I now know I can beat the world’s greatest: Indian GM Vidit Gujrathi after beautiful world champion Magnus Carlsen

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1 year ago

India’s 28-year-old GM Vidit Gujrathi’s teenage compatriots R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, and Arjun Erigaisi had managed the unimaginable: beating five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen in a recreation of chess.

While Gujrathi did come shut on a few events, he couldn’t pull off the win over Carlsen— till this week.

That modified on Tuesday when Gujrathi – enjoying for Indian Yogis – notched up “the biggest win of his career”, beating Carlsen – enjoying for Canada Chess Brahs – in a Pro Chess League encounter on Tuesday.

“It’s definitely the biggest win of my career. Carlsen in scintillating form and to defeat him right now is definitely something I would count as my biggest win,” Gujrathi informed The Indian Express after the match.

While it was spectacular that Vidit managed the feat enjoying with black items, irritating Carlsen who might solely bang his desk in despair, the very fact stays that he benefited from the Norwegian failing to overlook a checkmate in three.

Vidit Santhosh Gujrathi. (File)

And so whereas Vidit, who captained India of their historic gold medal-winning efficiency on the 2020 FIDE Online Chess Olympiad, is ecstatic about lastly beating Carlsen, he wasn’t too proud of the sport per say. But take nothing away from him. After all, he did properly to use the tactical oversight by Carlsen.

“It wasn’t my best game by any stretch of my imagination. I can definitely do better. But one aspect I learned was that my defence level or resistance was higher than usual which probably made him crack and not find the winning move,” Vidit stated.

The win additionally provides Gujrathi, who’s ranked No. 2 in India behind Viswanathan Anand, an enormous shot within the arm going ahead. More importantly, it has given the World No. 19 the assumption that he can beat one of the best. “This win has shown me that it’s possible for me to defeat the best chess players in the world. It’s also made me feel good about the hard work and practice that I’ve been doing. It’s the best confidence boost,” he stated.

The fightback Staring down the barrel of a 5.5-6.5 deficit, the Yogis clutched up with a 4-0 closing spherical drubbing over the Canada Chessbrahs the place Gujrathi overcame Carlsen. The Yogis had named a crew with a mean age of 21, hoping to utilise their prodigies to take factors from the favored Chessbrahs. The GM Aman Hambleton-led Chessbrahs began with a bang and gained their first spherical 2.5-1.5 and second with a 3-1 rating. GM Razvan Preotu as soon as once more proved to be a priceless asset after profitable his opening video games towards GMs Raunak Sadhwani and Vidit respectively. GM Aryan Tari additionally began strongly and defeated IM Vaishali Rameshbabu in spherical two after making the most of a superior pawn construction. Within attain of a match win with a spherical to spare, the Chessbrahs got down to achieve the three factors required to safe the win. Despite Carlsen making an announcement with a 21-move miniature on board one with the black items towards Sadhwani, the Yogis managed to flip the momentum and win 3-1.

It was within the recreation towards the Norwegian No. 2 Tari that Vidit really performed his greatest chess of the day. “I was reeling after my loss in the second round. I thought I had let the team down. I knew nothing short of a win would do,” he stated. What Vidit’s win over Tari additionally did was give the Yogis a wave of momentum going into the fourth the place they bamboozled the Chessbrahs with a exceptional 4-0 rating that pushed them to a match-winning 9.5-6.5.