BUDAPEST, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen finished unbeaten to win the opening blitz competition as the 24-player Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot opened here on Tuesday.
The Norwegian scored five wins and four draws for seven points from nine rounds at the Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel. France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave finished second on 6.5 points, followed by Levon Aronian of the United States on six.
The pilot tournament format was developed by Norway Chess and approved by the International Chess Federation. It combines Fast Classic, rapid and blitz to test players' versatility across different time controls.
The Budapest pilot, which offers a total prize fund of 650,000 U.S. dollars, is testing the competitive framework ahead of the Tour's inaugural global season, scheduled to begin in March 2027. The planned four-stop tour will lead to a Grand Final, where the four highest-ranked players will compete for the FIDE World Combined Champion title.
"It's always interesting to try out new formats," Carlsen said in an earlier announcement confirming his participation.
Organizers also aim to reach audiences beyond the traditional chess community through expanded broadcast coverage, live commentary and post-game studio analysis.
The opening blitz standings determine group-stage tiebreaks and knockout semifinal pairings. Group play begins Wednesday in four groups of six playing Fast Classic, with the four group winners contesting the title across all three time controls from November 17 to 20. ■
