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Chess is a centuries-old game that established the competitive industry all the way back in the 1800s. And after hundreds of years, the competitive scene of chess remains vigorous and healthy. But who are the masters of this ancient game in the modern era? Let's take a look at the top 10 chess players in the world according to FIDE's classical ranking (April 2024).



#1 Magnus Carlsen (2830)



Photo by Norway Chess



Magnus Carlsen is the world's best chess player and his achievements are unprecedented. The 33-year-old Norwegian became a chess Grandmaster at only 13 years old and earned the world champion title in 2013 at 22 years old. He holds astounding achievements including reaching the highest classical rating of all time at 2882. He is the five-time World Chess Champion, four-time World Rapid Chess Champion, and six-time World Blitz Champion. Recently, Carlsen abdicated the world champion throne but still actively competes in chess tournaments worldwide.



#2 Fabiano Caruana (2804)



Photo by Chess.com



The 31-year-old Italian-American, Fabiano Caruana, played his first chess tournament at five years old. He then achieved the Grandmaster title at 14 years old, surpassing Nakamura's previous record. In the same year, he won the Italian Chess Championship. Caruana delivered a notable performance at the 2016 Sinquefield Cup which saw the highest-ever performance rating in history. He is also a two-time and the current U.S Chess Champion. 



Caruana's biggest achievement is a victory at the Candidates Tour 2018 which allowed him to challenge Magnus Carlsen in that year. He became the first American citizen since Bobby Fischer to participate in the World Chess Championship and he brawled in a close contest, barely losing to Carlsen.



#3 Hikaru Nakamura (2789)



Photo by Maria Emelianova/Chess.com



Despite rocking a successful full-time streaming career, Hikaru Nakamura comfortably sits among the top 3 chess players in the world. The Japanese-American

Top 10 Chess Players by FIDE rating

Prominent chess Grandmaster and content creator, Hikaru Nakamura, prodded a discussion among the chess community with a statement on X/Twitter. He talked about the growth of chess and highlighted influencer Tyler1 as an example of the game's evolution. 



Tyler1 is yet another example which shows how chess is changing.Hikaru Nakamura



Nakamura posted: "I met a friend of a friend last night, and they said they have played chess over the last four years and gotten to 2200 in Blitz despite never playing Classical OTB (over-the-board) chess. In olden times this would be impossible," the Grandmaster posted.



He then mentioned the eccentric content creator, Tyler1, who recently achieved a new milestone in his chess ELO. "[Tyler1] is yet another example which shows how chess is changing."




I met a friend of a friend last night, and they said they have played chess over the last four years and gotten to 2200 in blitz despite never playing classical otb chess. In olden times this would be impossible. @loltyler1  is yet another example which shows how chess is…— Hikaru Nakamura (@GMHikaru) April 30, 2024




Why chess is changing



Chess has indeed shown changes over the past couple of years. Following the rise of live-streaming, online chess became more prevalent. Coupled with the effect of the global pandemic in 2020, chess received more attention than ever before. 



The rise of chess was backed up with the presence of Hikaru Nakamura on Twitch who began live-streaming his high-profile matches in 2018. At the time of writing, the most popular chess site, Chess.com, has collected more than 170 million members!



The chess wave sees more players improving at the game at an insane progress. There are substantial number of resources across the internet such as the Chessable courses. A ton of valuable information for chess are accessible, unlike the olden days.



Tyler1's incredible chess progress impresses the chess world




I guess @loltyler1 really is built

"Tyler1 is yet another example which shows how chess is changing," Hikaru Nakamura comments on the evolution of chess

Stellar Blade isn't all about slashing up Naytiba. You can enjoy some leisure activities, like collecting items, or even fishing. It isn't available right away, but once you get it, it can be a hassle trying to get used to fishing in Stellar Blade.






Let us guide you through unlocking it, casting the line, and catching enough to fish to get the Lonely Fisherman trophy.



How to unlock fishing in Stellar Blade



(Screenshot via esports.gg)



It isn't particular hard to unlock fishing in Stellar Blade. The toughest aspect of it is time. You have to play the game for a handful of hours, until you complete enough main story missions to reach the Great Desert.



(Screenshot via esports.gg)



Once you, Adam, and Lily travel to the Great Desert location, you can meet Clyde. Just head over to the small lake to the east of where your crew lands. Talk to Clyde, who isn't up for much a conversation. After, you can grab the fishing pole off to the side and take part in the minigame.



