New Delhi, April 25 (H.S.): The SuperBet Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament, part of the Grand Chess Tour, will begin on Saturday. This time, Norwegian star player Magnus Carlsen is not participating, making Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa one of the top contenders for the title.

From India, R. Praggnanandhaa and Aravind Chithambaram will be competing in this tournament. Carlsen’s absence has opened up the competition completely, and Praggnanandhaa’s accuracy in the fast-paced format makes him a very dangerous player. He gained tremendous confidence by winning the title after defeating world champion D. Gukesh at the Tata Steel Masters this year.

Aravind Chithambaram secured this wildcard entry by performing brilliantly in the Prag Masters. This tournament will serve as a significant test for him, as he will be facing world-class players.

France’s Alireza Firouzja is also considered a strong contender for the title. Meanwhile, his compatriot Maxim Vachier-Lagrave will also aim to uphold the expectations for French players following the past decade. Poland’s Duda and America’s Levon Aronian could also remain in the title contention.

World number one Magnus Carlsen has distanced himself from this tournament, acknowledging his waning interest in classical formats. He is now focusing on “freestyle chess” and has recently won two consecutive tournaments.

The total prize fund for this tournament is $175,000, along with an opportunity to partake in the Grand Prize at the end of the entire season. Points are awarded based on performance in each tournament, which will ultimately determine the winner of the Grand Chess Tour.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar