ircrehab.com – News Features & Broad Perspectives

Karthikeyan Murali, the 26-year-old Grandmaster from Thanjavur, holds a unique place in Indian chess history. In 2023, at the Qatar Masters, he became the only Indian to beat Magnus Carlsen with the black pieces during the Norwegian’s 14-year reign as World No. 1. A two-time national champion, Murali’s accidental chess journey now carries one unforgettable milestone.

India’s Divya Deshmukh sparked laughs with her “No jeans!” rule-change joke, recalling Magnus Carlsen’s 2024 dress code controversy. Carlsen famously refused to change his Corneliani jeans, was fined, and later auctioned them for $36,100. Proceeds went to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, turning a quirky chess moment into a powerful charitable milestone.

Chess legends Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kasparov are set to reignite their historic rivalry in St. Louis this October, headlining the Clutch Chess series. Adding to the excitement, current world champion D Gukesh will face off against Magnus Carlsen. Kasparov, while acknowledging Gukesh's title win, suggests Carlsen remains the strongest player, sparking debate about the current world championship landscape.

Garry Kasparov ignited controversy by suggesting Gukesh's world title lacks the prestige of past champions, despite Gukesh winning fairly. He implied Magnus Carlsen's era redefined the title's significance, prompting strong defence from Susan Polgar, who highlighted Gukesh's Candidates Tournament victory and criticised double standards. Gukesh continues to face intense scrutiny as he competes in the Sinquefield Cup.

Indian Chess grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa expressed his thoughts as he became the country's highest-ranked player, saying that he doesn't pay too much attention towards one or two ratings points as they can be changed at any time.

After Magnus Carlsen’s table-slam went viral following a loss to D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa called it an instinctive reaction — not ideal, but good for chess visibility. While praising Carlsen as the best, Praggnanandhaa reflected on his own breakthrough year, having won three major titles and rising to World No. 4 as he eyes a Candidates spot.