(Screenshot via esports.gg)



This begins the Looking Glass mission. You just have to successfully catch one fish, then Clyde will finally talk to you. Chat with him to learn his story, then you can truly begin fishing all around Stellar Blade after Looking Glass is completed and you've earned rewards, such as bate and Gold. 



(Screenshot via esports.gg)



How to fish in Stellar Blade





















Once you have the fishing pole, you can find a fishing spot to cast. From there, if a fish bites, you've got to perfect the minigame to reel it in and catch it. Here is the order of controls you need to know to fish properly in Stellar Blade:




Hold Down on the D-Pad and select the fishing rod from the equipment wheel 



Press Down on the D-Pad to to equip the fishing rod 



Pull down and then push up on the Left Stick to cast



Press R2 to start the minigame when a fish bites



Tilt the Left Stick the opposite direction of where the fish is swimming



Press Square rapidly to

Stellar Blade Fishing Guide: How to fish and where

Players have been outspoken of wanting more pink skins in VALORANT. Well, Riot Games has obliged with the VALORANT Mystbloom bundle. You are absolutely going to see this one in all of your games when it drops.






It has a flowery appearance and plenty of cool effects. If you're interested, we've got you covered. Let's go over everything you need to know about it.



VALORANT Mystbloom Bundle skins and accessories

























This is a stacked VALORANT bundle. While accessories haven't been confirmed, a bundle of this popularity and size is sure to have some. So, we can tell you that Mystbloom comes with the following:




Phantom



Sheriff



Operator



Judge



Mystbloom Kunai



Spray



Player Card



Gun Buddy w/ effect




Get your Radianite ready, because you're going to need it. Not only do you have the upgrades that add the kill banner, weapon effects, and the end-of-round finisher, there are color variants. From the base pink that symbolizes Spring, you unlock styles for Autumn, Summer, and Winter.



Bundle price



The VALORANT Mystbloom bundle is a pricey. As predicted, the bundle is over 8,000 VALORANT Points. You'll need to spend 8,700 to get your hands on it.



If you want any of the items individually, you can certainly do so. Weapons by themselves cost 2,175 VP while the melee on its own will run you 4,350 VP.



When does the VALORANT Mystbloom Bundle release?



(Image via Riot Games)



The Mystbloom Bundle arrives with Episode 8 Act 3. You'll see it in your store once the shop resets after the new Act's update. It'll be in the featured collection spot.



Pay attention to the countdown at the top left, when Mystbloom is the game's featured collection. That will tell you how long you have to decide on purchasing it.



Stay tuned to esports.gg for more esports news and VALORANT coverage.

VALORANT Mystbloom Bundle: Skins, price, and release date

Stellar Blade has a lot of outfits that players can add to their collection. Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to unlock the Stellar Blade Ocean Maid outfit in particular!



Stellar Blade Ocean Maid outfit screenshot (Image via Wciśnij Start on YouTube)



How to unlock the Stellar Blade Ocean Maid outfit




Head to the Great Desert



Talk to Clyde



Complete the Looking Glass mission 



Catch all the fish



Return to Clyde in the Great Desert Oasis



Equip the Stellar Blade Ocean Maid outfit




Stellar Blade Great Desert location screenshot (Image via esports.gg)



To get the Ocean Maid outfit in Stellar Blade, head out to the Great Desert and complete Clyde's Looking Glass mission to unlock fishing. After catching every type of fish, return to Clyde in the Oasis area and chat with him again. Next, enter the "Equipment" screen and select the "Exterior" option. The Stellar Blade Ocean Maid outfit should be there for you to equip. 



Side view of Eve's Ocean Maid outfit (Image via Wciśnij Start on YouTube)



The description for Eve's Ocean Maid outfit reads, "Unique and bold with a maid motif. Perfect for the beach in summer."



Back view of Eve's Ocean Maid outfit (Image via Wciśnij Start on YouTube)



How to catch fish in Stellar Blade




Get and equip a fishing rod



Enter a fishing point



Cast your rod



Hook the fish as soon as it bites



Overpower the fish



Reel it in 




Stellar Blade fishing screenshot (Image via esports.gg)



As mentioned, you can learn more about fishing by talking to Clyde in the Great Desert Oasis. The tutorial there goes over the basics such as casting a fishing rod and hooking the fish as soon as it takes the bait. While you're trying to overpower and reel in the fish, make sure to keep the fishing gauge in the blue area as well. 






