After being reported by world chess champion Magnus Carlsen for a rule infraction, a young chess talent expressed gratitude towards the grandmaster, stating she harbors no resentment over the matter.
18-year-old Alua Nurman from Kazakhstan, a rising star in the chess world, approached Carlsen, a five-time world champion, for a selfie prior to their match at a prominent tournament in Germany.
Carlsen, aged 35, obliged and posed for the photo, leaning over the chessboard with a smile next to Nurman.
Following the photo, however, Carlsen approached an official to report Nurman for possessing a mobile phone at the table, resulting in her having to surrender the device.
This incident, which was caught on video and circulated online, unfolded at the Grenke Chess Festival, where strict rules prohibit electronic gadgets to prevent cheating.
The event has ignited discussions among chess enthusiasts, with some emphasizing the importance of adhering to the rules, while others believe Carlsen’s actions were excessively strict.
However, Nurman – who went onto take silver in the event’s women’s category – has said she holds ‘no hard feelings’ toward the grandmaster for his decision, and is grateful to him for potentially saving her from disqualification.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said it was solely a ‘professional moment.’
Kazakh chess player Alua Nurman (left) has thanked world No1 Magnus Carlsen (right) after her reported her for breaking the rules
She said: ‘Magnus agreed to the selfie without hesitation and did not ask any questions.
‘Before we took the selfie, I clarified with the arbiter if I could keep my phone for the photo and they said it was fine, but they also wanted to make sure everything was fair and there were no distractions.
‘However, a few minutes after the selfie, before the game started, Magnus asked the arbiter to remove my phone from my bag. He did not say anything to me and the phone was then confiscated.
‘It was the right decision by Magnus, as if my phone was not turned off or made a noise, I would have got a forfeit.
‘It was a bit of a surprising moment and it happened so suddenly. But after I was completely fine with it and the game went on smoothly.
‘Magnus is my true inspiration and a living legend to me. It was a pure joy to play against him.
‘For me, it was a professional moment and I have no hard feelings at all.’
Nurman, who was ultimately beaten by Carlsen in the freestyle chess tournament, added it was ‘surprising’ that he got backlash in the wake of the incident.
The incident occurred at the Grenke Chess Festival, where electronic devices are prohibited to mitigate cheating
She said: ‘The game was interesting and a great fight.
‘Magnus is a respectable player, and it was surprising that he got hate after the selfie.
‘I hope everything will now stabilise and this will be a memory in the future.’
Yet this is not the only time a match involving Carlsen has ended in drama.
Only last year, the grandmaster was captured pounding his fist on the table after losing to Gukesh Dommaraju at a game in Stavanger, Norway.
Carlsen caused the entire table to shake when faced with 19-year-old Dommaraju’s victory.
It came as he committed a blunder that handed the Indian world champion a decisive advantage.
After apologising to Dommaraju, Carlsen then exclaimed ‘oh my god!’ before patting his opponent on the back and storming off.
The Norwegian grandmaster was unable to contain his anger after losing to Gukesh Dommaraju
In recent years, Carlsen has been embroiled in a $100 million libel lawsuit after chess prodigy Hans Neimann (pictured) accused him of cheating in a tournament
In December 2024, he also quit a major championship after being told he could not wear jeans when participating.
Carlsen was in New York defending his World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship titles when governing body FIDE made the request.
He said he offered to change his trousers for the following day, but was fined and told he needed to change his attire straight away.
The grandmaster then pulled out of the championships and was issued a $200 fine by the governing body, whose offer to change into the correct clothing was rejected.
When told he could not continue in the games, Carlsen reportedly responded with: ‘I’m out, f*** you.’
And in recent years, he has been embroiled in a $100 million libel lawsuit after chess prodigy Hans Neimann accused him of cheating in a tournament.
Niemann, who was 19 at the time, filed the lawsuit in US District Court for Missouri in 2022, accusing Carlsen of slander.
However, the case was ultimately dismissed when Judge Audrey G. Fleissig dismissed the federal antitrust claims in Niemann’s lawsuit with prejudice, and declined to accept jurisdiction over the suit’s libel and slander claims.
