It has been an absolutely deserving finish to an absorbing World Cup 2023 final. The winner is not just Magnus Carlsen but also the mindsport of chess. After three days and four drain games, the World No. 1 since July 2011 – Carlsen first became No. 1 in 2010 when he was 19, only a year older than Pragg – finally showed his class and experience. The 31st seed gave Carlsen a round through the blender, taking the final to a tie-break. After playing out a draw on Tuesday- Wednesday, the Indian drove through after the tie-breaker’s second game on Thursday, giving Carlsen the coveted title.
Carlsen, playing white in the second rapid game, had Pragg on the ropes in Baku, Azerbaijan: from the counterattacking opening of the Sicilian Defence, met by Pragg’s Saragossa opening, ending with the Norwegian finally agreeing to a draw. What we witnessed from Carlsen was Indian sharpness at its rapier best. Spare a thought for the runner-up. Norway will be proud of him. But it’s Magnus who has made it a magnum day for all Indians.
