'Everybody can beat Magnus Carlsen... he is not a computer: 10-year-old chess prodigy Ivan Kukushkin

Bulgarian chess prodigy Ivan Kukushkin made the bold statement after collecting his second win against an International Master in as many games at the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open, where world No 1 Magnus Carlsen has already been crowned champion with a round to spare. read more
Magnus Carlsen sealed his victory at the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open with a round to spare while 10-year-old Ivan Kukushkin punched above his weight to defeat two International Masters. Image credit: Freestyle Chess/Screengrab of YouTube video by Smiling Pawn
The 2025 Grenke Chess Freestyle Open got underway just four days after the conclusion of the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour and enters its final day on Monday. The event has witnessed the participation of some of the biggest names in the chess world, from world No 1 and Paris Grand Slam winner Magnus Carlsen to Weissenhaus champion Vincent Keymer and runner-up Fabiano Caruana.
Watch | Carlsen forces opponent to remove wrist watch before match at Grenke Chess Open
Advertisement
World No 4 Arjun Erigaisi, who had finished fifth in the French capital on Freestyle debut earlier this month, is also among those in action. As is controversial American Grandmaster Hans Niemann, who finally showed up for a Freestyle Chess event after abruptly withdrawing from the Paris Grand Slam without offering an explanation.
Among the players in action at the event which is being hosted in Karlsruhe, Germany, is a 10-year-old chess prodigy Ivan Kukushkin who has a FIDE rating of 2030 and defeated a couple of International Masters – Germany's Georg Seul and Canada's Shiyam Thavandiran, in consecutive games at that.
The Bulgarian had even pointed out an illegal rook move during his game against Thavandiran and had a wholesome reaction after defeating his higher-ranked opponent.
Watch:
'I can beat Magnus', says 10-year-old prodigy
And after his victory over Thavandiran in the fifth round of the event, young Ivan told ChessBase India that he was eyeing the top spot in the tournament, which to no one's suprise would eventually go to Carlsen with a round to spare on Sunday.
'Yeah, I know,' Kukushkin said when host Sagar Shah pointed out that Carlsen was also among those in action at the Grenke Open.
'I can beat Magnus. Everybody can beat Magnus. Magnus is the best in the world but he is not a computer. He can make mistakes,' the 10-year-old added, before pointing out a 'bad move' by Carlsen in his third-round meeting with Swedish GM Nils Grandelius.
Advertisement
Also Read | Meet 11-year-old Faustino Oro - nicknamed the 'Messi of Chess'
Carlsen isn't by any means unbeatable, having lost his semi-final meeting against Keymer in the Weissenhaus Grand Slam and also suffering a defeat against Erigaisi in the round-robin stage in Paris.
At the Grenke Chess Open, though, Carlsen has had a perfect campaign by winning all eight games so far. And on Monday, he will be looking to make an emphatic statement by complete a perfect 9.0.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

First Post

2 hours ago

• First Post

Magnus Carlsen opens up on strong reaction after losing to D Gukesh: 'Made me feel so kind of washed and useless'

World No 1 Magnus Carlsen had suffered the first loss of his career at the hands of reigning world champion D Gukesh at the Norway Chess tournament recently, reacting to his defeat from a dominant position by slamming his fist on the table. read more Magnus Carlsen did not hide his emotions after suffering a sixth-round defeat against D Gukesh at the recently-concluded Norway Chess. Image credit: Michal Walusza/Norway Chess The stunning defeat at the hands of reigning world champion D Gukesh at Norway Chess appears to have had quite the effect on Magnus Carlsen despite the world No 1 successfully defending his title by finishing top of the standings. Carlsen had quite the reaction after losing to the 19-year-old from a dominant position, slamming his fist on the table that left his opponent wide-eyed and took everyone else at the venue by surprise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Norwegian revealed that the defeat against Gukesh made him feel 'washed and useless', and even though he remains the world's best player, a defeat evokes a stronger emotional response from him these days than a victory. 'That was a really painful loss. Those hit a lot harder. Honestly, part of me, when I had that loss (to Gukesh) recently, just felt it was so dumb and so unnecessary,' Carlsen said in an interview on Pardon My Take. 'It just made me feel so kind of washed and useless that my thought for a few days was just 'I'm not sure why am I doing this.' 'When I win it's good, but it feels kind of normal. Then when I lose, it's just, you know, for a moment, the world just falls apart,' added, Carlsen, who recently became the first player in chess history to breach the 2900-rating barrier . OH MY GOD 😳🤯😲 — Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carlsen doesn't wish to be the 'bad boy' of chess The five-time Classical world champion, who has been vocal about losing interest in Standard chess and has also been involved in a feud with world governing body FIDE, added that he has no interest in being something of a 'bad boy' for the sport. 'I don't aspire to be a bad boy. Sometimes, I think I'm in a position, compared to some of my peers, where I can afford not to take shit. But honestly like those moments I had, like banging the table, like I'm generally not going to apologize for outbursts in the moment, as long as you realize afterwards and you show your opponent the proper respect. 'Obviously I wish I could have avoided that by winning the game itself, but I honestly think that there should be room for that in chess as well. It's a little bit like smashing your racket in tennis. Chess is such an uptight sport to begin with, that (showing emotions) I think it's okay,' the 34-year-old added.

