World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen was absent from the FIDE World Cup in Goa, but he proved his supremacy in online chess when he won the 11th Titled Tuesday tournament of the season on Nov. 11 with a perfect 11/11 score.

The Norwegian superstar swept through a world-class field, defeating elite Grandmasters Hans Niemann, Alireza Firouzja, Dmitry Andreikin, and Oleksandr Bortnyk in the final rounds to seal victory with one game to spare.

Carlsen's 41st Career Titled Tuesday Win

Magnus Carlsen Admits His “Brain Is Fried” After Tough Titled
KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

According to Chess.com, this was the 41st overall Titled Tuesday victory for Carlsen, as well as his fourth perfect tournament score, two records in this event. It also gives him four tournament wins this season, a total nobody else is close to.

GM Hikaru Nakamura is the only player who has come close to matching this achievement, with two perfect Titled Tuesday campaigns.

Of 396 entries, only three players were undefeated after six rounds: Carlsen, Niemann, and IM Joaquin Fiorito.

Fiorito's early success included a startling win over Firouzja, but Carlsen stopped the Argentinian's streak in the seventh round. He never looked back from that point on, recording an unbeaten mark right to the end.

Carlsen Outplays Niemann and Firouzja in High-Pressure Battles

One of the most anticipated matchups of the entire event was Carlsen's round eight clash with Hans Niemann. Carlsen was calm but clinical, neutralizing Niemann's counterplay for another steady win. Thanks to Andrew Tang's upset over Nakamura in the same round, Carlsen pulled a full point ahead of the field.

Niemann slammed Carlsen back in May, stating that his "chess mafia" sells out the game to prioritize profits.

His next big test was in round nine against Firouzja, a nail-biting encounter in which the French-Iranian star seemed to be poised to stop Carlsen's perfect score. Down a piece, however, Carlsen showed his trademark grit, fighting his way back into the game and turning the tables once more for another win.

Carlsen Crushes Andreikin and Bortnyk

Carlsen also took advantage of a back-rank oversight by GM Dmitry Andreikin to win convincingly in round ten. Although he was already assured of the overall tournament victory after that, with one round to spare, the world champion did not let off the gas.

Carlsen showcased his textbook style in converting a piece advantage with surgical precision against Oleksandr Bortnyk in the finale to complete his perfect 11/11 sweep.

Firouzja, Nepomniachtchi Claim Podium Spots

While Carlsen dominated, the fight for second and third was a relentless tussle. Firouzja regained his footing from earlier setbacks to take second, while GM Ian Nepomniachtchi had a late surge and won his final six games to secure third.

GM Aman Tabatabaei took fourth despite being absent in the first round, while Dmitry Andreikin, Hikaru Nakamura, and FM Rose Atwell (Women's Prize winner) completed the prize list.

Final standings and prizes:

  • 1st: Magnus Carlsen - $1,000
  • 2nd: Alireza Firouzja - $750
  • 3rd: Ian Nepomniachtchi - $350
  • 4th: Aman Tabatabaei -- $250
  • 5th: Dmitry Andreikin - $150
  • 6th: Hikaru Nakamura – $100

Check the full broadcast here.