Magnus Carlsen vs Kenny: When the World’s Best Met the World’s Bravest Beginner
When the Esports World Cup brings together two champions from completely different arenas, you know the outcome won’t be subtle.
On one side, you have Magnus Carlsen, the five-time world chess champion. On the other side sits Kenneth “Kenny” Williams, two-time Call of Duty world champion, 2022 World Championship MVP, and one of the sharpest reflexes in esports. If precise mechanics, lightning awareness, and world-class instincts translated directly to the 64 squares, Magnus would’ve been in trouble.
Kenny, who started his chess journey just a day prior, sets an exciting tone for one of the most entertaining mismatches ever filmed, made fair only by stacking absurd advantages in Kenny’s favor across three escalating rounds.
One GOAT, One Esports Superstar, and Three Experiments in Chaos
The video runs on a simple but brilliant idea:
Can you push Magnus Carlsen far enough out of balance that even a complete chess beginner can beat him?
To test this, the creators throw Magnus and Kenny into a three-round gauntlet:
Round 1: A standard 3-minute blitz game.
Round 2: Kenny gets two moves for every one Magnus makes.
Round 3: Kenny starts the game with thirty queens. Not metaphorically. Literally thirty.
Round 4: Magnus takes on a wall of 23 pawns.
Round 1: The Classic Blitz Match
The first game is played straight. No advantages. No bonus queens. Just a classic blitz match.
Kenny tries to mirror Magnus’ move-for-move, which is adorable until Magnus quietly turns up the heat. The early pawn loss doesn’t rattle Kenny, but the queen check that follows sends the game spiralling out of control. One misplaced bishop, a hanging rook, and suddenly Magnus is stripping pieces off the board at the speed of a pickpocket at rush hour.
The standout here is Kenny’s energy. Every time he blunders, he reacts like someone who just got jump-scared in a horror game. He’s expressive, honest, and unintentionally hilarious, but he also keeps trying. He doesn’t tilt, doesn’t rage, doesn’t give up.
Round 2: The Two-Move Superpower
To level the field, Kenny gets two moves every turn. On paper, it’s a massive advantage, but in practice, it’s like being given a Ferrari when you’ve barely learned to drive.
And IMMEDIATELY Kenny drops his queen. From there, the match turns into a wild attempt to survive while Magnus calculates calmly. Pieces fall quickly. Knights vanish. Pawns crumble. The commentators begin rooting for Kenny like he’s a contestant in a reality show who’s just trying to stay another week.
Despite the advantage, Magnus still finds his way through with a kind of smooth efficiency that reminds you why he’s built differently. Magnus genuinely believes that with a little practice, Kenny could crush him in this format. Coming from a man who rarely compliments opponents, that’s a solid endorsement.
Round 3: The 30-Queen Apocalypse
Here’s where the video becomes legendary. Kenny sits down with thirty black queens, an advantage so ridiculous that Magnus immediately says, “This might be the worst position I’ve ever seen.” And he’s not exaggerating.
From the first move, the board becomes a minefield. Everywhere Magnus turns, a queen is waiting. Every defensive idea collapses. Every escape square is covered. Kenny, for the first time, looks comfortable.
He attacks. He laughs. He captures. And he does it with the swagger of a guy who’s spent years frying pro teams in Call of Duty grand finals, whereas Magnus, meanwhile, is visibly suffering. He plays, he calculates, he tries to survive… but there’s simply no way out of a position where your opponent has more queens than you have brain cells.
Eventually, the checkmate lands & Kenny wins his round. To quote Magnus: “I don’t think I’ll try this game again. It’s miserable to play against so many queens.”
A win is a win, and Kenny walks out with the proudest smile of the day.
Round 4: The 23-Pawn Wall
Just when the video seems done, the Esports World Cup decides to throw in one more experiment.
This time, Magnus gets 23 pawns, creating a massive, crawling wall of infantry. Kenny has his full normal army. On paper, this is Magnus’s most defensive setup yet. At first, Kenny plays this beautifully. He clips pawns from the edges, sacrifices pieces for breakthroughs, and even manages to promote a queen. For a long stretch, it genuinely looks like he’s going to take down Magnus in a clean, logical way, but chess is unforgiving.
A few small missteps, and suddenly Magnus slips through the gaps, promotes his own queen, then a second one. The momentum flips instantly. With two queens working in tandem, Magnus builds the classic “ladder” checkmate.
Kenny went from winning to doomed in roughly the span of three moves.
The Takeaway
What makes the video fun isn’t Magnus winning—it’s Kenny adapting. He goes from guessing moves to forming plans. From blundering bishops to creating breakthroughs. From nervous smiles to confident captures.
It’s the perfect crossover: One of the greatest chess players ever meets one of esports’ most decorated FPS champions, and the result is part lesson
, part chaos, and part pure entertainment.
Written by
Mohd Kamran Hasnain
