– Now and for many years, Magnus is by far the best chess player on the planet. The recent World Rapid and Blitz Championship confirmed it. I think Carlsen is like Messi, only in chess there is no Ronaldo who can compete with him for many years. Someone is in good shape for a year or two, but Magnus has been at this level for many years. As for me, I don’t want to seem immodest, but in official tournaments I beat him three times, and playing with him was always a great challenge, ”Esipenko said in an interview with Sovetsky Sport correspondent Daria Savinova.
Let’s remember that the Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen won the World Blitz Championship, which takes place in Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan).
