Latest news with #SuperUnitedRapidandBlitz
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Many people forget that he's only 19. He even forgets he's 19, says D Gukesh's coach Grzegorz Gajewski
D Gukesh during the Grand Chess Tour competition in Zagreb, Croatia. (Image: X) Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh secured third place at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz competition in Croatia, surprising many as he had only a 0.3 percent chance of winning according to pre-tournament simulations. The 19-year-old world champion showed significant improvement in faster time controls, winning the Rapid section before struggling in Blitz, ultimately finishing behind Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So. Despite being a powerhouse in Classical chess with a rating of 2776, Gukesh's performance in faster formats has been notably lower, with Rapid (2686.8) and Blitz (2612.6) ratings below the elite 2700 mark. His coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, sees this third-place finish as a sign of major progress. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "We are doing some exercises strictly devoted to the faster time controls," Gajewski told New Indian Express, explaining their focused training approach. These special exercises and practice games aim to boost Gukesh's skills in shorter time formats. Gajewski faces an interesting challenge managing his young protégé. "Chess wise, it's a tricky period because as world champion, the expectation is that much higher," he notes. The coach often needs to remind Gukesh of his youth, as the teenager's ambition sometimes makes him forget he's competing against more experienced players. "Chess wise, it's a tricky period because as world champion, the expectation is that much higher," he says. "In the process, many people forget that he's only 19. Sometimes, he even forgets that he's only 19. It's about managing his own ambitions, he's of course very hungry and just wanting to crush everybody on the board. But the reality is that the competition is very strong and many of his opponents are older, even the very young guys are older than him. " The coach emphasised on the overall development rather than format-specific improvements. "For me, the most important thing is for Gukesh to develop as a player not in terms of Classical or Rapid or Blitz... there are many areas to improve and once he improves in those areas he will become stronger in all formats," Gajewski explains. Since becoming world champion in Singapore last year, Gukesh has shown mixed results but achieved notable victories, including two wins against Magnus Carlsen in different formats. His recent Croatian performance adds to these achievements, marking steady progress in his developing career. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Gukesh, Gajewski devote time to work on faster time controls
CHENNAI: Before the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz competition in Croatia began, the organisers had carried 15000 tournament simulations. Per the simulations, D Gukesh had a 0.3 percent of winning it. It once again reflected the Indian's standing in the faster time controls. The world champion in Classical had a deeply calculative mind but his ratings in both Rapid and Blitz are well below the 2700 mark; if you are above this threshold, GMs are generally considered to be elite. For example, Gukesh's Classical rating is 2776 but his ratings in both Rapid (2686.8) and Blitz (2612.6) tell a story. It's why his performance in Croatia was a net positive. He dominated the Rapid section of the event where he finished first (he again beat Magnus Carlsen) before a less than ideal Blitz performance (where he finished last) cost him the title. Overall, he finished third behind Carlsen and Wesley So). Considering the Tamil Nadu teen isn't really known for his prowess when playing quicker time controls — he's very calculative rather than intuitive — finishing third is a sign of 'big progress' for Gukesh's coach, Grzegorz Gajewski. It also proves to the Pole GM that the behind-the-scenes work they are doing is beginning to pay off. "We are doing some exercises strictly devoted to the faster time controls," Gajewski, who was in-situ with Gukesh, tells this daily. "Just some training games and exercises." These games and exercises are geared towards making the youngster more proficient in the game's shorter formats.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'My B-game is usually enough' - Magnus Carlsen takes a swipe at competitors after winning SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz
