“It’s broken forever.” Magnus Carlsen no longer considers the world champion a rival
Alexander Fedyakov May 27, 2024, 09:45 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The Stavanger tournament will give the definitive answer to the question about Ding Liren’s capabilities.
The coolest classical chess tournament begins in Norway with the participation of the last two world champions, Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren. And this tournament, it seems, should answer the question of what the Chinese grandmaster is capable of after the action match with Ian Nepomniachtchi. Carlsen was skeptical about the champion’s abilities.
The Norwegian super grandmaster, who voluntarily gave up the title of world champion, plays very actively in tournaments of all types of chess and wins almost all of them. If Carlsen isn’t at the top of his game right now, he’s close to it. He does not even give up traditional chess: in Stavanger six participants will play with classical time control. It is true that there will be no one. In the event of a tie, Armageddon will be played during regulation time, so the winner will be determined in any case.
The lineup of participants is incredibly cool: Carlsen, world champion Ding Liren, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Alireza Firouzja and Rameshbabu Pragnanandha. However, what are missing are Ian Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh Dommaraju. They would fit perfectly in place of Firouzja and Rameshbabu. After all, the winners of the last three Candidates Tournaments are better than the much-hyped Iranian from France and the Indian, who has yet to achieve major victories.
Firouzja “threw” Ding Liren
“This champion is simpler than Magnus.” French chess player defeated and offended Ding Liren
But the main thing about the tournament is the participation of Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren. The Norwegian constantly demonstrates his strength and power, but the Chinese, who miraculously won the championship match against Nepomniachtchi, disappeared not only from the chess media field, but disappeared completely. No, he played three tournaments, but seemed helpless. They said that the new world champion ended up in a psychiatric clinic.
The Stavanger tournament will be a test of strength for Ding Liren. In the year since the victory at Astana, many have said of the Chinese that “the king is not real!” Firouzja himself generally stated that it would not be difficult to beat such a champion. Now his predecessor has also expressed his opinion on Ding Liren’s capabilities.
“I’m afraid Ding Liren is broken forever. Since the championship he has looked bad in the tournaments in which he participated. I hope he gets back to his level, but I’m not entirely sure. What happened to him after the championship game shows how tough this competition is. It’s been more than a year, but there are no signs of recovery,” Carlsen said.
“He tried to tell the truth and said what he felt. After the championship game it was very hard for me, at first I was exhausted. Then I got sick. Now I can say that I have recovered from the illness, but my strength still has not returned to its previous level,” Ding Liren reacted.
China has already prepared a replacement for the world champion
Ding Liren is no longer fashionable. China has raised a new world chess leader!
The Chinese added that his goal at the Stavanger tournament will not be his last. A worthy task for the current world champion. As for Carlsen, even before the start of the tournament he said that “it would be fantastic to win at home.”
