Magnus Carlsen has been the best chess player for over a decade now. The Norwegian Grandmaster is the biggest force in the chess world. is a name that chess players and fans know well since the 33-year-old has accomplished everything in the game. He has won five World Chess Championships, five World Rapid Chess Championships, seven World Blitz Chess Championships, and the Chess World Cup.
The World No.1 has topped the FIDE global chess rankings since July 1, 2011, with a peak rating of 2882, the highest in history. He had been so wonderful for so long that things became a touch monotonous. He decided he did not wish to protect the traditional crown. It created an opening for others, which India’s D Gukesh appears poised to cash on.
Carlsen, on the other hand, feels that chess is about much more than ratings and crowns. The Blitz and Rapid formats keep him amused, but he is most excited about the World Championship Match between Ding Liren and Gukesh later this month. The world’s finest chess player, who is in Kolkata for the Tata Steel Chess tournament, discussed India’s rising chess stars, the condition of the game, and his future.
Magnus Carlsen underestimates young grandmasters
Is Magnus Carlsen the young challenger? R Praggnanandhaa will play Magnus Carlsen in the first round of the quick category on Wednesday. This will be Carlsen’s second appearance in the event. He won the 2019 edition. Carlsen, who is known for his pickiness regarding tournaments, agreed to travel here to check out the new talents. The veteran grandmaster will be playing this tournament for fun and not much intensity.
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, he said, “One or more of the kids are probably going to surpass me in the next couple of years in the classical format. And that’s okay since I don’t play a lot of classical chess. I think, like the few times that I have competed, I still want to do well. But it’s not my area of focus. I still enjoy faster chess a lot. But I think whenever I compete in classical chess, I’m still a force to reckon with.”
