MUMBAI: Fabiano Caruana is one of the nearly men of world chess. Since 2016, the US Super GM, consistently rated over 2750 in the Classical format, has featured in all editions of the Candidates, the elite double round-robin competition from where the challenger faces the reigning world champion in the title match, the game's biggest standalone event.
Currently ranked No. 3 in the world, with a rating of 2795, Caruana will feature in a sixth straight Candidates in 2026. By ratings alone, he will be one of the favourites for the event apart from Hikaru Nakamura. But Caruana, who has advanced to the title match-up only once (2018 against Magnus Carlsen where he lost on tie-breaks), predicts a very tough fight.
"By rating, I guess I will be among the favourites," he said after the first day of the Global Chess League (GCL) in the city on Sunday. "But there's going to be a lot of tough games. No matter what the field is, you are not going to have an easy fight in the Candidates because everyone's super keen and you will have guys who have played at the top level for many years now."
It's why the 33-year-old will be a dangerous opponent for someone like R Praggnanandhaa, the only Indian in the eight-player field for next year's event. Caruana name-checked Pragg as a 'contender' to qualify for the World Championships. "He definitely has a realistic chance and has some experience behind him (Pragg featured in the 2024 edition but I wouldn't make any one player as a super favourite or anything."
One of the hot topics up and down the chess paddock has revolved around D Gukesh's reign as world champion, with multiple Super GMs taking aim. There have also been some comparisons with Ding Liren, the former Chinese champion who was in very bad shape for almost the entirety of his reign before losing to Gukesh in 2024.
While Caruana says Gukesh hasn't had a very good year, he maintains that the Indian's level is 'much better than Ding'. "I don't think it's the same situation because Gukesh is playing at the top level," he said. "Maybe you can't say that he's the pure No. 1 in the world right now like that but that's super normal. The world champion isn't necessarily the pure No. 1 in the world. Ding, I think, was different because he was in very bad shape. Gukesh is different, much better than Ding. But it's true that he hasn't had a very good year, but maybe next year will be better. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes into very good shape next year but after the match (against Ding), 2025 wasn't his best year."
Champions off to winning start
Triveni Continental Kings, led by Alireza Firouzja, beat Caruana's Alpine SG Pipers as the defending champions began on a winning note. Both Caruana — "not a very good game, I had a good position but it went out of control," he said — and Anish Giri lost and the others couldn't compensate.
Results: Triveni Continental Kings bt Alpine SG Pipers, UMumba Masters bt Ganges Grandmasters, American Gambits bt PBG Alaskan Knights.
