CHENNAI: In a parallel universe, Alireza Firouzja would have topped the 2022 edition of the Candidates and tempted Magnus Carlsen into a title match in 2023. But the Frenchman was below his best and finished sixth with two wins from 14 games. Less than three weeks after that edition of the Candidates finished, Carlsen announced his decision to abdicate. The Norwegian, inarguably the game's best player since he first won the title in 2013, had, once upon a time, remarked that he liked Firouzja's style. It's kind of why the chess world thought that if Firouzja had emerged as the contender in 2022, Carlsen may have decided to rethink his decision.
All that, though, is water on the bridge. Carlsen is out of the World Championship cycle — the 'circus' as he remarked — while Firouzja has kind of recalibrated his own desires. This time two years ago, the Iranian-French GM was involved in his own personal race to qualify for the Candidates while playing against a bunch of lesser-rated players to get in through the back door. It attracted lots of scorn but he only had eyes on the prize — a Candidates spot. However, after qualifying, he again disappointed. Two wins and seventh out of eight.
But the talent is obvious. Over the last week or so in Mumbai, he has taken down Fabiano Caruana, D Gukesh, Hikaru Nakamura, Viswanathan Anand and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Or, to put it in other words, he has so far beaten the six-time Candidates qualifier plus one time runner-up, the reigning world champion, one of the greatest players of all time in terms of ratings, a five-time world champion and a former world blitz champion in five days.
Part of the two-time defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, in the ongoing Global Chess League (GCL), his play has resembled a walking fire emoji. In a format where there are a lot of variables at a play (results tend to vary a lot in speed chess because positions get a lot sharper sooner) he has excelled with a performance rating of 3526 (for perspective, his live rapid rating is 2775.2, only behind Carlsen.
It kind of matches with his current ambitions within the world of chess. "I mostly play fast tournaments (these days) and speed chess championships," he told select media in an interaction. "I prefer to compete in those events."
When he was a teenager, he was set on becoming world champion. Now? The 22-year-old has his eyes locked on a different prize. "World No. 1," he says. "My real goal is No. 1 in the ratings." Is that more important for him than becoming world champion in the Classical format? Yep. "As chess player, you should be trying to play the best chess that you can. Whatever format it is — classical or rapid, blitz, doesn't matter. You have to be the best player in the world. This should be your goal. Doesn't matter the title you have, the most important is that you can prove that you are the best player in the world. That is the goal, or should be the goal, for each chess player."
At a time when most of the young Indian players focus on their Classical chess, Firouzja is clearly looking at the game differently. "Chess is going more and more... it is only going towards the faster way," he said." He also reckons that he has become a more rounded player since Carlsen first aired his views on the Frenchman. "That was a long time ago and I think my chess has improved from that time."
What's next for him? He has left behind his initial plans for a career in fashion — "I'm still curious but not as much as before" — as he has submitted wholeheartedly to chess. The quicker variants of the game anyway.
Results (Day Five): Triveni Continental Kings 9-5 upGrad Mumba Masters, Ganges Grandmasters 8-7 Fyers American Gambits, PBG Alaskan Knights 12-8 Alpine SG Pipers.
