Team Liquid’s GM Magnus Carlsen won the 2026 Chess.com Open Playoffs after defeating GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda in an exhilarating Grand Final. Duda, coming from the Losers Bracket, dominated the first match 2.5-0.5, but Carlsen came back in the Match Reset with a 2-0 sweep.Â
Carlsen wins $50,000, Duda $35,000, and both players have qualified for the 2026 Esports World Cup.
Final Bracket
The match was a tale of two halves, and it was Carlsen who did better in the second.
Grand Final: Carlsen 0.5-2.5 DudaÂ
The first match was all Duda, and he won it with a game to spare. After a draw in game one, Duda won two back-to-back games. All on his 28th birthday, by the way!
Happy Birthday to Jan-Krzysztof Duda! The 2021 World Cup winner is playing Magnus Carlsen in the https://t.co/EufIHvcIFK Open GRAND FINALS right now!! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/XuANd8Vjg9
— Chess.com (@chesscom) April 26, 2026
Carlsen, starting with the white pieces, essayed 2.Na3!? against the Sicilian Defense. The opening worked out well and, at least twice, he had the advantage. In fact, instead of agreeing to the move repetition at the end, 34.Rc3!, followed by 35.Rc5, would have given White a nearly decisive advantage.
From there, Duda won two games. In the first one, Carlsen was already under heavy positional pressure when he allowed a temporary queen sacrifice, with Duda winning back the queen at the end of the combination.
In game three, Carlsen looked to take over the game after Duda played a speculative piece sacrifice 40…Bxf3?!. In time trouble, playing with the exposed king turned out to be too difficult—no matter the objective evaluation—and Duda won with a temporary rook sacrifice on g2, picking the rook back up two moves later.
With a second loss, Carlsen didn’t even get a chance in game four to equalize the score. The players went straight to the Reset, with momentum on Duda’s side.
Match Reset: Carlsen 2-0 Duda
Despite the trend going unquestionably in Duda’s favor, Carlsen later said he wasn’t too fazed. “I wasn’t particularly worried when the Reset happened because I knew that there were always more chances…. I didn’t like feel he was particularly crushing me either.”
He recalled a similar match against Duda in the Champions Chess Tour—probably the 2022 Charity Cup—where the same scenario happened. Carlsen said he “got crushed in the first match” but came back in the Reset. In that tournament, too, Carlsen put up a 2-0 score in the second match.
2022 Charity Cup Grand Final
Carlsen won game one with the white pieces, applying his trademark pressure in an equal endgame. Importantly, Carlsen had 43 seconds and Duda just 11 seconds when the decisive blunder transpired on the board. Duda saw a tactic, but had no time to see three moves deeper—both his bishop and rook ended up hanging.
Duda certainly created chances in the last game, a complex Italian Opening where Carlsen even offered to sacrifice his queen for two minor pieces and a pawn. He said about the position that could have transpired (shown below): “I don’t know if my position is that bad, but also can you win it in time?”
I don’t know if my position is that bad, but also can you win it in time?
—Magnus Carlsen
Duda did have an advantage at multiple points but, short on time, wasn’t able to capitalize. Carlsen equalized the game and ultimately won on time in an equal position, though a draw and loss were the same for Duda.
GM Rafael Leitao analyzes the Game of the Day below.
Carlsen called it a “fun tournament” and spoke positively about the quick time control. The game is about more than just making the best move—it’s also about surviving on the clock.
The lack of increment makes this a completely different game, it adds a layer to everything. It felt like a lot of points you kind of try and think, and then you realize you’re going to lose on time, so I just have to change it up a little bit.
He also addressed the fact that he played this event on a tablet, unusual at this level, as playing without a mouse makes time scrambles even more challenging. “I didn’t really plan to play this tournament until the last couple of days. I don’t really have a laptop here, so I would’ve had to use Ella’s MacBook.”
“I didn’t really plan to play this tournament until the last couple of days. I don’t really have a laptop here, so I would’ve had to use Ella’s MacBook…”
– Magnus on why he played on a tablet and not a computer. pic.twitter.com/yPlzRmQ9ss
— chess24 (@chess24com) April 26, 2026
With the Chess.com Open completed, the paths to EWC qualification are reduced. The Titled Tuesday Grand Prix is the last way to qualify through the Champions Chess Tour leaderboard. There will be another chance for four players to qualify through 2026 DreamHack Atlanta, and for another four players to qualify through the Last Chance Qualifier.
The following players have already qualified, and the EWC will feature a total of 21 players.
How To Review
The Chess.com Open, which took place online from March 14 to April 26, is the world’s biggest open chess event. The tournament features open qualifiers, titled qualifiers, and Play-Ins that funnel into a 16-player double-elimination knockout. Up to $250,000 in prizes were available, on top of three direct qualification spots to the 2026 Esports World Cup.Â
Previous coverage: