NEW DELHI: Hungarian Grandmaster Richard Rapport, one of the few to secure a draw against the relentless D Gukesh in the Chess Olympiad, admires India’s remarkable chess growth.
He, however, refrained from naming the young talent as a clear favorite for the world title.
The caution stems from the unique challenge posed by the highly anticipated match in November-December, and Gukesh’s experienced opponent, Ding Liren.
Presently, 18-year-old Gukesh is reveling in India’s first-ever Olympiad gold in Budapest. He was the campaign star, finishing unbeaten with eight wins and two draws.
Rapport, who first halted Gukesh in his dominant run, praised the youngest world title challenger while speaking to news agency PTI. They are likely to meet again next month in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) in London.
In the previous GCL season, Rapport defeated Gukesh when they faced each other.
“When I played him in GCL last season, he was a different player, may be not a different player but in different form. I didn’t play a particularly interesting game against him in the Olympiad. I played a very straight game,” said Rapport, who became Hungary’s youngest GM when he achieved the title at 13 years of age after taking up chess to improve his grades in mathematics.
“I didn’t really push him to his limits (in the Olympiad) but others have done that and he stood his ground. That’s super impressive. I am very much looking forward to playing him (in GCL).
“I like to be challenged by the strongest players on the planet even though it’s going to get more difficult with this young Indian generation coming up. But I am not entirely depressed,” he quipped.
Gukesh and Rapport drew their sixth-round game in the Olympiad after 44 moves. Uzbekistan’s Abdusattorov Nodirbek was the only other player to draw against Gukesh.
Rapport, like many in the chess community, eagerly anticipates the world championship. Last year, he supported Ding Liren as his second when the Chinese GM won the title by defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.
According to the Hungarian, Gukesh faces a tough challenge in the November 20 to December 15 match due to Liren’s significant experience.
“…if you look at the last event (the Olympiad), Gukesh is supposed to be favourite but that match is very different and Ding has experience and I think may be there would a new champion. But I would not put the numbers in favour of anybody. It’s way too difficult than any tournament ever.
“Experience is a huge advantage for anyone. I expect a very close (match) and I expect a big fight. I hope to see some good ideas, worthy of a world championship, which I think the last match definitely delivered,” he said.
Rapport also commended the Indian women’s team, which won gold at the Olympiad, making it a clean sweep for India.
“The ladies team was actually surprising. We are all focussing on the Open team but in that team you had two players (Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi) who were playing just unbelievably. If you have (even) one player, you have a very good chance of winning a tournament but you had two,” he pointed out.
“But in the ladies team, it was very tight competition. They stood their ground and played really well, that’s really impressive. I mean, look at Kazakhstan, they had a very strong ladies team but, I don’t want to insult anyone, an unremarkable team in the men’s section. I mean decent players but not top players,” he said.
“…(but) your country is up there when it comes to chess.”
Rapport, who briefly switched allegiance to Romania due to feeling ignored by his home country, returned to play for Hungary before the Olympiad after feeling more valued by the national chess body.
At the GCL, his teammates will include Norwegian ace Magnus Carlsen and Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa.
“For me, if I was not playing, this league would be something that I would be watching. In a way it kind of succeeded in that regard,” he said of the league that starts on October 3.
He, however, refrained from naming the young talent as a clear favorite for the world title.
The caution stems from the unique challenge posed by the highly anticipated match in November-December, and Gukesh’s experienced opponent, Ding Liren.
Presently, 18-year-old Gukesh is reveling in India’s first-ever Olympiad gold in Budapest. He was the campaign star, finishing unbeaten with eight wins and two draws.
Rapport, who first halted Gukesh in his dominant run, praised the youngest world title challenger while speaking to news agency PTI. They are likely to meet again next month in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) in London.
In the previous GCL season, Rapport defeated Gukesh when they faced each other.
“When I played him in GCL last season, he was a different player, may be not a different player but in different form. I didn’t play a particularly interesting game against him in the Olympiad. I played a very straight game,” said Rapport, who became Hungary’s youngest GM when he achieved the title at 13 years of age after taking up chess to improve his grades in mathematics.
“I didn’t really push him to his limits (in the Olympiad) but others have done that and he stood his ground. That’s super impressive. I am very much looking forward to playing him (in GCL).
“I like to be challenged by the strongest players on the planet even though it’s going to get more difficult with this young Indian generation coming up. But I am not entirely depressed,” he quipped.
Gukesh and Rapport drew their sixth-round game in the Olympiad after 44 moves. Uzbekistan’s Abdusattorov Nodirbek was the only other player to draw against Gukesh.
Rapport, like many in the chess community, eagerly anticipates the world championship. Last year, he supported Ding Liren as his second when the Chinese GM won the title by defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.
According to the Hungarian, Gukesh faces a tough challenge in the November 20 to December 15 match due to Liren’s significant experience.
“…if you look at the last event (the Olympiad), Gukesh is supposed to be favourite but that match is very different and Ding has experience and I think may be there would a new champion. But I would not put the numbers in favour of anybody. It’s way too difficult than any tournament ever.
“Experience is a huge advantage for anyone. I expect a very close (match) and I expect a big fight. I hope to see some good ideas, worthy of a world championship, which I think the last match definitely delivered,” he said.
Rapport also commended the Indian women’s team, which won gold at the Olympiad, making it a clean sweep for India.
“The ladies team was actually surprising. We are all focussing on the Open team but in that team you had two players (Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi) who were playing just unbelievably. If you have (even) one player, you have a very good chance of winning a tournament but you had two,” he pointed out.
“But in the ladies team, it was very tight competition. They stood their ground and played really well, that’s really impressive. I mean, look at Kazakhstan, they had a very strong ladies team but, I don’t want to insult anyone, an unremarkable team in the men’s section. I mean decent players but not top players,” he said.
“…(but) your country is up there when it comes to chess.”
Rapport, who briefly switched allegiance to Romania due to feeling ignored by his home country, returned to play for Hungary before the Olympiad after feeling more valued by the national chess body.
At the GCL, his teammates will include Norwegian ace Magnus Carlsen and Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa.
“For me, if I was not playing, this league would be something that I would be watching. In a way it kind of succeeded in that regard,” he said of the league that starts on October 3.