Carlsen and Abdusattorov Prepare Together for Total Chess

Two of the world’s top-10 players are preparing side by side. GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov have teamed up for a training camp in Spain ahead of the Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot.

Also in the group are GM David Howell and Carlsen’s longtime coach, GM Peter Heine Nielsen. A post on Carlsen’s social media accounts on Saturday showed the setting: his holiday home in Spain.

The post had three images featuring Howell and Nielsen, plus a video of Carlsen and Abdusattorov playing blitz together. The caption read: “Someone brought a chess board into this house.”

What they are preparing for

The pilot runs in Budapest on November 10-20 with 24 players. Its format combines fast classical, rapid and blitz, so a player has to be good at all three speeds rather than at one.

It is a trial run for a FIDE-approved tour that launches in 2027 and will crown a World Combined Champion. For readers new to the speeds involved, our guide to classical, rapid and blitz time controls covers the differences.

Why this pairing is interesting

Carlsen already holds both the rapid and blitz world titles, as we noted when Istanbul was awarded the 2026 World Rapid and Blitz. A format that blends all three speeds plays to the kind of range he has shown for years.

Abdusattorov is a natural training partner for that kind of event. He is a former World Rapid champion, and his speed-chess strength is well established. Perhaps the point of the camp is as much shared sparring as shared preparation, though neither player has said so.

Nielsen’s presence is also notable. He has worked with Carlsen for years, so the camp looks like serious preparation rather than a holiday get-together, even if the social post kept the tone light.

Howell is a strong, experienced grandmaster who adds another sparring partner, though the post does not say what role he plays.

What to watch in Budapest

Both will be in the field of 24, so the pilot will show how the format rewards players who are strong at every speed. The ratings side of the project has already drawn attention, with a Total Chess rating putting Carlsen at 2830, 51 points clear.

Whether training together makes them rivals or allies in Budapest is the open question. The pilot begins on November 10.