The rise of India’s new chess generation
NEW DELHI: In the span of eight months, the number of Indians who have defeated the world’s best chess player, Magnus Carlsen, has swelled from two to five. Before 2022, only Viswanathan Anand and P Harikrishna had achieved the task of outwitting the reigning five-time world champion. Now, the teen trio of R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh can also lay claim to that feat.
Praggnanandhaa, 17, has defeated the Norwegian three times; Erigaisi, 19, and Gukesh, 16, notched up their maiden victories over the world champion at the Aimchess Rapid tournament in October. By doing so, they offered the most resounding evidence of their readiness to challenge the world’s top players.
“I think the significance [of the results] is for their self-confidence,” Anand, who has had many intriguing battles with Carlsen, said. “They have seen that even against the best player in the world, someone against whom it is very difficult to snatch a point, they can do it. That is the positive message they should take away. It doesn’t matter if it’s rapid chess or anything else. It is just as hard to beat him in rapid as in any other time control.”
While an intrinsic aptitude for chess is a common factor helping them check significant milestones in their teens, there are subtle differences in the playing styles of the three young players, and their preferences in attack and defence make for an interesting comparison.
So, which format do they like the most? What are their go-to opening moves? How do they handle pressure in an endgame with the clock ticking down?
Preferred formats
“Gukesh has been very focused on classical chess. It’s clearly his top priority. He only plays these rapid (10 minutes to 60 minutes) and blitz events (less than 10 minutes) if they do not clash with commitments in classical events,” said
Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan, who was the coach of the India A team that finished fourth at the 44th Chess Olympiad in Mahabalipuram in August.
“Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, has been popular primarily because of his exploits in the Champions Chess Tour, which is an online rapid tournament. I think Praggnanandhaa hasn’t played as many classical games as the other two. So far, he has done much better in this format than in classical.” Srinath added that he believes “it is only a matter of time” before Praggnanandhaa starts doing well in classical chess too.
As far as formats go, Erigaisi doesn’t seem to have a clear favourite. “Arjun has been balanced. He’s been playing a lot of classical chess and has been active and consistent in all the different online rapid tournaments. He’s a bit more balanced comparatively,” Srinath said.
This is evident from the ELO ratings of these three players in the classical format. While Gukesh and Erigaisi crossed the hallowed mark of 2,700 earlier this year, Praggnanandhaa’s rating is 2,678.
Different styles
Anand believes that the styles of the three players are constantly evolving. “There are small variations. Arjun is the closest to a universal style, whereas Pragg and Gukesh lean heavily towards aggressive positions. Arjun is probably the most positional of the lot. He likes playing a mixture of quiet positions and aggressive moves. But they are all working on all aspects,” said Anand.
Srinath cites Gukesh’s recent victory over Carlsen, in 29 moves, to underline the player’s biggest strength. It seemed as though the Norwegian was on his way to a routine win 25 moves into the game, only to stumble into a cleverly-laid trap for his queen.
“In terms of technical aspects, I think Gukesh is incredibly resourceful. That’s his USP,” said Srinath. “He’s very good at
detecting a lot of things that escape the eye of others. You saw that happen with Magnus as well. He was doing really well in the game against Gukesh. Magnus overlooked that his queen was getting trapped. It was game over for him after that. It might seem like luck, but it’s not.”
Srinath puts this trait down to Gukesh’s formative training. “He religiously stayed away from engines (in the initial years). That probably trained him in getting an insight into what can be difficult for humans even if it is not among the top moves recommended by engines. He throws opponents offguard. It is not easy to understand Gukesh’s moves as easily as those of other top players.”
Praggnanandhaa, too, was kept largely away from engines during his formative years by coach RB Ramesh. According to V Saravanan, an International Master from Chennai, Praggnanandhaa’s game is all about dynamism.
“Pragg doesn’t bother much about material. He goes for activity. His play involves a little bit of gambling,” said Saravanan, offering Praggnanandhaa’s game against Pranav Anand, another teen Grandmaster, in the recently concluded Asian championship and his maiden victory over Carlsen
as examples. “When the position became equal, the game seemed likely to end in a draw if it went on in a normal way. Pragg didn’t even bat an eyelid before sacrificing a pawn and going for activity. Most of his compensations are dynamic in nature. The very first time he beat Carlsen in blitz, that’s what he did. He went for a very dynamic position. Of course, Carlsen blundered and lost the game.”
Another feature of Praggnanandhaa’s game is his unflappable temperament. India’s match against Azerbaijan at the 44th Chess Olympiad in August is a case in point.
“What has stood out recently is his incredible calmness in critical situations under time pressure,” observed Srinath. “There was this game in the Olympiad against Azerbaijan where the match was pretty balanced. If Pragg didn’t win that game, India’s medal chances were done. They were down 1-2 and the position was bad for Pragg. While the opponent was tense and animated, Pragg was just completely calm and managed to outplay his opponent in a critical moment. It was a very important moment in India B winning a bronze medal.”
Saravanan considers Erigaisi to be “almost diametrically opposite” to Praggnanandhaa.
“Arjun is basically a positional player. He keeps his pieces at the right place. He plays correct chess. He sticks to principles. There is generally not a single piece misplaced... that kind of style. He is probably the best among the three in terms of calculation.”
Openings and end games
Chess players usually devote extensive time to different opening preparations, knowing that it lays the foundation that often dictates how a game pans out. You could be a master at wriggling out of complex situations in the endgame, but it counts for little in a game between players of equal strength if the opening isn’t up to scratch.
“One thing I can say is Pragg goes for sharp openings,” noted Saravanan. “In a dynamic opening, you keep the position open but within your control. That’s what Gukesh and Erigaisi do. Pragg goes for hand-to-hand combat straightaway. It means it can be hit and miss. For example, there is the Sicilian Najdorf, which is an extremely tactical opening. You cannot play by general instinct or understanding in such openings. You have to calculate like a machine.”
In general, though, the young crop of Indian GMS isn’t fixated on a particular opening system. That perhaps sets these players apart from the likes of Anand, Harikrishna and Vidit Gujrathi, who would look to master one system before trying another.
All of them, according to Srinath, have work to do on the endgame though.
“Everyone can get better in this aspect. Generally, so much attention is given to openings and middle games. Since they are quite young, they simply haven’t seen as many positions as someone older at the top level,” he said.
Over the next few years, as they continue to evolve, their specific methods and preferences are subject to change. As long as they are able to maximise their potential though, Indians who enjoy their chess can sit back and relish what each of the three has to offer.