Latest news with #Gukesh
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Tennis-Indomitable Sinner obliterates Lehecka to reach French Open fourth round
Chess grandmasters Gukesh, Carlsen, and others took a break from tournament play to enjoy Wild West-themed activities at Westernbyen, including horseshoe throwing, axe hurling, shooting, and horse posing, with Magnus Carlsen and his wife emerging victorious.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Grandmasters to Gunslingers: Carlsen, Gukesh, and a Wild West break
Stavanger: Gukesh D wanted one more shot with the axe. Arjun Erigaisi didn't mind trying out a seat on the pony. Vaishali Rameshbabu took aim with the air rifle. Koneru Humpy couldn't stop beaming after her shots landed on target. India's chess stars rarely give much away — in emotion, expression, or even words — once a tournament is underway. With blinkers on, all their focus has been firmly on the board during Norway Chess here. But for a couple of hours on the first rest day, Friday, they let their guard down. At Ålgård's Westernbyen, a rustic outdoor getaway about half an hour's drive from Stavanger, the Norway Chess Games posed a very different kind of challenge — far removed from the quiet, indoor intensity of classical chess. Of shooting with an air rifle. Of hurling a heavy axe at a target and making sure it sticks. Of landing a horseshoe on a distant pole. Of striking the perfect pose with a horse. Every year, Norway Chess plans a new surprise as part of the Games — kept under wraps even from the players. On Thursday, his 19th birthday, Gukesh said he felt confident tackling anything sports-related but admitted he wasn't so sure about his cooking skills — a nod to last year's challenge. As he arrived at Westernbyen on a gloomy afternoon, Gukesh took a moment to scan the place and figure out what lay ahead. Posters reading 'Wanted — Gukesh, the Chennai sharpshooter' were pasted around the grounds, adding to the intrigue. Every player had their own, including 'Magnus, the lone GOAT Carlsen.' But once the games got underway, the Indian world champion began to warm up to it. Paired with fellow world champion Ju Wenjun of China, Gukesh was eager to try everything — and, true to form, excel at it. He was among the few to nail the horseshoe challenge, and though none of his axe throws initially stuck to the target, he was determined to have another crack at it once the activities wrapped up. Sure enough, he nailed it on his final attempt. Vaishali was paired with American Fabiano Caruana, and Arjun with Humpy. The two Indians often chatted in Telugu. Arjun took a keen interest in trying different poses with the pony, while Humpy's shooting skills — last tested years ago at childhood balloon stalls — remained sharp. She wished her daughter had been there and proudly kept the sheet that proved her two shots had pierced the circle. 'Maybe a second career awaits,' she joked. After an hour of light-hearted competition and plenty of smiles, the winning pair was declared: Carlsen and his wife, Ella Victoria Malone.
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First Post
9 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
Magnus Carlsen acknowledges India's rising dominance in chess: 'Trying to stay ahead while I can'
The five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen has admitted that India's chess revolution is giving him tough competition. And staying ahead of the Indian chess stars is a priority for him. read more Magnus Carlsen has said the Indian chess is looking towards a 'very bright future'. Image: Norway Chess World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has admitted that he is facing tough competition from young Indian chess players who have taken the sport by storm. The Indian men's and women's teams won the Chess Olympiad gold medals for the first time in 2024 before D Gukesh defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest chess world champion of all time at 18. Currently, there are three players in the world top 10, including Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa and five in the top 15, comprising Aravindh Chithambaram and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carlsen 'trying to stay ahead' of Indian chess stars The five-time world champion Carlsen highlighted the same depth in his conversation with Indian news agency ANI as he said that he is focussed on staying ahead of the young Indian chess Grandmasters and that Indian chess has a very bright future. 'Honestly, it's not only Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa. There's obviously Arjun as well, Aravindh, who's now progressing and a ton of others who will be competing in many years to come,' Carlsen said. 'So the future is certainly very bright for Indian chess. Right now I'm just trying to stay ahead while I can.' While the 34-year-old Carlsen is more than a decade older than the young Indian chess sensations, he continues to be the best player in the world and recently defeated both Gukesh and Arjun at the ongoing Norway Chess 2025. He also holds the sole lead at the tournament while the Indians are in a joint-fourth spot. Carlsen also addressed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has impacted the world of chess. He said that AI has created a more level playing field. 'AI certainly has affected the game a lot since it was introduced about, I would say, six years ago. It's enhanced our understanding of the game a lot, but it's also been a great equaliser in the sense that it's now easier to obtain knowledge at an earlier point in your career.' Carlsen will be back in action on Saturday, taking on American GM Fabiano Caruana in Round 5, while Erigaisi faces Hikaru Nakamura and Gukesh plays against Wei Yi.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Future is very bright for Indian chess': World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess 2025
Magnus Carlsen got the better of D Gukesh in the opening round of Norway Chess. (Image: Norway Chess) World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen praised Indian grandmasters Dommaraju Gukesh, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi on the sidelines of the Norway Chess 2025. At the tournament, Carlsen started with a win against Gukesh and followed it up with another triumph against Erigaisi. Carlsen currently leads the standings with 8 points, with Gukesh and Erigaisi sharing the fourth position with 4.5 points each. In Round 4 of Norway Chess 2025, Carlsen demonstrated his expertise by defeating Indian No. 2 Erigaisi in an endgame victory. This win came after Carlsen had lost two Armageddon games in the previous rounds. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The tournament's opening round on May 27 featured a notable clash between Carlsen and reigning World Champion D Gukesh. Carlsen emerged victorious in their first classical match since Gukesh's world title win, marking Carlsen's return to individual classical chess after nearly a year's absence. When discussing the competition from Indian chess players, Carlsen told news agency ANI: "Honestly, it's not only Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa. There's obviously Arjun as well, Aravindh, who's now progressing and a ton of others who will be competing in many years to come. So the future is certainly very bright for Indian chess. Right now I'm just trying to stay ahead while I can." Exclusive | Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal: 'People still ask, 'Chess is fine, but what do you really do?'' Addressing the impact of Artificial Intelligence on chess, Carlsen shared with ANI: "AI certainly has affected the game a lot since it was introduced about, I would say, six years ago. It's enhanced our understanding of the game a lot, but it's also been a great equaliser in the sense that it's now easier to obtain knowledge at an earlier point in your career."
Hans India
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Carlsen leads after round 4, Gukesh wins
Stavanger: World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen showed his class with an instructive victory in the endgame against Indian No. 2 Arjun Erigaisi. The Norwegian superstar, who had lost two Armageddon games in the last two rounds, made a strong statement with this win on home turf. In the game between World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, the American was leading almost the whole game, with significant winning chances. However, he could not convert his advantage due to Gukesh's superb defensive skills. Gukesh then went on to win the Armageddon game convincingly. Earlier, World Champion Gukesh took down World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura in the third round, cementing his title credentials with a bold performance. This win could not come in a better moment for the Indian prodigy following two painful losses in the first two rounds. On the opening day of Norway Chess, Gukesh suffered a loss at the hands of world No.1 Magnus Carlsen. He then lost to Arjun Erigaisi in the tension-filled all-Indian encounter but the world champion bounced back in round three with a win over Nakamura and a fourth round win against Caruana. World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura against Chinese star Wei Yi was a hard-fought, exciting draw in classical portion of their matchup. Wei Yi ultimately triumphed in the Armageddon tiebreaks, securing the all important extra points. The Norway Chess Women's tournament saw another action-packed day with a decisive win for newcomer Sarasadat Khademalsharieh against Tingjie Lei.
