Controversy continues to brew around Magnus Carlsen’s shock defeat in the second round of the Qatar Masters Open, though perhaps not in the way you would expect.
No one’s throwing shade at the victor, 2512-rated Alisher Suleymenov, even if his wristwatch has suddenly become a cause for controversy: Soon, it was Hikaru Nakamura who found himself in the Norwegian’s sights for an especially egregious case of YouTube clickbaiting.
Magnus Carlsen rarely loses meaningful games of chess, so whenever it does happen, you can bet your bottom dollar that it becomes a newsworthy event. This was especially the case after his loss to world No. 578 Alisher Suleymenov in round two of the Qatar Masters Open, where his opponent deployed some truly spectacular sacrifices to take out the Norwegian in just 31 moves.
The problem? His watch—and everything it implied.
To be more precise, Carlsen posted on X soon after the match, and while he did congratulate his opponent and made clear that he doesn’t suspect foul play, he voiced his disappointment and concerns about the security measures at the event, citing issues with, among other things, the fact that Suleymenov was allowed to wear his watch during the game.
FIDE has specific and detailed regulations about this matter, and the events of the highest caliber forbid the presence of old-school watches, and even pens—basically anything with the tiniest of potential for computerized foul play. It seems like there was a difference in opinion, now partially resolved, about whether this event warrants this strictest set of security measures.
This was not the takeaway of many content creators, who immediately leaned into the controversy for their recaps for the round, and Hikaru Nakamura was no exception. “Magnus LOSES and Then Accuses!?!?!” was the original title of the video, which the world number one publicly took umbrage with.
Now, let’s be real: Any and all chess content creators looking to garner eyeballs will gravitate towards Magnus in headlines and angles, both because this is what the lay audience will click on and because it is the algorithmically supported approach on YouTube. I myself am also included in that! For non-committed chess fans, it’s a bit like Carlsen’s speed chess tier list: He is at the top, Nakamura is in a separate category in second, and everyone else (barring streamer drama) is many rungs below. For a time, Hans Niemann buzzed into that upper echelon of chess YouTube algorithm pleasers, but not so much anymore.
That said, the video on Nakamura’s channel did go for a dodgy angle to maximize attention, and it’s tough to disagree with Carlsen for calling him and his content team out for it.
At the time of writing, the video on Hikaru’s channel has been renamed to “Day 2 Qatar Masters Drama.” To contrast and compare, Levy “GothamChess” Rozman, long a connoisseur in 10/10 Magnus-baiting, has gone with “NEW CHESS CHEATING SCANDAL??????????”.
Suleymanov went on to lose his round three game against world No. 87 S.L. Narayanan, setting up an encounter with another elite player, Parham Maghsoodloo, for his troubles. Carlsen, of course, bounced back with a win against 2470-rated International Master Al Muthaiah with a customary endgame grind.
As for his concerns, organizers have tightened up security measures, adding a delay to the broadcast, restricting the movement of the players, and further limiting the items allowed into the playing hall. Say what you will about Carlsen’s statements, but they clearly have an impact, as unfortunate as it is that this is what it takes to set up a fairer sporting competition—clickbait or no clickbait.
