Credit: X
Former world champion Viswanathan Anand has reacted to Uzbekistan’s GM Nodribek Abdusattorov remark on the reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju. Nodribek had proclaimed that the Indian Grandmaster will lose his world title soon. Before Nodribek, ex-world champion Garry Kasparov strove to belittle Gukesh’s world championship win, saying that the India’s teen prodigy achievement is different from his and Magnus Carlsen’s titles. The Russian highlighted Carlsen’s absence in classical chess. After Kasporov’s comment, Nodribek had said, “Gukesh will lose his title in the next match. Is that controversial?”.
Responding to the Uzbek player’s remark, Anand has said this is how the game works nowadays and he feels there is nothing controversial about it. “Yes, I am aware of it. It’s been suggested to me a lot. It keeps popping up on all my feeds. Respect to these boys. They know how to make content. He is so innocent, no? Is that controversial? No, it’s good fun. That’s how the game is played these days,” said Anand during the live feed of the first round of FIDE Grand Swiss.
Gukesh replies to Nodribek’s statement on his World Chess Championship title
Gukesh Dommaraju has also reacted to Nodribeak’s statement. He said that Nodribek is an excellent player but he is still one step away from claiming the world title. “I mean, first of all, obviously, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is a great player and he’s very much capable, but (at this) the tournament he can only qualify for the Candidates, so it’s one more step to become world champion. But whoever it is like, I am sure you know deserves to be there and is very much capable of playing well. I am not really rooting for anybody, I just do my part as a researcher,” added Gukesh.
Last year, Gukesh scripted history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion after beating China’s Ding Liren in December. In the upcoming tournament, Gukesh is endeavouring to acclimatise himself in the different format while Nodribek will be competing for place in the Candidates’ tournament which will be held the next year against players like Arjun Erigaisi, Alireza Firouzja, R Praggnanandhaa, and some other iconic names.
