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World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen dominated the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid Tournament in Kolkata on Thursday, securing three consecutive victories to take the sole lead in the 'Open' section. Carlsen's flawless performance saw him defeat S L Narayanan, Wesley So, and Arjun Erigaisi, amassing a commanding five points out of a possible six.In the women's section, Russia's Aleksandra Goryachkina mirrored Carlsen's impressive display, securing three victories to establish a solitary lead. Her triumphs over Vantika Agrawal, R. Vaishali, and Kateryna Lagno propelled her to a tally of five points.Carlsen's closest challenger is former World Rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who trails with 4.5 points. Abdusattorov drew against Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi before defeating Narayanan, positioning himself as Carlsen's primary threat heading into the final day.In the women's section, Georgian Grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze is hot on Goryachkina's heels with four points. Dzagnidze's successful day included wins over Vaishali and Koneru Humpy, as well as a hard-fought draw with Lagno.India's D. Harika, Vantika Agrawal, and Valentina Gunina share third place with 3.5 points each.

Magnus Carlsen, the undisputed world chess champion for over a decade, has expressed his belief that chess ratings today are somewhat "deflated" compared to the past. However, he remains unfazed by the possibility of someone surpassing him.Carlsen, who held the world title from 2013 to 2023, chose not to defend his crown, citing lack of motivation. Despite stepping back from classical tournaments, Carlsen's reign at the top is one of the longest and most dominant in chess history."I don't play a lot of classical chess, so whenever somebody is going to pass me, I wouldn't particularly mind," the 33-year-old Norwegian said. "I think a lot of people had the chance to surpass me, but we'll see when it happens. I think it sort of depends on others."Carlsen also suggested that chess ratings may not carry the same weight they did a decade ago. "There's definitely been deflation in chess ratings, so a level of ELO 2830 would probably correspond to 2850 about 10 years ago, and not a lot of people have reached that," noted Carlsen, who currently has a FIDE rating of 2831.Having held the world number 1 spot almost continuously since July 1, 2011, Carlsen first achieved the top ranking in January 2010 at the age of 19, becoming the youngest player to reach that position. After briefly losing it in mid 2011, he reclaimed the top spot and has dominated it ever since.Throughout his career, Carlsen has set multiple records, including the highest FIDE rating ever recorded at 2882 in May 2014. Since opting out of the World Championship in 2023, Carlsen has "picked and chosen" tournaments with formats and opponents he finds exciting, focusing on rapid, blitz, and other flexible events that align with his evolving interests.Reflecting on the younger generation of players, Carlsen conveyed his respect for their progress while noting that they don't always measure up to his level, a statement more reflective of his confidence than arrogance. "I'm looking forward to testing myself against the younger generation. I'm always curious to see how much they've improved since the last time. It turns out they have improved, but not always enough."Carlsen has won the World Rapid Chess Championship four times (2014, 2015, 2019, and 2022) and the World Blitz Chess Championship five times (2009, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019), making him one of the most versatile and dominant world champions across different formats.On the younger generation of chess players, Carlsen said: "It's very interesting to see a different brand of chess. A lot of the older players of my generation are not going to surprise you in a major way in terms of where they stand, but with the younger generation, it's interesting to try and understand."India has come a long wayCarlsen began his reign after defeating Viswanathan Anand in the World Championship in Chennai in 2013 and he feels the country has come a long way. "I came to Chennai in August (2013), to look at the facilities and so on. I was told that I'm going to meet some of the better kids in the area to play, and it feels like half of the kids are now either GMs or some of them are even playing in top tournaments.""That's what has changed. Those kids back then are now the core of the Olympiad-winning team. Indian chess has come a long way since then, much thanks to Anand and what he did for Indian chess," he said.Carlsen was also impressed with three-year-old chess prodigy from the city Anish Sarkar, who recently became the youngest FIDE-rated chess player in the world with a rating of 1555. "First of all, it's amazing to see the level he's at. My nephew is turning 4, he's a bright young child, but I don't see him getting a rating of 1500 anytime soon," he said."It's very impressive. Most of all, try to enjoy as much as you can. Don't think about ratings, results, titles, and so on. They will come automatically; just do what you love," he signed off, while posing for a photo with the kid.

Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh is poised to make history as he prepares to face Chinese grandmaster Liren Ding in the upcoming FIDE World Championship contest in Singapore. Experts believe that Gukesh's exceptional talent and unwavering determination will lead him to victory by the 12th round.Gukesh, at just 18 years old, has already achieved remarkable feats. He became the youngest champion in the history of the Candidates Tournament and played a pivotal role in India's gold medal triumph at the 45th Chess Olympiad. His exceptional accuracy and ability to avoid mistakes have earned him comparisons to the legendary Russian grandmaster Anatoly Karpov.Grandmasters Pravin Thipsay and Abhijit Kunte are confident in Gukesh's abilities. Thipsay believes that Gukesh's maturity and strength of character will prevail over Ding's experience. He notes that Gukesh's style resembles Karpov's, who was known for his patience and strategic brilliance.Kunte praises Gukesh's unwavering dedication to chess. He observes that everything Gukesh does is geared towards improving his game. This commitment, coupled with the support of his parents and coaches, has created an environment for him to excel.While Ding is a formidable opponent, Kunte believes that he is not the same player he once was due to his battle with depression. Gukesh, on the other hand, is in peak form and is the clear favorite.The upcoming contest is expected to be a battle of wits and endurance. Thipsay predicts that there will be no book novelties or extensive preparation, but rather an over-the-board battle where original moves and strategic thinking will prevail.

The Chennai Grand Masters 2024 witnessed a thrilling day of chess action, with India's Pranav V. continuing his dominance in the Challengers section and Arjun Erigaisi seizing the lead in the Masters category.Pranav, playing with black pieces, showcased his tactical prowess against Vaishali R. In a bold move, he sacrificed his Queen early on, forcing Vaishali to exchange her own. The game turned into a fierce battle, with both players exchanging heavy blows. However, Pranav's strategic maneuvering proved too strong, and he eventually forced Vaishali into a corner, securing his fourth consecutive victory.In the Masters section, Erigaisi emerged as the frontrunner after defeating Amin Tabatabaei in a clash of the leaders. Erigaisi, who recently ascended to the World No. 2 spot in Live Ratings, displayed his exceptional skills, accumulating 3.5 points from four rounds.Other notable performances in the Masters category included stalemates between Vidit Gujrathi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, as well as Aravindh Chithambaram and Levon Aronian. Parham Maghsoodloo and Alexey Sarana also played out a draw.In the Challengers category, Leon Mendonca and Abhimanyu Puranik fought to a balanced draw, while Karthikeyan Murali showcased his talent with a strong win over Harika Dronavalli. Raunak Sadhwani and Pranesh M. concluded their match with a well-contested draw but lost ground on runaway leader Pranav.The Chennai Grand Masters 2024, taking place at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai from November 5 to 11, 2024, features two categories: Masters and Challengers. The Masters category boasts a competitive field with a rating average of 2729, while the Challengers category provides a platform for emerging Indian talent.

Chennai Grand Masters: Arjun Erigaisi to Open Campaign Against Vidit GujarathiWorld No. 4 Indian chess grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi will kick off his Chennai Grand Masters campaign against compatriot Vidit Gujarathi on Tuesday. This marks Erigaisi's first tournament in India since crossing the historic 2800 ELO ranking mark.The eight-player classical event will witness a thrilling opening round, with Aravindh Chithambaram facing Iranian Amin Tabatabaei, Vachier-Lagrave Maxime taking on Maghsoodloo Parham, and American Grandmaster Levon Aronian playing Alexey Sarana.This year's edition introduces a Challengers event featuring female players for the first time. The Challengers participants will compete for a prize pool of Rs 20 lakh, with the winner receiving Rs 6 lakh and a direct berth in the Masters next year.In the Challengers category, Vaishali Rameshbabu will face Mendonca Leon Luke, while Harika Dronavalli will play Pranav V. Raunak Sadhwani will battle Karthikeyan Murali, and Pranesh M will take on Abhimanyu Puranik.The Challengers event provides Indian prodigies with an opportunity to compete at the highest level. Last year's inaugural edition was won by D Gukesh, who is currently preparing for the world championships title match against Ding Liren of China.The Chennai Grand Masters tournament is organized by MGD1 with ChessBase India and sponsored by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. It will be held at the 1,100-seat Anna Centenary Library.