Community Champion Defeats Magnus Carlsen to Win Anichess Magnus Cup

On June 19, @AnichessGame crowned a community champion as the winner of the Magnus Cup, with @EllaijioB defeating Grandmasters @MagnusCarlsen and @BortnykChess. The victory earned the player 300,000 CHECK tokens, the upcoming token of the Checkmate Ecosystem.

The tournament, hosted on Anichess — a Web3 chess game on Abstract incubated by animocabrands and built in partnership with chesscom — pits traditional chess grandmasters against the community in a spell-based variant. Carlsen, the world number one in classical chess, competed alongside other top players but ultimately fell to an unheralded contender.

Anichess combines classical chess strategy with programmable spell mechanics, allowing players to alter the board in ways impossible in standard chess. The game has over 100 million views across social platforms and is the flagship title of the Checkmate Ecosystem powered by CHECK. The Magnus Cup result underscores the project's goal of leveling the playing field between professionals and the broader community.

No further details on future tournaments have been announced, but the event highlights Anichess's growing traction in both crypto and chess circles.