More Stellar Blade content




Black Pearl outfit guide



Bunny outfit guide



New Game Plus mode



Raven outfit guide



How to unlock all Stellar Blade

How to unlock the Ocean Maid outfit in Stellar Blade

The Manor Lords combat system is unlike anything we have seen in a city builder thus far. The game utilizes RTS-style elements, where players must hire mercenaries or use their own citizens to form a militia to defend their homeland or expand to new territories. To get the best results out of each battle, and keep your settlement alive, here's our guide to combat in Manor Lords.



A battle in the snow (Image courtesy of lafaman on Steam)



How does combat work in Manor Lords?



Manor Lords allows players to control and direct units in real-time, giving it a lot of the same feel as an RTS game. Players will need to use combat to defend themselves from attacking raiders and expand to new settlements.



To fight these battles, you'll need to hire mercenaries with the town's treasury and/or build your militia from the citizens of your settlement. To get a working militia, you'll need to make weapons or buy them from the trading post. For mercenaries, you will need to build up a treasury from taxes.






Once you have the necessary troops in place, you will be able to command them to move around, take or give position, and send them after enemy troops. This is the only way to claim new territory in the game, and also the only way to stop your settlement from being burned to the ground by raiders.



How to make weapons in Manor Lords 



The building blocks of any effective militia are its weapons. Players can build weapons of their own to supply the militia once they have upgraded a burgage to level 2. Once at this level, there will be options to convert those families into artisans who can create bows, shields, and spears for your militia. These are essential to getting started with combat in Manor Lords. 



A level 2 burgage that can be upgraded to a Fletcher's Workshop to make bows (Image via esports.gg)



Creating weapons is vital to any hopes of expansion in the late-game, and will also help players get through those pesky raider attacks that happen every so

Manor Lords combat guide: How to make weapons and stop raiders

The Blue Monsoon in Stellar Blade is for those of you who want to take a dip. The bikini is perfect if you travel to the Great Desert Oasis for a nice swim or a fishing session. This is definitely one of the more popular costumes for EVE in the game.






If you want to know how to get it, we've got you covered with a guide.



How to get the Blue Monsoon bikini in Stellar Blade



You'll have to get to work to unlock the Blue Monsoon outfit in Stellar Blade. It requires you take on some Bulletin Board tasks in Xion. There are two you need to complete. 






Where's the Item is necessary as the mission that gives you the swimsuit does not appear until it has been done. Then you can accept and complete Precious Treasure.



Complete the Where's the Item request
















Stellar Blade_20240428193524





Accept the Where's the Item request from the Bulletin Board



Press X to start tracking and travel to the Great Desert



Follow the mission marker to the east side of the region



Reach the destroyed road and watch your step as all of the crates are explosive



Make your way to Frank's Bag and pick it up



Turn in Where's the Item at the Bulletin Board to complete it







Complete the Precious Treasure request


































Accept the Precious Treasure request from the Bulletin Board



Track the mission and return to the Great Desert



Follow the mission marker to the southeast area of the region



Follow the broken highway until you see a gap with a bus teetering on the other side



Shoot the explosive barrels next to it to bring the boss down and create a walkway up



Interact with the chest next to the green car to receive the Blue Monsoon outfit



Return to the Bulletin Board to complete Precious Treasure







Stay tuned to esports.gg for more esports news and Stellar Blade coverage.

How to unlock the Blue Monsoon outfit in Stellar Blade

The Cybernetic Bondage nano suit in Stellar Blade is just one of many outfits you can acquire. It is a revealing red and white suit that you can obtain in the Great Desert. You have to do some exploring, code-cracking, and swimming to find it.






We've got you covered with a guide on how to do so.



How to get the Cybernetic Bondage attire in Stellar Blade



There are a handful of steps when it comes to finding the Cybernetic Bondage suit in Stellar Blade. The first is to go to the Great Desert area. This is opened up as you progress through the story, so just play until Adam suggest you guys head that way.






Once you're there, you can move out on foot for tons of exploration. To the east is the Oasis where you'll find Clyde and learn how to fish. To the southwest is a heavily fortified wall, where you can get your begin the journey to collecting this outfit.



