Magnus Carlsen takes on Viswanathan Anand in the recent Global Chess League. (PHOTO: GCL)
World No 1 Magnus Carlsen will be in action in Kolkata in November at the 6th edition of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament where the Norwegian will take on some of the brightest Indian minds, including Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, Nihal Sarin and SL Narayanan. The only notable miss from India’s burgeoning chess contingent will be 18-year-old Gukesh, who will be busy sharpening his knives for the world chess championship battle against Ding Liren.
This is the second time that the five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen will be in action at the Kolkata tournament after winning the event in 2019. Besides Carlsen and the five Indians, the other players in the 10-player field are Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, Vincent Keymer and Daniil Dubov.
Magnus Carlsen gives his acceptance speech at the FIDE 100 Gala with Arkady Dvorkovich, former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and current president of FIDE, standing in the background. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)
The Tata Steel Chess India tournament will be held from November 13 to 17 at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata’s Alipore.
Top Indian women’s players in action
Like previous editions of the tournament, this year will also see both Open and Women’s categories being held side by side in rapid and blitz formats. There will be equal prize money for both categories. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will also play a role as the tournament ambassador.
The women’s field will see almost all of India’s entire Budapest Chess Olympiad team — Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali R, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal — besides India’s top ranked women’s player Koneru Humpy in action in the 10-women field.
“I’m looking forward to being back at Tata Steel Chess India. It has become the marquee event in India. This year brings the best of the world headed by Magnus Carlsen. I am particularly excited that the women’s event will have the best of Indian chess. This year has been a celebration of Indian chess and this event will be a fitting tribute,” said Anand.
