‘Magnus respects Gukesh, his phrases are being misinterpreted’: Nihal Sarin defends World No. 1 after desk slam response

Indian Grandmaster
Nihal Sarin is making headlines once more, this time on the planet of esports chess. The 20-year-old has certified for the quarterfinals of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after beating France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 1.5-0.5 within the group phases.

He has now joined fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi within the knockout rounds. Sarin, who represents Crew S8UL, bounced again strongly after shedding to Arjun in his opening match on Tuesday, July 29. He went on to defeat Dutch GM Anish Giri 2-0 earlier than his spectacular win over Vachier-Lagrave.

In an unique chat with Firstpost, Nihal shared his ideas on a variety of matters, together with
Magnus Carlsen’s latest feedback, the place he downplayed Gukesh’s potential, to Carlsen’s desk slam response after shedding to the World Champion at Norway Chess earlier this 12 months.

On Carlsen’s remarks about Indian GM Gukesh, Nihal mentioned that the World No. 1 participant’s phrases are being misinterpreted and overdramatised. Carlsen had mentioned he was not absolutely satisfied about Gukesh’s expertise in speedy and blitz codecs. He talked about that Gukesh hasn’t actually confirmed himself in these codecs, and that he would deal with video games in opposition to him like he’s enjoying a weaker opponent.

However after shedding to him within the SuperUnited Fast and blitz event, Carlsen modified his stance and acknowledged Gukesh’s talents.

“I really feel like Magnus’ phrases are being misinterpreted, and he has mentioned it himself as properly. Magnus undoubtedly respects Gukesh. He’s a tremendous participant. Gukesh’s ends in classical have been considerably higher than speedy and blitz. His model is a little more like that, very exact. In classical, you’ve far more time to take a seat and calculate, and rapid-blitz is far more instincts-based. So, I suppose Gukesh has educated far more within the calculation approach; it’s extra pure for him. And it’s regular. Clearly, he’s bettering in different codecs too. He completed first in Fast in Zagreb, I imagine, forward of a really robust area together with Magnus,” Nihal mentioned.

“I really feel Gukesh proper now could be a bit like how Fabiano Caruana was once just a few years in the past. He was once the one thought of weaker in speedy and blitz. In classical, he was a beast. Round lockdown, there was much more speedy and blitz, and he simply began to adapt, began to take perhaps extra curiosity in it, centered a bit extra on it, and now he’s among the many finest in these two. I really feel Magnus’ phrases are being overdramatised a bit,” he added.

Speaking about what makes Magnus nonetheless such a powerful participant even immediately, Nihal mentioned that the Norwegian is sort of a machine when in good kind.

“He’s [Magnus] simply so good. You can say kind is short-term and sophistication is everlasting. I sort of know the extent, having had some alternatives to face him myself. I’ve felt that, as a result of when Magnus is enjoying properly, it’s like enjoying in opposition to a machine. It’s not one thing you’re feeling in opposition to many individuals.”

Nihal additionally reacted to Carlsen’s emotional response after shedding to Gukesh lately, when he banged the desk.

“It’s not that widespread and it’s not fascinating for anybody. Nobody needs to actively do it. Having been in that sort of place, I completely perceive the response. Magnus was utterly outplaying Gukesh and was successful. When all hope appeared misplaced, Gukesh began resisting brilliantly, and Magnus, very atypical of him, went a bit astray and it acquired a bit out of hand, and he ended up shedding the sport. Having been in an analogous place, I utterly perceive the response. Later, I noticed Magnus saying in an interview that ‘it’s like a tennis participant smashing a racquet.’ So, I don’t suppose it’s something private.”

Nihal congratulates Divya and talks about India’s rising dominance

Nihal additionally had reward for India’s rising girls’s chess star
Divya Deshmukh, who lately received the FIDE Ladies’s World Cup and have become a Grandmaster.

“Large congrats to her [Divya]. That could be a loopy achievement and one thing extremely particular and historic. Typically, I want her the easiest and hope that it’s the start of many extra outcomes to come back. I imagine that she has simply proven a glimpse of what she is able to.”

When requested if India may rule each males’s and girls’s chess on the identical time, Nihal sounded hopeful and assured and in contrast India’s place to that of Soviet Union.

“Yeah, undoubtedly and I can even sort of say that it needn’t be future really. We’re already main in chess. Like for instance, this olympiad was a fully standout efficiency double gold and likewise in a really dominant trend. I imagine that’s already one thing enormous and I undoubtedly hope that it received’t be a one-time factor in any respect. Like plenty of nice gamers, clearly, there are numerous different robust nations too, however I don’t suppose it’s a factor of the far future. It’s extraordinarily potential and with the pattern I hope will probably be how Soviet Union was once sooner or later. It’s not going to be straightforward, in fact in any respect however there may be potential for positive. I completely imagine.”

When requested what ability he would borrow from one other prime participant, Nihal replied with admiration for Carlsen once more.

“There are numerous good choices to select from however let’s say Magnus’ approach in conversion. How he used to transform barely higher positions, it was simply one thing utterly extraordinary.”