By Siranush Adamyan
Armenian grandmaster Haik Martirosyan defeated world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen at an international chess tournament in Budapest on November 13, securing one of the most significant victories of his career against the Norwegian five-time world champion.
The 26-year-old Armenian defeated Carlsen with the white pieces before drawing their second game at the Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot. The results earned Martirosyan four points and put him at the top of Group C with 10 points after six games.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) described Martirosyan's victory as the standout result of the tournament's third day. Martirosyan launched an attack that eventually broke through Carlsen's defenses, handing Carlsen his first defeat in the Fast Classic stage.
The result was particularly notable given the difference in their rankings. Carlsen, who has dominated international chess for more than a decade, entered the competition as the world's highest-rated player. Martirosyan was ranked 48th, with a classical rating of 2669, compared with Carlsen's 2823.
The encounter was also Martirosyan's first classical-rated game against Carlsen.
"It's like a dream for me. I just dreamed to play against him in classical chess, but to win it, it's really special," Martirosyan said after the game, according to ChessBase.
The victory reversed their fortunes from the opening blitz competition on November 10, when Carlsen defeated Martirosyan.
The Budapest chess tournament
The Budapest tournament, running from November 10 to 20, brings together 24 elite players competing for USD 650,000 in prize money.
Developed by Norway Chess and approved by FIDE, the competition combines Fast Classic, rapid and blitz chess. The pilot event precedes the full international tour scheduled to begin in 2027.
Players are divided into four groups of six, with each facing their opponents twice. A win earns three points and a draw one. Group winners advance to the top knockout bracket to compete for the tournament title.
Armenia's rising chess star
Born in 2000 in Byuravan, Armenia, Martirosyan became world under-16 champion in 2016 and Armenian national champion in 2018. He earned the grandmaster title in 2017.
His achievements include eliminating Azerbaijani grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov from the 2021 FIDE World Cup. Martirosyan reached a career-high classical rating of 2708 in November 2023, placing him among the world's elite players.
The victory over Carlsen adds another achievement to Armenia's distinguished chess tradition. The country's men's team won three Chess Olympiad gold medals, in 2006, 2008 and 2012.
For Martirosyan, defeating the world's highest-ranked player represents one of the most notable victories of his career, even as the battle for the Budapest title continues.
Stories
