Chess: Jan Krzysztof Duda beats current World Champion Magnus Carlsen

Polish ace Jan-Krzysztof Duda knocked Magnus Carlsen, newly-crowned Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2022 Champion out of the Aimchess Rapid to set up a fascinating two-day final against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov on Thursday.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov are widely regarded as some of the most chaotic and attacking players in the world of chess.

#Happy! And you?#chesschamps #AimChessRapid#GrupaSportowaOrlen#Zinzino@LenovoPolska pic.twitter.com/dxn4qsbUWb

— Jan-Krzysztof Duda (@GM_JKDuda) October 19, 2022

A match full of ups and downs

Duda’s match with Carlsen was filled with emotions. In one match after an opening that seemed to be deadly for the Norwegian, the game did a complete 180 degree turn, with the Pole’s king being stuck.

Now it's Magnus' turn to go astray with 41...Ke6? instead of 41...Kc6!, just when he had been about to win! https://t.co/h2Y7SdXKK7 #ChessChamps #AimchessRapid pic.twitter.com/BjUEn9cWRR

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 19, 2022

One wrong move made all the difference and from a winning position, Carlsen lost all his advantage. Having to give up a pawn, which at that stage was equivalent to losing the game, the Norwegian accepted defeat.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda wins a crazy, rollercoaster game in 88 moves and now Magnus Carlsen has just 2 games in which to hit back or he's out of the #AimchessRapid! https://t.co/h2Y7SefTYf #c24live #ChessChamps pic.twitter.com/qdjNHOcWDz

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 19, 2022

The 24-year-old Pole from Kraków was one game away from knocking out Magnus Carlsen. However, the Norwegian kept fighting, managing to draw in the third game and setting himself for a must-win in the fourth game.

Game 3 of Carlsen-Duda ends in a draw, so now Magnus must win on demand with the black pieces or Jan-Krzysztof will be in the final! https://t.co/5kg2zzqnAV #ChessChamps #AimchessRapid pic.twitter.com/huCbVZzHsR

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 19, 2022

“Carlsen, with the black pieces, played a King's Indian. It was tense, but in the end decided by another blunder from Carlsen. The killer blow was a double attack from Duda's queen with 33.Qf3! and Carlsen resigned,” the Chess24 website described the last game.

After the match, Duda said that he is “very happy, of course. Who wouldn’t want to win? Beating Magnus is probably the most rewarding feeling you can have when playing chess!”

Duda: "Beating Magnus is probably the most rewarding feeling you can have when playing chess!" #ChessChamps #AimchessRapid pic.twitter.com/uOJKGo9DPD

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 19, 2022

Duda’s finals opponent, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, managed to get to the final after beating Romania’s top chess player, Richard Rapport in tiebreaks coming back from a point down.