Kamal Ghorui
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, right after that, he informed the tournament official about the interaction. As per chess regulations, Nurman’s phone was immediately taken away, and the match began normally.Chess tournaments follow strict rules about electronic devices to prevent cheating. Players are not allowed to use or even keep access to phones during games unless they have special permission.
Devices must be switched off and stored away safely. Since Nurman had her phone out for the selfie, officials had to confiscate it right away.Watch:Despite the awkward moment, the game went on without any delay. Carlsen stayed 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 had taken a selfie with Carlsen, and their phone was also taken by officials afterwards.Nurman later shared that this earlier incident inspired her. “Last year, Etienne Bacrot also took a selfie. I thought like, why not? I’m very grateful that Magnus agreed to this,” she 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 created a brief stir, it highlighted how seriously chess authorities enforce rules, even in seemingly harmless situations.
