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'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.