Chess: 'My wife is way more attracted to me now' — Magnus Carlsen after record rating in freestyle

Magnus Carlsen Breaches 2900 Rating in Freestyle Chess, Wife 'More Attracted'

Magnus Carlsen and his wife Ella Victoria (Image via Instagram/Magnus Carlsen)

Magnus Carlsen has reached a new pinnacle in his illustrious chess career, surpassing the 2900 rating mark in freestyle chess. This achievement has eluded him in the realm of classical chess, making it an even more significant milestone. Carlsen is the first chess player to ever reach this mark.

The five-time world chess champion and long-reigning world number one, who has held the top spot for almost 15 years, had previously achieved a peak rating of 2882 in classical chess back in May 2014.

The latest freestyle chess ratings, which were unveiled on Thursday, are curated by the Freestyle Chess organization, independent of FIDE, the international chess governing body.

In a lighthearted moment, Carlsen quipped about his newfound rating, telling Freestyle Chess that his "wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900."

These freestyle ratings are derived from performances in five key tournaments: Weissenhaus 2024, Singapore 2024, Weissenhaus 2025, Paris 2025, and Karlsruhe 2025. The rankings encompass 578 players who have engaged in at least one freestyle chess event within the past two years.

Among Indian players, Praggnanandhaa emerges as the frontrunner, securing the fourth position with 2773 points. He trails Carlsen (2909), Hikaru Nakamura (2818), and Fabiano Caruana (2804).

Other notable Indian players featured on the list include:

• Arjun Erigaisi (8th, 2758 points)
• Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (18th, 2713 points)
• Aravindh Chithambaram VR (22nd, 2707 points)
• Gukesh (26th, 2701 points)

Gukesh's relatively lower ranking can be attributed to his recent challenges in freestyle chess tournaments.

Carlsen, on the other hand, has demonstrated remarkable prowess in this format, achieving a flawless score of nine wins out of nine games at the Grenke Freestyle Open. His freestyle ELO rating of 2909 exceeds his classical chess rating by 72 points.

Carlsen had come close to the 2900 threshold in classical chess in 2019. Furthermore, he established a record-breaking streak of 125 classical games without a loss between July 2018 and October 2020.

"I have given up a bit on trying to reach 2900. It will just be very, very difficult," Carlsen conceded on the Norwegian podcast Sjakksnakk in 2023.