Find the code

































Here are the steps to finding the code for the Cybernetic Bondage suit in Stellar Blade:




Travel southwest from the Tetrapod landing zone in the Great Desert



Reach the end of the fortified and begin following it to the right



You will find a small tower with worker drones floating above you



Jump onto the orange and white ledge that allows you to hang from it



Wait for it to lift you and for the red light overhead to turn green



Leap to the bar and swing across to the first drone platform



Use your double jump and air dash abilities to move between drones until you find the rope



Attach to the rope and move up until it automatically places EVE on the next platform



Interact with the panel on the wall to open a door



Descend the ladder, interact with the dead body, and retrieve the code




Find the chest





















Here are the steps to locating and unlocking the chest that holds the Cybernetic Bondage suit in Stellar Blade:




Climb out of the room where you obtained the code



Make your way northeast to the Great

How to unlock the Cybernetic Bondage suit in Stellar Blade

Everybody is talking about the Dota 2 Crownfall candle token that's missing for the "Lost and found" side quest. After progressing through the Overworld Map, players found out the "Always-closed Candlemaker's Shop" is the key to solving this puzzle. However, this encounter is not available after Act I.



This mission is not behind a paywall either. Buying the Midgate Pathfinder pack unlocks two extra side quests, with bonus rewards. Yet, the candle token is not one of them. Before the Act II releases, the maximum progression you can get is 52/53 missions complete. 



And yes, you're stuck with an incomplete number until the next patch. Unless you do some illegal modifications to the source code, of course. But, what did the community find out about this mystery? And what does Yurnero, the Juggernaut, have to do with all of this?



Lost and Found side quest, which requires the candle token, has a Juggernaut icon on it.






How to get the Dota 2 Crownfall Candle token?



The YouTuber Fay Dota Stuff posted a video on how to get the token through the developer console. As the user pointed out, he is not sure if this is safe to do, since Valve may detect this as a false-positive for cheating. Gladly, you don't have to do it with your own account to know that getting the token this way won't give you any new rewards.









After getting the candle token, entering the cave will show a single dialogue: "My name is Eldor the Wizard. This is my top secret room. Keep it between us, OK?"



Screenshot taken from Fay Dota Stuff YouTube video



The Candlemaker theories



The Dota 2 Crownfall Candle token is now the fuel to a number of theories made by the community. The aforementioned Eldor the Wizard recently appeared in the 7.33 "New frontiers" patch code.  The single line "new_frontiers_eldor_name": "Eldor the wizard" was supposed to be a simple Easter egg for data miners. But now it's an opportunity for the reddit user "sikleQQ" to connect it to the

How to earn the Dota 2 Crownfall candle token?

Blizzard Entertainment and ESL FACEIT Group's (EFG) Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) is well underway. Now, it's time for the next matches featuring the North America (NA) plus Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions. Read on for the Overwatch 2 OWCS schedule, scores, and results!



Overwatch 2 OWCS schedule (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)



OWCS schedule Overwatch 2



Time and DateRegionGroupMatchScoreApril 30 at 9 p.m. PDTNADFMCL vs SOG2 - 3April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTEMEABENCE vs Team Peps3 - 2April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTEMEACTwisted Minds vs Deimpero3 - 2April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTEMEAASupershyOW vs SpaceStation2 - 3April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTEMEADPeace and Love vs AWW YEAH3 - 2April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTNAAToronto Defiant vs Who is Goldfish3 - 2April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTNABLuminosity vs Citrus Nation3 - 2April 30 at 11:55 p.m. PDTNACM80 vs PxG PiP3 - 2






Who won OWCS 2024 Stage 1?



While the first Group Stage happened in February 2024, the NA and EMEA Stage 1 Main Event concluded in March 2024 with Toronto Defiant and Twisted Minds as the winners. Meanwhile, Crazy Raccoon won the 2024 OWCS Asia Stage 1 Main Event and advanced to the OWCS Dallas Major and Esports World Cup 2024. 






Who won OWCS 2024 Stage 2?



Teams Toronto Defiant and Spacestation Gaming won the OWCS Stage 2 Main Event on April 28, 2024. This qualified both teams to the 2024 OWCS Dallas Major plus OWCS Stage 3 Group Stage. 






Where to watch OWCS 2024



Fans and supporters can catch all of the OWCS esports action on Twitch and YouTube. We have also attached the Twitch channel below for your convenience.







That's all for now. Are you ready for more OWCS Stage 2 gameplay? Stick around on esports.gg for more news and updates!