Magnus Carlsen reacts during his game against D Gukesh at the Super United Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia. (Image via X/@Grand ChessTour) In the recent past, Magnus Carlsen has been in the news more than the titles he has won, it is more about his comments. After winning the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia tournament on Sunday, Magnus again dropped one of his bombshells taking a swipe at his fellow competitors. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'When nobody else has a great performance, my B-game is usually enough. Always striving for more though!,' Carlsen posted after the win. When nobody else has a great performance, my B-game is usually enough. Always striving for more though! — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) July 6, 2025 After the win Carlsen had said that he is playing chess like an old man approach. "I felt that I struggled most of the event. Partly because it was a very strong field this year," Carlsen had said on Sunday. "There weren't a lot of weaker players at all. It wasn't obvious who was going to score poorly and who was going to score well against the others. "It felt like, especially in rapid, chances were kind of hard to come by. I had one good day yesterday (the first day of blitz section on Saturday) and that turned out to be enough. 'It speaks to the fact that it was a fairly even tournament overall. Nobody could really break away from the pack. "It doesn't feel like I won. It feels like I just came here and played alright. Nobody really did anything special in the end. Then I usually end up winning,' he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Villa Rosa (ver precio) Verisure Más información Undo Carlsen has never minced words. In recent times, 19-year-old world champion Gukesh has found himself in the Norwegian's crosshairs, perhaps unintentionally, but tellingly. From downplaying his credentials as World Champion to doubting Gukesh's acumen in faster formats, Carlsen has raised subtle but sharp questions. Although Carlsen eventually clinched the Norway Chess title earlier this year, it was Gukesh who rattled the home favourite on his own turf, enough to make the Scandinavian bang the table in frustration, a moment that quickly grabbed social media's attention. Ahead of the Zagreb tournament, Carlsen struck again, remarking: "Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament." Many, including the 34-year-old, expected Gukesh's perceived shortcomings in quicker formats to be exposed again. Instead, the 19-year-old beat Carlsen, led the rapid section and finished third overall in Croatia. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
‘Magnus Carlsen's respect for D Gukesh is only going to grow' – What does it even mean?
NEW DELHI: 'It's like writing an article: if you have more time, then you do better work,' Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan explains the basic difference between classical chess and the faster formats like rapid and blitz. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Sunday, the faster format saw the redemption of whom many consider 'the greatest of all time,' . Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! After watching reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju lead the way in the rapid event at the Super United Rapid and Blitz in Croatia, Carlsen pulled out his 'B-game'—his words—to prove that it was 'usually enough' to claim yet another title. After the win, he made a cheeky post with the caption 'haters' on social media, only to delete it shortly after. A message received, nonetheless. Earlier that day, all eyes were on the marquee clash: Carlsen vs. Gukesh, a battle of titans that ended unexpectedly in a 14-move Berlin draw lasting just more than a minute. There were no theatrics, no psychological jabs, just a quiet handshake. Gukesh appeared unruffled. Carlsen looked visibly irked, stealing a glance at the display board and shrugging a couple of times as he made his way out. Yet, in that muted draw lay another chapter of a rivalry that has come to define this transition era in world chess. Carlsen has never minced his words. In recent times, Gukesh has found himself in the Norwegian's crosshairs—perhaps unintentionally, but tellingly. From downplaying his credentials as World Champion to doubting Gukesh's acumen in faster formats, Carlsen has raised subtle but sharp questions. The thing is, Gukesh has always answered them—not with words, but with moves. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Although Carlsen eventually clinched the Norway Chess title earlier this year, it was Gukesh who rattled the home favourite on his own turf, enough to make the Scandinavian bang the table in frustration—a moment that quickly grabbed social media's attention. Ahead of the Zagreb tournament, Carlsen struck again, saying: 'Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament.' Many, including the 34-year-old, expected Gukesh's perceived shortcomings in quicker formats to be exposed again. Instead, the 19-year-old beat Carlsen, led the rapid section, and finished third overall in Croatia. 'Sometimes when players compare levels, they remember their own best games and someone else's bad ones,' GM Pravin Thipsay, who coached a franchise featuring Carlsen in the Global Chess League, told 'That creates a gap in perception. A player's level is their worst and best together. 'He may still be the world No. 1, but that doesn't give him the right to undermine others. Even Garry Kasparov didn't win everything. And when Kasparov made such comments, he at least had the grace to acknowledge when he was wrong.' Thipsay also pointed to Carlsen's waning motivation in classical formats: 'When the genuine feeling develops that you're much better than someone else, and then it becomes surprising when you're not able to beat them. That's where the lack of motivation creeps in. " Frankly speaking, Magnus has a different kind of problem too: his inability to concentrate for two, three, or four hours is real. It's a serious issue,' suggesting that outbursts like banging the table stem from a deeper frustration: an unwillingness to fully accept that younger players like Gukesh are quickly catching up. 