Indian Teenager Beats World Chess Champion Carlsen
At 16, India’s big chess hope scales first peak, beats his own hero and World No 1 Magnus Carlsen.
The Airthings Masters tournament is an online chess tournament. Sixteen players in total play for the preliminary rounds and the top 8 move forward to the knockout stage. India’s 16 year old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa from Chennai is also a part of the tournament. On Monday, Praggnanandhaa was playing against world number one Magnus Carlsen who is a Norwegian (from Norway). Magnus Carlsen sat bemused, palms on his face, after realizing that he was going to lose the eighth round of the tournament. Praggnanandhaa was shocked and unable to believe that he was going to defeat world number one. Praggnanandhaa was playing black and won the game in 39 moves. Praggnanandhaa was so tired by the exacting game of quick wits that all he wanted was to catch some sleep. He said, “It’s about time to go to bed as I don’t think I will have dinner at 2.30 in the morning.
Praggnanandhaa after becoming the second youngest Grandmaster in the world four years ago had told newspapers, “Carlsen is my idol. Beating him once is my biggest dream. Carlsen has a solution for even the most complicated problem.” Others who have beaten Carlsen include Indians Viswanathan Anand and Pentala Harikrishna, but Praggnanandhaa is the youngest
Many people tweeted congratulatory messages for Praggnanandhaa. India’s famous grandmaster Viswanathan Anand too tweeted praise for him, “Always proud of our talents! Very good day for @rpragchess.”Indian cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar also joined in the praise for Praggnanandhaa and tweeted, “What a wonderful feeling it must be. Only 16, and to have beaten the experienced & famous Magnus Carlsen, is magical!.Best wishes on a long & successful chess career ahead. You’ve made India proud!”
