WATCH: Magnus Carlsen poses for a selfie, then his phone is confiscated chess news
New Delhi: A simple selfie request turned into an unexpected situation at the Grenke Freestyle Chess Festival in Germany. Just before their match, Kazakh player Alua Nurman asked magnus carlsen For a selfie. He agreed without hesitation and posed with her. However, immediately after this he informed the tournament official about the conversation. According to the rules of chess, Noorman’s phone was immediately taken away and the match began normally.Chess tournaments follow strict rules regarding electronic devices to prevent cheating. Players are not allowed to use or even have access to a phone during the game unless they have special permission.
Appliances should be turned off and stored away safely. Since Noorman had kept his phone out for the selfie, the officials had to immediately confiscate it.Watch:Despite the awkward moment, the game continued without any delay. Carlsen remained focused and continued his strong performance in the tournament, eventually defeating Norman as part of his ongoing winning streak.Interestingly, a similar situation had arisen in the same program last year. Another player took a selfie with Carlson and officials later took his phone as well.Noorman later shared that this past incident inspired him. “Last year, Etienne Bacrot also took a selfie. I thought, why not? I’m very grateful that Magnus agreed to it,” he told ChessBase India.The tournament has also seen other unusual moments, including a complaint about a distracting wristwatch worn by an opponent, which was eventually removed.Overall, while the selfie caused a brief stir, it highlighted how seriously chess officials take the enforcement of the rules, even in seemingly harmless situations.