'Gukesh is very composed,' said 65-year-old Thipsay. 'Even when Carlsen banged the table, he didn't react. That shows maturity. The younger generation is mentally tougher. They're trained to stay in control.' GM Srinath Narayanan, captain and coach of the Indian men's team that won the gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, believes the rivalry, while compelling, is being shaped more by narratives than direct hostility. 'Carlsen tends to be blunt, and because he's Carlsen, everything he says is magnified,' he said. 'But I don't think he's targeting Gukesh personally. It's a rivalry like many others, made sharper because one is the World Champion, and the other is still the highest-rated player.' In Srinath's words, the current scenario reminds him of the early 2000s, when a young Carlsen was the challenger, taking on legends like Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. 'There was skepticism back then too. Now, Carlsen finds himself on the other side of that equation,' Srinath observed. 'In the chess world, Magnus is the benchmark for everyone. There's still a global belief that he's the best player out there. Maybe not forever, but certainly for now. I remember at the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz, he didn't do too well in the rapid, especially on day two. I played him that day and managed to beat him. But on day three, he started playing faster. He performed much better in the blitz that followed. That's Magnus,' he added. 'Carlsen's respect for Gukesh is probably only going to grow. Of course, it depends on how Gukesh develops. But in these situations, the younger player usually keeps rising while the older one gradually declines. At some point, Gukesh might well surpass Carlsen, though that still depends on many factors.' Carlsen may still be the GOAT, but Gukesh is getting ever closer to it. And the best part? He's doing it without any gimmick.
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First Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'My B-game is usually enough': Magnus Carlsen reacts after dominating Grand Chess Tour 2025
Carlsen finished at the top of the leaderboard with 22.5 out of 36 points. He looked calm and confident throughout the tournament and defeated local boy Ivan Saric in the final round to win the trophy. read more Magnus Carlsen took the first place at the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz and won $40,000 prize money. Image: Grand Chess Tour Magnus Carlsen proved once again why he is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. The former World Champion completely dominated the Super United Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, winning the title with a round to spare. The tournament was part of the Grand Chess Tour 2025. Carlsen finished at the top of the leaderboard with 22.5 out of 36 points. He looked calm and confident throughout the tournament and defeated local boy Ivan Saric in the final round to win the trophy. After winning the title, Carlsen gave an honest reaction that caught everyone's attention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carlsen's first reaction after SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz win 'When nobody else has a great performance, my B-game is usually enough. Always striving for more though!' the current World No. 1 wrote on X (formerly Twitter). When nobody else has a great performance, my B-game is usually enough. Always striving for more though! — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) July 6, 2025 Carlsen had finished third in the rapid section of the tournament held from 2 to 4 July. Current World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh had secured the first place with 14 out of 18 points in the rapid leg. Carlsen had just 10 points going into the blitz section of the Grand Chess Tour event. However, the five-time world champion made a remarkable comeback, scoring 12.5 points in the blitz section, which helped him finish at the top of the overall standings. Thanks to his victory, Carlsen won USD 40,000 as prize money out of the total pool of USD 1,75,000. American Grandmaster Wesley So finished second with 20 points and took home USD 30,000, while Gukesh won USD 25,000 after securing third place with 19.5 points. Gukesh edged Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland and Alireza Firouzja of France by just 0.5 points to secure the podium finish. SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia: Final standings 1. Carlsen (Norway, 22.5 points) 2. Wesley So (USA, 20 points) STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. D Gukesh (India, 19.5 points) 4-5. Duda Jan-Krzysztof (Poland), Alireza Firouzja (France) 19 points each 6. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan, 18 points) 7-8. Fabiano Caruana (USA), Anish Giri (Netherlands) 17 points each 9. R Praggnanandhaa (India, 15 points) 10. Ivan Saric (Croatia, 13 points)
