Magnus Carlsen’s Popularity Shines as Bristy Mukherjee Wins All India Women Rapid Event

Magnus Carlsen, the World No. 1 chess player, had a special moment in Kolkata recently when he had to hand the trophy to Bristy Mukherjee, who won the All India Women Rapid event (Event B). The Norwegian grandmaster’s popularity was on full display as Mukherjee touched his feet on stage to seek his blessings during the closing ceremony.

Carlsen, known for his exceptional skills on the chessboard, was initially surprised by the gesture but was left blushing as he continued to grin. Fans flocked to the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata to witness the tournament, and whenever Carlsen left the arena, he was mobbed by everyone present.

This victory marked Carlsen’s second double win in Kolkata, replicating his success from 2019. Filipino-American Grandmaster Wesley So secured second place, while Arjun Erigaisi claimed third position. R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Reflecting on his performance, Carlsen expressed, “It was a really, really nervy day. I was lucky that Wesley was the one who went on a big streak because he couldn’t realistically catch me. Overall, the tournament win is good. The score is not great but very decent, so I’m happy.”

Carlsen also shared his upcoming plans, mentioning that he would be heading to Singapore to promote Freestyle Chess with Fabiano Caruana. He is set to play a match with Caruana in a few days and is looking forward to being a tourist at the World Championship for a couple of days.

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