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Magnus Carlsen suffers his first classical defeat since his loss to Gukesh in 2025, falling to Jorden van Foreest in a tense endgame at TePe Sigeman 2026.
Jorden van Foreest with Magnus Carlsen (Photo Credit: Peter Doggers/TePe Sigeman Chess)
For the first time since his dramatic loss to world champion Gukesh Dommaraju at Norway Chess 2025, Magnus Carlsen has been beaten in classical chess.
The streak ended in gripping fashion at the TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament 2026, where Jorden van Foreest outlasted the world No. 1 in a nerve-shredding Round 4 encounter.
Carlsen, who hadn’t lost a classical game since the now-iconic “table slam” defeat to Gukesh, once again looked poised to escape.
How It Transpired
In a complex multi-piece ending with both players low on time, the Dutch GM Van Foreest gradually turned pressure into opportunity.
There were moments where Carlsen could have held. But in the end, it was too much.
Van Foreest trapped Carlsen’s knight in a decisive sequence, forcing resignation and sealing one of the biggest results of his year.
“I was already resigned to making a draw and I was OK with it, and then suddenly I got this moment out of nowhere and things spiralled out of control once again,” Van Foreest said after the game.
“It was a fascinating game, and I think he also thought so. That’s why we discussed a lot.”
The loss is significant not just for the result, but for what it interrupts. Since stepping away from the world title in 2022, Carlsen has scaled back his classical appearances, focusing more on rapid, blitz, and freestyle formats.
His return in Malmo, his first classical event since Norway Chess 2025, was already under the spotlight. And interestingly, it was Carlsen himself who initiated his participation in the Malmo event, likely as preparation for Norway Chess 2026 later this month.
Elsewhere in the tournament, 14-year-old prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus has taken the sole lead, adding further intrigue.
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