Indian chess grandmaster, Karthikeyan Murali, recently achieved a historic victory against the world’s number one chess player, Magnus Carlsen. The remarkable win took place during the Qatar Masters tournament in the classical chess format, marking only the third instance of an Indian player defeating Carlsen. This feat places Karthikeyan Murali in esteemed company, alongside Indian chess luminaries such as Pentala Harikrishna and Viswanathan Anand, who have also bested Carlsen in classical games.
A Momentous Triumph for Karthikeyan Murali
In the seventh round of the Qatar Masters tournament, Karthikeyan Murali delivered a brilliant performance with the black pieces. This remarkable victory added to the intrigue of the tournament, and Karthikeyan’s precise gameplay enabled him to join a select group of players with a score of 5.5 out of 7. The grandmaster from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, displayed exceptional chess skills, recovering from a draw in the previous round against Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran.
Magnus Carlsen’s Rare Defeats by Indian Players
Karthikeyan Murali’s triumph solidified his position as the third Indian chess player to defeat Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess game. The list of Indian players who have outperformed Carlsen includes Pentala Harikrishna, who defeated the world champion when Carlsen was just 14 years old, and the legendary Viswanathan Anand, the only other Indian to achieve this feat.
