Magnus Carlsen, currently the highest-rated player globally, will be traveling to Kolkata in November to participate in the 6th Tata Steel Chess India tournament. During the event, the world number one will go head-to-head with India's top elite, including R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, SL Narayanan, Nihal Sarin, and Vidit Gujrathi.
The only significant absence from the Indian contingent is 18-year-old Gukesh, who is preoccupied with training for his upcoming world championship clash against Ding Liren. The tournament is scheduled to run from November 13 to 17 at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in the Alipore area of Kolkata.
This will be the second time the five-time world champion Carlsen has competed in Kolkata, following his win in 2019. The full 10-player roster also features international talents Wesley So, Daniil Dubov, Vincent Keymer, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, alongside the five Indian representatives. In a separate note, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, the former Russian deputy prime minister, was seen accompanying Carlsen during his speech at the FIDE 100 Gala.
As with previous editions, the Women's and Open categories will be played in rapid formats, with identical prize pools for both. The legendary Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion himself, will be supporting the event as its official ambassador.
The women's 10-player lineup is dominated by the Indian squad that competed at the Budapest Chess Olympiad, including Harika Dronavalli, Vantika Agrawal, Divya Deshmukh, and Vaishali R, along with India's top-ranked female player, Koneru Humpy.
\"I'm thrilled to return to Tata Steel Chess India, which has truly become the premier chess event in the country,\" remarked Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. \"This year's edition brings together the global elite, led by Magnus Carlsen. I'm especially pleased to see the women's competition showcasing India's finest. Given how this year has celebrated the growth of Indian chess, this tournament is a perfect tribute,\" he added.
Meanwhile, Dutch Grandmaster Loek van Wely has already tipped the scales for the upcoming World Chess Championship between China's Ding Liren and India's prodigy Gukesh. \"If I had any money left to bet, I'd put it all on Gukesh,\" van Wely admitted.
Van Wely expressed hope that Ding could regain his form, noting that based on Gukesh's dominant Olympiad performance and Ding's recent struggles, the odds seem skewed. He joked that perhaps a \"wonder doctor\" in China could restore Ding to his prime, but cautioned Gukesh to stay grounded and avoid treating the match as an easy victory until the final move is played.
In a recent media interview, van Wely—who recently coached the Triveni Continental Kings—discussed several topics, including the World Championship in Singapore, the surge of Indian talent, his time with the Kings, and his success in winning two consecutive Global Chess League titles.
Reflecting on team building, van Wely mentioned he would have loved to have Gukesh or Erigaisi on his squad. While Gukesh was unavailable due to his world title preparations, Erigaisi was an option, but budget and strategic choices regarding gender balance in the team played a role. He noted that even Erigaisi hadn't quite met the highest expectations recently, concluding that it's all about finding the right player for the right price.