Overwatch 2 OWCS schedule, scores, and results

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<p>History has been made! The wild 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament gathered eight of the worlds' best chess Grandmasters for a spot in the World Chess Championship. Against all odds and against all expectations, the 17-year-old Indian player, Gukesh D, races ahead and successfully claims his throne. Gukesh D became the champion of Candidates Tournament with an impressive 9 points - breaking records and making history.</p>



History has been made! The wild 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament gathered eight of the worlds' best chess Grandmasters for a spot in the World Chess Championship. Against all odds and against all expectations, the 17-year-old Indian player, Gukesh D, races ahead and successfully claims his throne. Gukesh D became the champion of Candidates Tournament with an impressive 9 points - breaking records and making history.



<p>Gukesh D is now the youngest player to win the Candidates Tournament. He broke the record set by Garry Kasparov who won the Candidates at 20 years old back in 1983. He will also continue to carry the Indian legacy in chess, becoming the next Indian player to qualify for the World Chess Championship after the historic Viswanathan Anand.</p>



Gukesh D is now the youngest player to win the Candidates Tournament. He broke the record set by Garry Kasparov who won the Candidates at 20 years old back in 1983. He will also continue to carry the Indian legacy in chess, becoming the next Indian player to qualify for the World Chess Championship after the historic Viswanathan Anand.


Gukesh D delivers a shocking underdog run


<p>Prior to the Candidates Tournament, a lot of experts, and even Magnus Carlsen himself, believed that veterans will take away the limelight. Names like Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura are often in the predictions to win the Candidates. If it doesn't fall to the veterans, a lot of people had high expectations for youngsters like R Pragg and even the inconsistent Alireza Firouzja. </p>



Prior to the Candidates Tournament, a lot of experts, and even Magnus Carlsen himself, believed that veterans will take away the limelight. Names like Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura are often in the predictions to win the Candidates. If it doesn't fall to the veterans, a lot of people had high expectations for youngsters like R Pragg and even the inconsistent Alireza Firouzja. 



<p>Take <a href="https://esports.gg/news/chess/magnus-carlsen-ranks-players-of-candidates-tournament-2024/">Carlsen's predictions for the Candidates</a> - Gukesh sits in the near bottom of the tierlist. The former World Champion believes Gukesh will "perform poorly" and he "cannot imagine Gukesh winning." That was how much of an underdog Gukesh was. But he proved the masses wrong.</p>



Take Carlsen's predictions for the Candidates - Gukesh sits in the near bottom of the tierlist. The former World Champion believes Gukesh will "perform poorly" and he "cannot imagine Gukesh winning." That was how much of an underdog Gukesh was. But he proved the masses wrong.



<p>The highly-anticipated 2024 Candidates Tournament begins in one more week! With the hype train moving, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0gYaXRq3SM">Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen sat together to rank the candidates</a>. Among the eight participants, who is on Carlsen's radar as the strongest players and who are not so favored? Take a look below!</p>



The highly-anticipated 2024 Candidates Tournament begins in one more week! With the hype train moving, Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen sat together to rank the candidates. Among the eight participants, who is on Carlsen's radar as the strongest players and who are not so favored? Take a look below!


2024 Candidates Tournament tier list by Magnus Carlsen


<p>For the second year in a row, Magnus Carlsen sits on the side as a spectator as he once again decided to withdraw from anything related to the world championship. In 2023, Ding Liren became his successor after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in close contest. Now who does Carlsen believe will win the Candidates Tournament to challenge Ding Liren?</p>



For the second year in a row, Magnus Carlsen sits on the side as a spectator as he once again decided to withdraw from anything related to the world championship. In 2023, Ding Liren became his successor after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in close contest. Now who does Carlsen believe will win the Candidates Tournament to challenge Ding Liren?



<p>The Candidates Tournament participants are Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nijat Abasov, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruana, Vidit Gujrathi, Hikaru Nakamura, Gukesh D, and Alireza Firouzja. Check out what Carlsen ranks these players below.</p>



The Candidates Tournament participants are Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nijat Abasov, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruana, Vidit Gujrathi, Hikaru Nakamura, Gukesh D, and Alireza Firouzja. Check out what Carlsen ranks these players below.


Carlsen's thoughts on each Candidates Tournament participants


<p>Throughout the video, Magnus Carlsen explained his choices on why he placed each player in their categories. <strong>Alireza Firouzja</strong> sits in the "will do well" category and to this Carlsen stated: "Honestly, he was the closest to beat me in freestyle chess. I am an Alireza true believer, but for now we'll put him in the "will do well" category which I think is reasonable considering the difficulties he had last time."</p>



Throughout the video, Magnus Carlsen explained his choices on why he placed each player in their categories. Alireza Firouzja sits in the "will do well" category and to this Carlsen stated: "Honestly, he was the closest to beat me in freestyle chess. I am an Alireza true believer, but for now we'll put him in the "will do well" category which I think is reasonable considering the difficulties he had last time."



