Magnus Carlsen Takes Sole Lead In Tata Steel India Chess Tournament

“The first (against Praggnanandhaa) and the last games were the most difficult,” said Carlsen after winning the Rapid section of the Tata Steel Chess India here on Friday. “I think I played really well yesterday but then my level dropped a little bit today. Norbidek is an enterprising player. He outplayed me quite badly and I am not thrilled about that. Prag had a good performance. Overall, I played quite well during my six-game streak.”

Asked what keeps him motivated to play chess even now, Carlsen said: “It’s my favourite hobby in the world. It’s very satisfying while being good at it, especially facing the younger generation.” That Carlsen was head and shoulders above the competition was evident in his relaxed approach, often leaving the board during his match against 20-year-old Vincent Keymer to observe other games despite the clock running against him. Keymer shook hands a little while later, followed by Daniil Dubov, making Carlsen the winner with a round to spare.

Also fascinating was the comeback staged by Praggnanandhaa, winning against Arjun Erigaisi and SL Narayanan. A draw against Wesley So propelled Praggnanandhaa to 5.5 points, equaling Wesley’s tally but edging him out on tiebreaks.