A brief moment before the game between Alua Nurman and Magnus Carlsen became a talking point during round two of the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open in Karlsruhe, Germany. Before the match, the 18-year-old Woman Grandmaster, facing the world No. 1, seized the moment by asking for a selfie. Carlsen, ahead of the game, agreed and even posed with a smile, giving her a special memory ahead of a challenging match. However, things changed shortly after. Just as the game was about to start, Carlsen stepped away and returned with an arbiter, asking that Nurman’s phone be removed from the playing area. While it seemed sudden, the request followed tournament rules.&nbsp;As per FIDE regulations, players are not allowed to keep mobile phones or electronic devices in the playing hall unless permitted by an arbiter. This rule helps prevent cheating and even having such a device can lead to a violation.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2026-sticking-with-bad-plan-and-nobody-to-slow-things-ex-player-on-reasons-for-csk-s-loss-vs-rcb-1775467932019">IPL 2026 | 'Sticking with bad plan and nobody to slow things': Ex-player Rayudu on reasons for CSK's loss vs RCB</a><h2>Watch the video below</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Lady took a selfie with Magnus Carlsen before the match began. In response, Magnus Carlsen reported his opponent to the referee, leading to her phone being confiscated 😭 <a href="https://t.co/pqNcMZBrI6">pic.twitter.com/pqNcMZBrI6</a>&mdash; non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) <a href="https://twitter.com/PicturesFoIder/status/2040233503053234428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is not the first time Carlsen has been careful about such rules. In a previous edition of the event, Etienne Bacrot had asked him for a selfie before their game. At that time, Carlsen called an arbiter to ensure Bacrot removed his wristwatch, which can also be restricted depending on tournament rules.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-want-my-bat-do-the-talking-rishabh-pant-silences-critics-after-match-winning-knock-against-srh-1775458991278">'Want my bat do the talking': Pant silences critics after match-winning knock vs SRH</a>&nbsp;Despite the brief interruption, Carlsen quickly regained focus and continued his strong form in Karlsruhe, later defeating Maxime Lagarde in the next round.&nbsp;The defending champion, who had a perfect score in the previous edition, once again looks in top form. His actions during the event show his focus on discipline and fair play as he aims for another strong performance.

Magnus Carlsen posed for a quick selfie with Alua Nurman before their Grenke Open clash, but soon involved an arbiter to enforce rules, showing chess’s strict device regulations.

A brief moment before the game between Alua Nurman and Magnus Carlsen became a talking point during round two of the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open in Karlsruhe, Germany. Before the match, the 18-year-old Woman Grandmaster, facing the world No. 1, seized the moment by asking for a selfie. Carlsen, ahead of the game, agreed and even posed with a smile, giving her a special memory ahead of a challenging match. However, things changed shortly after. Just as the game was about to start, Carlsen stepped away and returned with an arbiter, asking that Nurman’s phone be removed from the playing area. While it seemed sudden, the request followed tournament rules. As per FIDE regulations, players are not allowed to keep mobile phones or electronic devices in the playing hall unless permitted by an arbiter. This rule helps prevent cheating and even having such a device can lead to a violation. Also Read - IPL 2026 | 'Sticking with bad plan and nobody to slow things': Ex-player Rayudu on reasons for CSK's loss vs RCB Watch the video below

Magnus Carlsen posed for a quick selfie with Alua Nurman before their Grenke Open clash, but soon involved an arbiter to enforce rules, showing chess’s strict device regulations.

Watch: Magnus Carlsen’s selfie moment with opponent ends in surprise twist

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Watch: Magnus Carlsen’s selfie moment with opponent ends in surprise twist