Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time, recently shared his thoughts on the changing chess landscape, including the rise of Indian chess talents, ahead of the Tata Steel Chess India 2024 tournament.
Speaking at the event’s drawing of lots, Carlsen made it clear that he remains selective about participating in classical chess tournaments, even as younger players make their mark.
After dominating the chess world for years and winning every major title, Carlsen stepped away from the World Championship title, which was later claimed by China’s Ding Liren. Since becoming the World No. 1 at 19, Carlsen has held the top spot for 13 years and achieved a record rating of 2882.
Despite new challengers, including Arjun Erigaisi, now ranked World No. 2, Carlsen remains unfazed.
With his current live rating of 2831.0 and just two classical events in the past year, Carlsen expressed no concern about others overtaking him. "I don’t play a lot of classical chess, so whenever somebody is going to pass me, I wouldn’t particularly mind," said the 33-year-old.
He also mentioned that chess ratings have seen some deflation over the years, suggesting that a current ELO of 2830 is similar to a rating of 2850 a decade ago.
Magnus Carlsen praised the new generation of Indian players, calling them exceptional at calculations but not yet as intuitive as some other top players. He thinks this strength benefits them in long-format games but not as much in faster formats.
"If you’re asking me if I still believe that Indians are great at calculating, then yeah," Carlsen said, acknowledging the impressive progress of Indian chess in the past 15-20 years.
India has a special significance for Magnus Carlsen. He won his first World Championship in Chennai in 2013, defeating Viswanathan Anand. Reflecting on that period, he noted the remarkable rise of Indian chess talents, many of whom were young prospects back then and are now playing at the top level. He credited Anand for inspiring a new generation.
Carlsen, who holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak in chess history, continues to enjoy competing against young players, eager to test their growth since their last encounter.
He finds their unpredictable styles refreshing, compared to the more familiar patterns of his generation. The upcoming Tata Steel Chess tournament, including its blitz format, promises to be another opportunity for Carlsen to face fresh challenges.
Carlsen’s confidence and curiosity remain intact as he prepares for the Tata Steel Chess Blitz event, ready to take on a new wave of chess talent. This legendary champion’s focus may have shifted, but his influence and admiration for the game remain as strong as ever.
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