Magnus Carlsen says ‘very satisfying’ after bettering India’s rising stars to win rapid title

“It’s precise satisfying erstwhile I tin inactive beryllium rather bully astatine chess, particularly portion facing the younger generations. For me, that’s information successful itself. I spell to each lawsuit similar I person ne'er won thing before,” Carlsen added astatine the property league connected Friday aft his victory.

With the satellite chess title looming connected the skyline and the imaginable of 18-year-old Gukesh becoming the youngest ever satellite chess champion successful past looking realistic, Carlsen was asked if helium would beryllium motivated to play successful the satellite title successful the adjacent cycle, peculiarly if the antheral with the crown connected his caput is simply a teenager.

“A long-form classical lucifer truly doesn’t involvement maine against anybody. Whoever wins the rubric it volition beryllium tremendous, But I volition not beryllium seeking to situation for that,” Carlsen said earlier reiterating that connected existent signifier helium thought Gukesh was the favourite against the existent satellite champion Ding Liren.

Recovering from a dilatory start

Carlsen had a dilatory commencement to the Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz tournament, being held to 2 draws successful the archetypal 2 rounds by Praggnanandhaa and Nihal. But Thursday saw him triumph each 3 games, including against Arjun Erigaisi. On his mode to the title, Carlsen was undefeated and was held to draws by Praggnanandhaa, Nihal and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Carlsen picked his triumph implicit Arjun, who is presently ranked No.2 successful the satellite successful the unrecorded ratings, arsenic his favourite astatine the Kolkata event.

“I deliberation the crippled against Arjun was surely my favourite of the ones here. He’s an highly unsafe subordinate erstwhile helium has the initiative, erstwhile helium gets to attack, and I benignant of willingly got into a presumption wherever helium had the initiative. So I’m precise blessed that adjacent though my play was evidently acold from perfect, that I managed to grip the resulting analyzable presumption amended than helium did and to get the triumph there. Apart from that, I deliberation my different wins were either my hostile didn’t play successful the champion mode oregon they were chiefly benignant of technical,” said Carlsen.

Carlsen was truthful ascendant successful the tourney that his rubric was secured successful the penultimate circular itself with him defeating his one-time 2nd Daniil Dubov, who had helped him decision Ian Nepomniachtchi astatine the World Chess Championship successful 2021.

“The archetypal and the past games were astir hard for maine here. I played good yesterday. But my level dropped a spot today. In the past game, Nodirbek outplayed maine rather severely and I should person mislaid that 1 for sure. So I americium not thrilled astir that,” helium admitted connected Friday.

Elsewhere, the young Vantika Agrawal ended up a commendable 3rd spot successful the women’s conception with 5 points down Aleksandra Goryachkina (7.5 points) and Nana Dzagnidze (5.5 points). Vantika was up of much vaunted compatriots similar Harika Dronavalli (fifth spot with 4.5 points), Divya Deshmukh (7th spot with 3.5 points), Vaishali Rameshbabu (8th with 3.5 points) and Koneru Humpy (10th with 3 points).