<p>Carlsen surprisingly place Ian Nepomniachtchi in the "top contenders" category despite him winning Candidates for the past two years. To this he explained: "Ian hasn't showed much the last few years except for the Candidates. He shows flashes here and there, at the moment I'm not convinced but I think he has enough pedigree to be in the 'top contender'."</p>



Carlsen surprisingly place Ian Nepomniachtchi in the "top contenders" category despite him winning Candidates for the past two years. To this he explained: "Ian hasn't showed much the last few years except for the Candidates. He shows flashes here and there, at the moment I'm not convinced but I think he has enough pedigree to be in the 'top contender'."



<p>Gukesh D, young 17-year-old player, will attend his first ever Candidates. Carlsen puts the prodigy in the "will do poorly" category. "It's very hard to say, I cannot imagine [Gukesh] winning but I could see him being anywhere from plus two to minus five. I think he will certainly win a couple of good games but have some fairly bad losses as well. I think he's not quite ready yet to make the leap, and I think he's more likely to have a bad event than a good event."</p>



Gukesh D, young 17-year-old player, will attend his first ever Candidates. Carlsen puts the prodigy in the "will do poorly" category. "It's very hard to say, I cannot imagine [Gukesh] winning but I could see him being anywhere from plus two to minus five. I think he will certainly win a couple of good games but have some fairly bad losses as well. I think he's not quite ready yet to make the leap, and I think he's more likely to have a bad event than a good event."



<p>Nijat Abasov is the biggest underdog in the Candidates Tournament, having earned the slot by default after Carlsen's withdrawal. He is ranked bottom in Carlsen's tierlist, as he believes Abasov is "in for a bad time". Carlsen explained: "He had a very amazing tournament at the World Cup, but whether he can replicate it is very hard to believe. I think if he has a good start, it can limit the damage severely. But overall I think he's most likely going to suffer."</p>



Nijat Abasov is the biggest underdog in the Candidates Tournament, having earned the slot by default after Carlsen's withdrawal. He is ranked bottom in Carlsen's tierlist, as he believes Abasov is "in for a bad time". Carlsen explained: "He had a very amazing tournament at the World Cup, but whether he can replicate it is very hard to believe. I think if he has a good start, it can limit the damage severely. But overall I think he's most likely going to suffer."



<p>Another youngster, R Praggnanandhaa, who is only 18-years-old is ranked slightly higher. He sits in the "will do well" category alongside Alireza Firouzja. "I don't think Pragg is ready to win the tournament. But I also cannot see it going really poorly for him. He has weak moments but he's fairly stable psychologically and he has an improving repertoire, he's very serious," Carlsen said.</p>



Another youngster, R Praggnanandhaa, who is only 18-years-old is ranked slightly higher. He sits in the "will do well" category alongside Alireza Firouzja. "I don't think Pragg is ready to win the tournament. But I also cannot see it going really poorly for him. He has weak moments but he's fairly stable psychologically and he has an improving repertoire, he's very serious," Carlsen said.



<p>Next is Fabiano Caruana, experienced veteran who has played in the world championship before. Carlsen confidently placed him in the "likely to win" category. "I think Fabi has a great chance to win. His pedigree is very strong, he seems to have regained some strength in classical chess as well as well after he had a little bit of a down. He's maybe not as good as he was at his best, which was in 2018."</p>



Next is Fabiano Caruana, experienced veteran who has played in the world championship before. Carlsen confidently placed him in the "likely to win" category. "I think Fabi has a great chance to win. His pedigree is very strong, he seems to have regained some strength in classical chess as well as well after he had a little bit of a down. He's maybe not as good as he was at his best, which was in 2018."



<p>Another Indian in the Candidates,  Vidit Gujrathi, is ranked in the "will do poorly". Carlsen stated: "Vidit has improved a lot from a more of a psychological point. I'm sure he will be very serious, very well prepared. He will not win the tournament. Although I do think he has the capacity to make really good scores if things go his way."</p>



Another Indian in the Candidates,  Vidit Gujrathi, is ranked in the "will do poorly". Carlsen stated: "Vidit has improved a lot from a more of a psychological point. I'm sure he will be very serious, very well prepared. He will not win the tournament. Although I do think he has the capacity to make really good scores if things go his way."



