Chess World Cup 2023: How have Indian players created a buzz without Anand?

Five Indians, four men and a woman reached the quarterfinals of the Chess World Cup 2023 being held in Baku, Azerbaijan. This is the first instance where more than one Indian has featured in last 8

Viswanathan Anand, the five-time World Chess Champion, hailed India’s campaign at the Chess World Cup 2023 as a ‘historic moment for Indian chess.’ The Indian players would have done something remarkable to earn such praise from the man who put India on the chess map.

Indeed, history has been created as, for the first time, India saw five of its players -- four men and a woman -- reach the quarterfinal of the Chess World Cup 2023 in Men’s and Women’s categories, respectively.

Happy time for Indian chess

Anand, who pulled out of the Chess World Cup 2023 to focus on the Grand Swiss tournament, said that the youngsters are taking Indian chess through a happy time.

Commenting on India’s historic feat, which saw Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi reach the last eight in the men’s tournament, and Harika Dronavalli made the cut in the women’s, Anand said, “I was hoping that at least one or two, simply statistically, will break through to the quarterfinals. But in fact, four of them (men) have managed (to enter the quarterfinals). So, it is a happy time for Indian chess, and I am happy.”

How did the Indians fare at the Chess World Cup 2023?

10 men and seven women from India made the cut for the Chess World Cup 2023. In the men’s tournament, nine players made it to the second round, and six of them were able to get to the third round. From there, five moved to the fourth round, and four of them reached the quarterfinal.

In the women’s tournament, six players from India reached the second round and five of them advanced to the third round. However, only Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli made it to the pre-quarterfinals. The latter broke the shackles and moved to the last eight, where she lost to eventual finalist Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia by one point.

Is there still any chance for India to get a medal?

Though Magnus Carlsen beat top-ranked Indian Gukesh D in the quarterfinal, still, two Indians- Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa are fighting it out among themselves to reach the semi-final. Thus, there is going to be the first-ever Indian representation in the semi-final of the revamped Chess World Cup, which began in 2005.

Why is Chess World Cup important?

Apart from the international laurels the players and their nations get, the Chess World Cup also provides three slots for the Candidates tournament. The top three male and female finishers at the World Cup would advance to the Candidates tournament from which the challenger for the World Championship is picked.

The reigning World Chess Champion Ding Laren of China will face the winner of the Candidates tournament 2024 which will  feature nine players or candidates to become the ultimate challenger. Apart from the three medalists from Chess World Cup 2023, the top three finishers at the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2023, the winner of 2023 FIDE Circuit and the player with the highest rating in January, 2024 will get entry into the Candidates tournament.