Garry Kasparov Competes in Chess 9LX Tournament at St Louis

Legendary chess player Garry Kasparov made a triumphant return to the chess scene this week at the $150,000 Chess 9LX tournament in St Louis. Despite being 61 years old, Kasparov showed that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level, facing off against some of the top US grandmasters.

In the tournament, also known as Fischer Random or Chess 960, Kasparov had a solid performance, finishing with a 50% score of 4.5/9. However, he missed out on some opportunities to score even better due to his struggles with the fast time limit of 20 minutes per player per game.

Kasparov managed to defeat some formidable opponents, including world No 12 Leinier Domínguez, 2023 winner Samuel Sevian, and 2018 US champion Sam Shankland. His sharp memory was on full display when he recognized that the final round position was an exact replica of a position from a previous event, allowing him to secure a victory.

In a recent interview, Kasparov reflected on his matches with Deep Blue in 1996 and 1997, where he experienced both victory and defeat. He discussed the challenges he faced during those matches and the impact they had on his career.

Despite the rise of advanced chess engines like AlphaZero and Stockfish, Kasparov still finds joy in playing against top human players. He acknowledges the difficulty of competing against machines but continues to enjoy the game and the challenge it presents.

Overall, Kasparov’s return to competitive chess has been met with excitement and admiration from fans and fellow players alike. His enduring passion for the game and his continued success serve as a testament to his status as one of the greatest chess players of all time.