<p>And finally, a lot of fan favorites, Hikaru Nakamura, is also ranked in the "likely to win" category. The legendary speed chess player has been close before but right now the chances are massive. Carlsen believes this Candidates Tournament is Nakamura's highest chance to become the world champion. "Hikaru has never had a better chance to become world champion than this. Hikaru has been quite consistent recently in classical chess and I think he has an excellent chance."</p>



And finally, a lot of fan favorites, Hikaru Nakamura, is also ranked in the "likely to win" category. The legendary speed chess player has been close before but right now the chances are massive. Carlsen believes this Candidates Tournament is Nakamura's highest chance to become the world champion. "Hikaru has never had a better chance to become world champion than this. Hikaru has been quite consistent recently in classical chess and I think he has an excellent chance."



<p>You can watch the full video on <a href="https://youtu.be/v0gYaXRq3SM">Chess.com's YouTube</a> or check out the embed below!</p>



You can watch the full video on Chess.com's YouTube or check out the embed below!



<p>The 2024 Candidates Tournament is set to take place in Toronto, Canada this April 2nd. The championship will run simultaneously with the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024. Read more about the tournament below!</p>



The 2024 Candidates Tournament is set to take place in Toronto, Canada this April 2nd. The championship will run simultaneously with the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024. Read more about the tournament below!


<p>The highly-anticipated 2024 Candidates Tournament begins in one more week! With the hype train moving, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0gYaXRq3SM">Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen sat together to rank the candidates</a>. Among the eight participants, who is on Carlsen's radar as the strongest players and who are not so favored? Take a look below!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2024-candidates-tournament-tier-list-by-magnus-carlsen">2024 Candidates Tournament tier list by Magnus Carlsen</h2>



<p>For the second year in a row, Magnus Carlsen sits on the side as a spectator as he once again decided to withdraw from anything related to the world championship. In 2023, Ding Liren became his successor after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in close contest. Now who does Carlsen believe will win the Candidates Tournament to challenge Ding Liren?</p>



<p>The Candidates Tournament participants are Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nijat Abasov, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruana, Vidit Gujrathi, Hikaru Nakamura, Gukesh D, and Alireza Firouzja. Check out what Carlsen ranks these players below.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-6.jpg"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-6-1024x764.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-384244"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carlsen-s-thoughts-on-each-candidates-tournament-participants">Carlsen's thoughts on each Candidates Tournament participants</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alireza-firouzja">Alireza Firouzja</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-7-1024x575.jpg" alt="Alireza Firouzja - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384249"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Maria Emelianova/Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Throughout the video, Magnus Carlsen explained his choices on why he placed each player in their categories. <strong>Alireza Firouzja</strong> sits in the "will do well" category and to this Carlsen stated: "Honestly, he was the closest to beat me in freestyle chess. I am an Alireza true believer, but for now we'll put him in the "will do well" category which I think is reasonable considering the difficulties he had last time."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ian-nepomniachtchi">Ian Nepomniachtchi</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-10.jpg" alt="Ian Nepomniachtchi - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384259"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Eric Rosen/FIDE)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Carlsen surprisingly place Ian Nepomniachtchi in the "top contenders" category despite him winning Candidates for the past two years. To this he explained: "Ian hasn't showed much the last few years except for the Candidates. He shows flashes here and there, at the moment I'm not convinced but I think he has enough pedigree to be in the 'top contender'."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gukesh-d">Gukesh D</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-8.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-384253"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Maria Emelianova/Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Gukesh D, young 17-year-old player, will attend his first ever Candidates. Carlsen puts the prodigy in the "will do poorly" category. "It's very hard to say, I cannot imagine [Gukesh] winning but I could see him being anywhere from plus two to minus five. I think he will certainly win a couple of good games but have some fairly bad losses as well. I think he's not quite ready yet to make the leap, and I think he's more likely to have a bad event than a good event."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nijat-abasov">Nijat Abasov</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-67-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-384271"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Nijat Abasov is the biggest underdog in the Candidates Tournament, having earned the slot by default after Carlsen's withdrawal. He is ranked bottom in Carlsen's tierlist, as he believes Abasov is "in for a bad time". Carlsen explained: "He had a very amazing tournament at the World Cup, but whether he can replicate it is very hard to believe. I think if he has a good start, it can limit the damage severely. But overall I think he's most likely going to suffer."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-r-praggnanandhaa">R Praggnanandhaa</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-67-1-1024x682.jpg" alt="Pragg - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384268"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Emelianova/Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Another youngster, R Praggnanandhaa, who is only 18-years-old is ranked slightly higher. He sits in the "will do well" category alongside Alireza Firouzja. "I don't think Pragg is ready to win the tournament. But I also cannot see it going really poorly for him. He has weak moments but he's fairly stable psychologically and he has an improving repertoire, he's very serious," Carlsen said.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fabiano-caruana">Fabiano Caruana</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66-9.jpg" alt="Fabiano Caruana - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384256"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Grand Chess Tour)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Next is Fabiano Caruana, experienced veteran who has played in the world championship before. Carlsen confidently placed him in the "likely to win" category. "I think Fabi has a great chance to win. His pedigree is very strong, he seems to have regained some strength in classical chess as well as well after he had a little bit of a down. He's maybe not as good as he was at his best, which was in 2018."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vidit-gujrathi">Vidit Gujrathi</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-66.png" alt="Vidit - - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384262"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Another Indian in the Candidates,  Vidit Gujrathi, is ranked in the "will do poorly". Carlsen stated: "Vidit has improved a lot from a more of a psychological point. I'm sure he will be very serious, very well prepared. He will not win the tournament. Although I do think he has the capacity to make really good scores if things go his way."</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hikaru-nakamura">Hikaru Nakamura</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-67.jpg" alt="Hikaru Nakamura - Candidates Tournament 2024" class="wp-image-384265"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Image via Maria Emelianova/Chess.com)</figcaption></figure>



