11 october 2024 : Alireza Firouzja, often seen as the heir apparent to Magnus Carlsen, draws significant motivation from the five-time World Champion, who has played a pivotal role in shaping Firouzja’s chess journey. Despite the challenges, Firouzja remains hopeful about competing against Carlsen in a World Championship match someday. Although Carlsen has stepped away from the World Championship cycle, Firouzja continues to push himself, having recently triumphed over top players like Viswanathan Anand, Hikaru Nakamura, and Carlsen at the Global Chess League in London.
Firouzja’s rapid rise in the chess world is marked by his remarkable achievements, such as becoming the youngest to reach a 2800 rating, but he has yet to perform well at the Candidates tournament, which is critical for securing a World Championship title match. He faced a disappointing 2022 Candidates but remains optimistic about future opportunities.
In contrast to India’s rising chess stars, Firouzja attributes his success to his unrelenting focus, citing that while he admires players like Gukesh, he is dedicated to improving his game with the goal of winning the World Championship in the years to come.
Despite his occasional forays into fashion design, Firouzja is committed to achieving greater things in chess. This renewed focus was evident when he won the Sinquefield Cup in August 2024, finishing undefeated and half a point ahead of world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana. His thrilling win against Carlsen in a fast-paced game at the Global Chess League further highlights his growing dominance in the sport.
