Magnus Carlsen shared his thoughts on the Speed Chess Championship format in an interview with The Athletic. Magnus described the fast format as a pure form of chess and noted he sees this format as the future of chess.

Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen

World No. 1

“I definitely believe Speed tournaments are more the future than long Classical tournaments.

We are moving more and more towards entertainment, and people’s attention spans are getting shorter. I believe fast chess is a purer form of chess because with very little reaction time, you cannot hide your weaknesses as easily.

In longer formats, you can rely on opening preparation and then sort of ‘calculate’ your way out of difficult situations, not relying on understanding and instincts to the same degree.”

The Speed Chess Championship is a premier online/live hybrid, single-elimination tournament organized by Chess.com. The event features a Match clock system with Blitz & Bullet games: 90 minutes of 5+1, 60 minutes of 3+1, and 30 minutes of 1+1. Magnus Carlsen won the 2026 edition, defeating Alireza Firouzja with a score of 15-12.