Hindustan Times

11 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

Sourav Ganguly reveals VVS Laxman didn't speak to him for 3 months after getting dropped: 'It happened many times'

Former India cricketer VVS Laxman had one of the most decorated careers in international cricket, with numerous stories of his resilience and heroics. Yet, the legendary batter never played a World Cup game. In December 2002, he was removed from the squad for the 2003 ICC tournament and replaced by Dinesh Mongia. Then-captain Sourav Ganguly, the man behind the big call, which even resulted in him arguing with the selectors, opened up on Sunday, clarifying that the decision left Laxman deeply hurt and that he did not speak to him for three months. VVS Laxman was not picked for the 2003 World Cup The toss-up was always between Laxman and Mongia, even as the latter was not part of the then-ongoing Zimbabwe tour around which the selection meeting occurred. But Laxman's ODI numbers weren't quite significant either - 1240 runs at an average of just 27.55 and a strike rate of only 67.02. Eventually, it was Mongia who pipped the batter owing to his sharper fielding skills. Speaking to the PTI, Ganguly recalled that Laxman was "unhappy and naturally upset" after the announcement, and he did not talk to him for three months until he made up with him. 'It has happened many times when we rested players. They were unhappy. Laxman being left out of the World never spoke to me for three months. Then I made up with him. Anybody would get a World Cup. Especially a player of Laxman's calibre. Quite natural that he would get upset. After we finished the World Cup, he was happy that we did well,' he said. Ganguly, however, admitted that Laxman made an impressive return to the ODI team after the World Cup, where India India had finished as runners-up. 'When we came back, he returned to the ODI system. He played an outstanding series in Pakistan and Australia. We won in Pakistan for the first time ever, and VVS was very instrumental. They knew at the back of their mind that it was never personal.' Why was VVS Laxman left out? Former India chief selector Kiran More, speaking on the Caught Behind YouTube channel last year, had revealed that all five selectors were on board to pick Laxman in the World Cup squad, but Ganguly and head coach John Wright had a different opinion. "Before the 2003 ODI World Cup selection meeting, we had a huge argument when the Indian team was playing in New Zealand. As per the inputs received from the captain and the coach, we selected a 14-member squad and asked them what they thought of it," said More. "Over the conference call, Ganguly had a different opinion. We had selected VVS Laxman as our middle-order batter. Ganguly was very smart. He was a brilliant captain, a person with a great cricketing brain. He said 'we need an all-rounder'. "All five selectors were on the same page. We thought, 'how could we drop someone like Laxman'. But when we eventually had an elaborate discussion with all the stakeholders including captain, coach, and vice captain Rahul Dravid, we eventually took a big call that we have to give them what they want." he concluded. More had further revealed that Laxman had not talked to the selectors for two years, and neither did the selection committee ever come out in public to say it was Ganguly's call.

Time of India

16 hours ago

• Time of India

Watch: 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle makes surprise appearance at racecourse; his attire steals the show

Chris Gayle Royal Ascot, known for its glamour, horses and royalty, had an extra dose of fun this year thanks to none other than West Indies cricket legend Chris Gayle . The Universe Boss , as fans lovingly call him, turned heads as he arrived dressed in a long black coat and a classy hat, blending right in with the event's elegant vibe — but adding his unmistakable swagger to it. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! In a video shared by ITV, Gayle's energy and humour shone through. When asked if he would win the best dressed award, he laughed and declared, 'Am I going to win the best dress awards? I'm in the lead like the jockey!' He even had a special shoutout for the crowd and the city: 'I love London… I ain't leaving!' MLC 2025: Faf du Plessis on why cricket's American dream is just getting started Of course, no Royal Ascot visit is complete without trying your luck on a horse or two. Gayle, known for hitting sixes with ease, admitted he had no such luck on the track. 'I bet on a horse… it's still running!' he said with his trademark laugh, leaving everyone around him in splits. While fans enjoyed seeing Gayle the entertainer at the races, his first claim to fame remains cricket. One of the game's biggest hitters, Chris Gayle's record speaks for itself: Tests: 103 matches, 7,214 runs, highest score 333, average 42.18 ODIs: 301 matches, 10,480 runs, highest score 215, average 37.83 T20Is: 79 matches, 1,899 runs, highest score 117, average 27.92 From cricket grounds to racecourses, the Universe Boss proves he's a showman everywhere he goes. Follow all the live updates, scores, and highlights from the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here