Think Magnus Carlsen Is Losing Interest In Chess? Think Again
The world number-one has signed up for yet another new tournament, this time in Barcelona, as the MOVE Cup launches with a €300,000 prize fund and an equal amount pledged to charity.
Anyone who thinks GM Magnus Carlsen is losing interest in chess might want to think again.
The Norwegian superstar may have fallen out of love with the traditional World Championship, and he has certainly made no secret of his frustrations with classical chess.
But losing interest in chess itself? Not a chance, it seems.
Carlsen, 35, was in Barcelona on Tuesday to announce that he will headline the inaugural MOVE Cup, a new eight-player elite rapid tournament taking place in the Spanish city from January 18 to 20, 2027.
The event, backed by betting technology company BETBY and launched alongside the MOVE Foundation, will offer €300,000 in prize money, with another €300,000 committed to charitable causes.
It is the latest addition to an increasingly crowded elite chess calendar—and another indication that Carlsen is far from ready to disappear from competitive chess.
"I'm looking forward to coming back to Barcelona in January to play," Carlsen said.
"The city has a real feeling for chess. Rapid is a format where every game can turn in a moment, which makes it exciting to play and to watch. I also like the fact that the prize fund is matched for the MOVE Foundation, and it will help the growth of the game and young players."
Carlsen Is Picking His Chess
Carlsen won the classical World Championship from GM Viswanathan Anand in 2013, which seems an age ago now. Carlsen went on to successfully defend it four times before deciding not to contest another match.
He has since increasingly gravitated towards faster formats, Freestyle Chess and competitions offering something different from the traditional elite tournament.
But he has not abandoned classical chess altogether, returning to win the TePe Sigeman tournament in Malmö earlier this year.
Next month, Carlsen will headline the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot in Budapest, a competition combining Fast Classic, rapid and blitz.
The project aims to establish a new World Combined Champion from 2027, with Carlsen among its most prominent supporters.
Now comes the MOVE Cup, barely two months later.
What Is The MOVE Cup?
The inaugural MOVE Cup will take place in Barcelona during ICE Barcelona, a major international gambling-industry exhibition.
January 18 will feature a charity event, with the main rapid competition scheduled for January 19 and 20.
Eight elite grandmasters will compete, with Carlsen the first confirmed participant. The remaining seven players will be announced individually over the coming weeks.
Organisers have promised live commentary delivered through headphones, large screens displaying results and a knockout final on the closing evening.
The €300,000 prize fund will be matched by an equal contribution to the MOVE Foundation, which supports chess development, young talent and research into chess and mental health.
Any additional money raised during the tournament will be divided equally between prize money and the foundation.
The event will open with a hand-and-brain charity competition in which leading players partner with donors and supporters.
Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO and co-founder of BETBY, said: "Chess is a game of clear thinking, analysis, patience and resilience. After the successful chess event during ICE Barcelona 2026, we wanted to bring the world's best players back to this city for something bigger and more ambitious. The MOVE Cup is that step. The ambition of the MOVE Cup is to become a regular event on the global chess calendar, and we at BETBY are proud to support that."
Inese Dabola, a member of the MOVE Foundation's board, said: "We at the MOVE Foundation are aiming to support young people and communities who may not otherwise have access to the opportunities the game can create. Nurture the new generation of players. Focus efforts on bringing the chess boards to every house, to the streets, make chess an organic part of daily life. We work for people of all backgrounds, generations, and communities to feel seen, included, empowered, and welcomed in the chess world."
