CHENNAI: Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will be competing in India after a gap of five years, when the Tata Steel Chess Rapid and Blitz Tournament gets underway in Kolkata on Friday. The last time he played in the country was his World Championship title match against Magnus Carlsen in his hometown in 2013. India will be hosting a world-class round-robin tournament for the first time, thanks to Tata Steel India.
The tournament will be a mix of five Indian players and five foreign players. Other than Anand, Pentala Harikrishna, Vidit Gujrathi, Surya Shekhar Ganguly and Nihal Sarin will take part in the nine-round rapid event, which will take place on the first three days of the event. World No 3 Shakhiryar Mamedyarov, who is having a great 2018, will be one of the star attractions. Current World Cup winner Levon Aronian, former world No 2 Wesley So, Hikaru Nakamura, one of the best rapid players in the world, and former World Rapid champion Sergey Karjakin complete the line-up of overseas players.
There will be one rest day on Monday, followed by a double round-robin blitz tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday. Anand started 2018 on a rousing note, winning the Tal Memorial Rapid title in Moscow. However, he has been off colour in his last three rapid events in Leuven, Paris and St Louis. Having won the most number of rapid titles among current players, the Indian will be a strong contender. Anand’s ability to bounce back from setbacks time and again is what makes him a great player.
“The format being rapid and blitz may help Anand to turn around his bad form into a good one,’’ said an optimistic India GM Sundararajan Kidambi when queried about Anand’s chances. “Perhaps Mamedyarov is the favourite because of his success this year. Though there are sure to be surprises,’’ said Kidambi when asked to pick out a favourite.
India No 2 Harikrishna, who won a rapid match against Czech No 1 David Navara recently, will be looking for a podium finish even though it’s going to be difficult. It will be interesting to see how Nihal performs in this star-studded field.Nakamura, who has triumphed in last two rapid and blitz (combined) events of the Grand Chess Tour, will start as favourite. Mamedyarov and Aronian will be the other frontrunners for the crown.
R Praggnanandhaa, who became India’s second youngest GM, will get a chance to rub shoulders with the world’s best in the blitz event.Participants: S Mamedyarov (Aze), V Anand (Ind), W So (USA), L Aronian (Arm), S Karjakin (Rus), H Nakamura (USA), P Harikrishna, Vidit Gujrathi, S S Ganguly, Nihal Sarin (all Ind).