Magnus Carlsen’s wife, Ella, recently shared insights into the world champion’s thoughts on Indian chess prodigies, revealing which player he believes plays most similarly to himself.
Carlsen’s High Praise for Praggnanandhaa
It’s no secret that Magnus Carlsen holds India’s chess stars, including world champion Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, in high regard. Now, his wife, Ella, has offered a deeper look into Carlsen’s personal assessments.
During a ChessBase India live stream from the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas, Ella confirmed Carlsen’s specific admiration for Praggnanandhaa. “All three [Gukesh, Pragg, and Arjun] are very different, but Magnus did say that Pragg plays more similarly to him, the most similar to him,” she revealed.
A History of Mutual Respect
Carlsen’s appreciation for Praggnanandhaa has been evident for some time, particularly since the 2023 FIDE World Cup. In that tournament, Pragg made a stunning run to the final, defeating top players like Arjun, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana before facing Carlsen.
Following one of Pragg’s significant victories, Carlsen was seen congratulating the young Indian, patting him on the back as he left the stage. Carlsen later shared how at his chess club in Norway, Offerspill, Pragg’s long-time coach, RB Ramesh, would tell young players to “be like Pragg.” This phrase, which Carlsen himself repeated to Pragg after a key win, always brought a smile to the Indian prodigy’s face.
Arjun Erigaisi: The “Maniac” at the Board
Ella also had high praise for Arjun Erigaisi, noting his contrasting personality on and off the board. “I saw this clip of Arjun where he was asked what his biggest fears growing up and he said ‘ghosts.’ I really liked that. I thought that was very cute,” she recounted.
She added, “Arjun is very sweet, like when you talk to him in person. And then like over the board he’s just a maniac. He’s just out there hunting and going crazy.” This observation aligns perfectly with Carlsen’s own description of Arjun from earlier this year, where he called him “a complete mad man at the board” who “plays extremely ambitiously and that’s what makes him very dangerous.”
A Sweet Encounter with Gukesh
Ella also shared details about her first meeting with Gukesh and his father, Rajinikanth. ChessBase India’s Sagar Shah recalled an instance in Weissenhaus where Carlsen and Ella offered Gukesh and his father a lift to dinner.
“I spoke to Gukesh and his father at Weissenhaus for the first time. They were very sweet,” Ella affirmed, highlighting the positive impression the new world champion and his family made.
- Magnus Carlsen believes Praggnanandhaa’s playing style is most similar to his own.
- Carlsen has shown public admiration for Pragg, including after the 2023 FIDE World Cup.
- Ella Carlsen describes Arjun Erigaisi as “sweet” off-board but a “maniac” and “hunting” player during games.
- Both Ella and Magnus Carlsen acknowledge the aggressive and dangerous nature of Arjun’s play.
- Ella found Gukesh and his father “very sweet” during their initial meeting.
These insights from Ella Carlsen offer a unique glimpse into the top grandmaster’s personal opinions on the rising stars of Indian chess, underscoring the mutual respect within the elite chess community.
