&w=3840&q=100)
'Magnus feels Praggnanandhaa plays most similar to him': Carlsen's wife reveals, talks about Gukesh, Erigaisi
Magnus Carlsen's wife Ella has revealed that the World No. feels R Praggnanandhaa plays the 'most similar' to him. Images: Reuters/R Praggnanandhaa on X
Magnus Carlsen's wife, Ella Victoria Carlsen, has made a big reveal about who the world No.1 chess player feels is closest to him, style-wise on the board. Ella spoke about the trio of Indian chess stars D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi during the recently-concluded Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas and discussed various matters regarding the young prodigies before revealing that Carlsen feels Praggnanandhaa plays the 'most similar' version of chess to him.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa has consistently proved to be a tough challenger for the five-time world champion and recently defeated Carlsen twice in the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess event.
Carlsen feels Praggnanandhaa is the player most similar to him
Talking about the Gukesh, Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa and their different game styles during a live stream with ChessBase India, Ella said: 'All three (Gukesh, Pragg and Arjun) are very different, but Magnus did say that Pragg plays more similarly to him, the most similar to him.'
Carlsen is known to have a cordial relationship with Praggnanandhaa ever since the teenager made the headlines at the FIDE World Cup 2023, where he lost to the Norwegian in the final. Praggnanandhaa had defeated Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana on his way to the final.
Recently, Carlsen finished third in the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess event and won a $100,000 prize as he was pushed out of the title race after a defeat to Praggnanandhaa in the group stage. He also recently suffered back-to-back defeats to reigning world champion Gukesh across Norway Chess and SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia in different formats after calling him a "weaker" player in an interview.
Coming back to Ella. She also spoke about Arjun Erigaisi and how the 21-year-old Indian Grandmaster is two different personalities on and off the board.
'I saw this like clip of Arjun where he was asked what was his biggest fears growing up and he said 'ghosts'. I really liked that. I thought that was very cute. Arjun is very sweet, like when you talk to him in person. And then like over the board he's just a maniac. He's just out there hunting and going crazy,' Ella said.
Ella also recollected meeting Gukesh and his father Rajinikanth at one of the Freestyle Chess events. 'I spoke to Gukesh and his father at Weissenhaus for the first time. They were very sweet,' Ella recalled.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
8 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Captaincy looks easy...': Shubman Gill won't stop after drawing first Test series as India captain against England
Shubman Gill is on cloud nine. And why wouldn't he be? The guy, all of 25 years old, was ridiculed, taunted and whatnot after being appointed India's Test captain in May. He did not have an overseas Test record to be proud of, and with no Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, it was almost as if India had been blanked 0-4 even before the start of the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy. However, here we are, 45 days after the start of the series, with Gill standing tall with a 2-2 draw against England. Yes, the trophy might have been shared, but don't even for a solitary second, think that this is anything less than a win. Shubman Gill, take a bow!(PTI) Gill led from the front, scoring 754 runs at an incredible average of 75-plus and four centuries. Called out for his batting, his form, and his captaincy, Gill silences all his doubters and then some with a show for the ages. Defending 374, India were almost out of it when Joe Root and Harry Brook were going hammer and tongs, before a resurgent fightback from Gill, India, and its bowlers scripted a memorable win at The Oval. Siraj picked up a five-wicket haul to bowl England out for 354 and win the match by a narrow margin of six runs. And righty, Gill sported a confident look as he addressed the post-match presentation ceremony, once again, holding his calm. "The way both teams played was great. Came into the final days not knowing the result, showing both teams came with their A game. Captaincy looks easy when you have bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh like that. I think the way we responded today was magnificent. We were confident, even yesterday, we knew there under pressure. We wanted to make sure it stayed throughout," Gill said. "Siraj is a captain's dream. Gave it his all every ball and every spell he bowled. 2-2 is a fair reflection. It shows how passionate both teams were and how well they played. Very rewarding, my aim was to be the best batter this series and getting there is very satisfying. It's always a matter of sorting things out technically and mentally, they are correlated. Learnings from the last six week: We never give up." What a start to Shubman Gill's captaincy tenure Captaining in England is never easy, especially when you're an Indian captain. After all, there's a reason why India have not won a Test series in England since 2007 when Rahul Dravid ended a 21-year long wait. MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli had their opportunities, but the results were disappointing: a 0-4 loss in 2011, a 1-3 defeat in 2014, a 1-4 thrashing in 2018, and a 2-2 draw. Gill, in his debut as Test captain, achieved what took Kohli eight four years to accomplish and what Dhoni never fully managed.
Economic Times
9 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Siraj started his day with this simple google search. What followed was historic
Synopsis Mohammed Siraj, who bowled 185.3 overs and claimed 23 wickets in the series, led India to a memorable Test win against England. Inspired by a 'Believe' emoji wallpaper he found on Google that morning, Siraj took 9 wickets in the match. Despite a dropped catch turning the game briefly, he stayed focused and delivered a defining performance. Reuters The word impossible is not a part of Mohammed Siraj's dictionary as he always believed that he can win the final Test for India from any point as he pulled off one of the biggest heists in the traditional format in recent times. "I woke up in the morning and checked google on my phone and took out a 'Believe' emoji wallpaper and told myself that I will do it for the country." Without Jasprit Bumrah, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Telangana Police bowled 185.3 overs to take 23 wickets, and it couldn't have been more fitting that he earned India a win for posterity. ALSO READ: India beat odds in 5th Test, level series against England in nail-biting finish at Oval "I always believe that I can win the game from any point, and did that to the morning," Siraj told Dinesh Karthik in a post match chat for Jio Hotstar. Having consistently troubled the English batters, Siraj finished with 5 for 104 in 30.1 overs and a match haul of nine wickets. "My only plan was to bowl good areas. Didn't matter if I took wickets or went for runs," Siraj said. His feet touched the boundary rope while trying to catch Harry Brook when the batter was on 19. Brook scored a smashing ton and it looked like the match slipping from India's grasp. "I didn't think I'd touch the cushion when I took it. It was a match-changing moment. Brook got into T20 moment. We were behind the game after that but Thank God. I thought the match was gone," Siraj said.
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Hans India
‘Jatadhara' First poster promises a haunting clash of divine & dark forces
The makers of Jatadhara have unveiled the film's main poster, offering a riveting glimpse into a high-concept mythic universe. Produced by Zee Studios and Prerna Arora under Ess Kay Gee Entertainment, the film stars Telugu actor Sudheer Babu and Bollywood's Sonakshi Sinha in powerful, never-seen-before avatars. A mythic supernatural epic rooted in Indian lore, Jatadhara promises a blend of mythology and cutting-edge cinematic storytelling. The poster sets the tone with a blazing trident piercing stormy skies, as Sudheer Babu's warrior stands ready for battle, under the shadow of Lord Shiva's mighty silhouette. Below, an eerie, upside-down realm reveals the Dhanapisachini — a demonic guardian of cursed treasure — promising a haunting clash of divine and dark forces. Directed by Venkat Kalyan and Abhishek Jaiswal, the film is expected to be a visual spectacle powered by world-class VFX, AI-enhanced narratives, and a gripping screenplay. The teaser is set to drop on August 8, 2025. Produced by Zee Studios, Umesh Kumar Bansal, Prerna Arora, and others, Jatadhara marks Prerna's second collaboration with Zee after Rustom. With her track record of backing impactful films like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman, the film adds to her legacy of commercial yet meaningful cinema. Jatadhara is more than a movie—it's the beginning of a cinematic universe.
