level chess formats in a recent interview at Megacampus. Magnus stated that the need for new formats in top-level chess is often not fully understood by the wider audience. The former World Champion explained, that such changes are relevant only for a small group of players.

Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen

Five-time world champion

“You can say as many times as possible that chess at the top-level needs new format, it needs renewing, but for a lot of people, they will not really grasp it, because it’s not applicable for most people, it’s applicable for only few people”

GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) is the 16th World Chess Champion. He held his title 5 times from 2013 to 2023. In December 2025 Magnus took first place in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour standings.

Credit: Megacampus