Alua Nurman takes a selfie with Magnus Carlsen (photo from @ChessbaseIndia) NEW DELHI: A simple selfie request turned into an unexpected situation at the Grenke Freestyle Chess Festival in Germany. Kazakh player Alua Nurman asked Magnus Carlsen for a selfie just before their match. He agreed without hesitation and posed with her. However, he immediately informed a tournament official about the interaction. According to chess regulations, Nurman’s phone was immediately taken away and the match started normally.Chess tournaments follow strict rules about electronic devices to prevent cheating. Players may not use or even retain access to phones during games unless specifically authorized.
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Exclusive Nihal Sarin: 2026 Candidates Predictions, Anish Giri’s ‘Drawish’ Label & More #chess The device must be switched off and stored safely. Since Nurman had her phone out for the selfie, officials had to immediately confiscate it.Watch:Despite the awkward moment, the game continued without delay. Carlsen remained focused and continued his strong performance in the tournament, eventually defeating Nurman as part of his ongoing winning streak.Interestingly, a similar situation occurred at the same event the previous year. Another player took a selfie with Carlsen and their phone was then confiscated by officials.Nurman later shared that this earlier incident inspired her. “Last year, Etienne Bacrot also took a selfie. I thought why not? I’m very grateful that Magnus agreed,” she told ChessBase India.The tournament saw other unusual moments, including a complaint about a distracting wristwatch worn by an opponent, which was eventually removed.
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All in all, the selfie caused a brief stir, but it highlighted how seriously the chess authorities are enforcing the rules, even in seemingly innocuous situations.
