The Triveni Continental Kings have discovered themselves to be second time fortunate for the second season in a row within the World Chess League. Final yr, the staff was left scrambling for a last-ditch substitute for world champion Ding Liren, and in Levon Aronian, they discovered an icon who led them to the title.
This time round, after Ian Nepomniachtchi needed to withdraw from the occasion in London because of visa points, their substitute for the icon board, Alireza Firouzja, has gone on a giant-killing spree.
After bringing down former world champions Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen in addition to World No 2 Hikaru Nakamura in earlier encounters, Firouzja acquired the higher of senior French compatriot Maxime Vachier-Lagrave twice in two days within the second version of the GCL. Solely Anish Giri has been capable of maintain the Iran-born French star to a draw. Since that draw, the 21-year-old has defeated everybody who has confronted him.
Enjoying on the icon board for the Kings franchise, he took down Vachier-Lagrave in a pointy, tactical sport which led to 42 strikes after Vachier-Lagrave selected to resign with a checkmate showing inevitable. Firouzja cornered Vachier-Lagrave’s claustrophobic king on the file with a bishop, a queen, a knight and an advancing pawn.
“I desire sharp positions on the board. Normally, top-level gamers are good at every little thing. Usually, my finest tactical video games have been within the extra tactical positions,” Firouzja, who is among the most attacking gamers within the sport, instructed The Indian Specific in an interview.
When requested what he likes in regards to the sport, he stated: “After I began out, I appreciated the truth that it was a person sport, so that you had so much in your arms. You might management issues. That was what made it completely different from different sports activities like soccer. I appreciated that so much. Aside from that I used to be excellent at it from the beginning. That helped so much… Proper now, I get pleasure from the truth that I can journey all around the world or I can play from house even in high tournaments. As an illustration, Magnus and I confronted one another a number of occasions solely in on-line tournaments. It’s excellent observe. It’s an excellent combine.”
Whereas he skipped the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, he stated he was significantly having fun with enjoying in a staff ambiance.
“I all the time get pleasure from staff codecs. I loved it after I performed on the European Championships after I led to second spot with France. I all the time play properly in staff occasions as a result of I really like the ambiance. Right here in GCL as properly, we’ve an excellent staff,” he stated earlier than including: “The sooner codecs are far more enjoyable to play in. Nevertheless it’s additionally essential to have steadiness between the codecs. I’ve to be good at every little thing. However I observe enjoying within the sooner time controls so much.”
Firouzja’s expertise has all the time been plain. A grandmaster on the age of 14, he had damaged Magnus Carlsen’s file for the youngest participant ever to cross the 2800 ranking barrier. 5-time world champion Carlsen, earlier than he selected to forfeit his crown, had even declared: “If somebody apart from Firouzja wins the Candidates Event, it’s unlikely that I’ll play the subsequent world championship match.”
Did a declaration like that from one of many biggest gamers in historical past put strain on him?
“I don’t see why it ought to put strain on me to listen to that he sees me as a succesful opponent for himself,” he smiles. “I attempt to all the time present that I’m probably the greatest gamers on the earth. There’s no strain.”
Whereas Firouzja was enjoying in his second Candidates match in Toronto earlier this yr, it was a primary timer, Gukesh, who received the celebrated occasion in his first try.
“Gukesh’s win (on the Candidates) was very spectacular. He performed excellent chess. He has an excellent staff behind him. Him successful was not that a lot of a shock. All people was very sturdy within the Candidates so anyone may have received it. However after all, he performed an ideal occasion,” stated the Frenchman.
Did Gukesh successful the Candidates make him really feel like the subsequent era’s time has come?
“Him successful didn’t give me a special motivation. After all it’s good to see that new faces are coming. The era’s altering. The Indian gamers have huge assist. They usually’re successful every little thing. For positive India is a superpower on the earth of chess. The Indians have an excellent construction, with Viswanathan Anand and everyone being concerned. The Indian gamers know the trail to victory.”
(The author is in London on the invitation of Tech Mahindra)
