‘Gukesh is probably bit stronger than we realised’: Magnus Carlsen explains why he’d said he cannot imagine teen winning Candidates | Chess News
Before the Candidates chess tournament began in Toronto, former world champion Magnus Carlsen was asked to assess the eight-player field in the open section of the prestigious tournament that is being held to select the challenger to the world champion Ding Liren. He had been miserly in his odds for the Indian trio of Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh at the gruelling tournament. All three of them were competing in the Candidates for the first time. But Carlsen was particularly blunt about the chances of 17-year-old Gukesh winning the title. Gukesh, the 17-year-old from Chennai, made history by winning the Candidates chess tournament which makes him the youngest ever contender at the World Chess Championship. (PHOTO: FIDE/Michal Walusza) Talking about Gukesh, who was the second youngest player ever to compete at the Candidates, Carlsen had said: “I cannot imagine him winning the Candidates. I can see him being anywhere from +2 to -5 (at the end of the tournament). I think he will certainly win at least a couple of games, but will have some …