<p>And finally, a lot of fan favorites, Hikaru Nakamura, is also ranked in the "likely to win" category. The legendary speed chess player has been close before but right now the chances are massive. Carlsen believes this Candidates Tournament is Nakamura's highest chance to become the world champion. "Hikaru has never had a better chance to become world champion than this. Hikaru has been quite consistent recently in classical chess and I think he has an excellent chance."</p>



<p>You can watch the full video on <a href="https://youtu.be/v0gYaXRq3SM">Chess.com's YouTube</a> or check out the embed below!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/v0gYaXRq3SM
</div></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>The 2024 Candidates Tournament is set to take place in Toronto, Canada this April 2nd. The championship will run simultaneously with the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024. Read more about the tournament below!</p>



[esports_link url="https://esports.gg/news/chess/candidates-tournament-2024-date-participants-venue/"]

Chess

Magnus Carlsen reveals predictions for the 2024 Candidates Tournament

World Chess Championship: Gukesh to take on Ding Liren


<p>Gukesh is only one step away from becoming the world chess champion. And his final obstacle will be the reigning champion, Ding Liren. The Chinese GM has a solid pedigree but his performance has been visibly lackluster in the past year. It is also worth to note that there is a massive age gap between both of them, with Gukesh being 17 and Ding Liren being 31.</p>



Gukesh is only one step away from becoming the world chess champion. And his final obstacle will be the reigning champion, Ding Liren. The Chinese GM has a solid pedigree but his performance has been visibly lackluster in the past year. It is also worth to note that there is a massive age gap between both of them, with Gukesh being 17 and Ding Liren being 31.



<p>Following Gukesh's victory, Ding Liren comments that although he has the better classical skills, Gukesh will be a tough opponent to face.</p>



Following Gukesh's victory, Ding Liren comments that although he has the better classical skills, Gukesh will be a tough opponent to face.



<p>Stay tuned to <a href="https://esports.gg/">esports</a>.gg for more chess news and updates!</p>



Stay tuned to esports.gg for more chess news and updates!


<p>History has been made! The wild 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament gathered eight of the worlds' best chess Grandmasters for a spot in the World Chess Championship. Against all odds and against all expectations, the 17-year-old Indian player, Gukesh D, races ahead and successfully claims his throne. Gukesh D became the champion of Candidates Tournament with an impressive 9 points - breaking records and making history.</p>



<p>Gukesh D is now the youngest player to win the Candidates Tournament. He broke the record set by Garry Kasparov who won the Candidates at 20 years old back in 1983. He will also continue to carry the Indian legacy in chess, becoming the next Indian player to qualify for the World Chess Championship after the historic Viswanathan Anand.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/chesscom/status/1782412173270007961
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gukesh-d-delivers-a-shocking-underdog-run">Gukesh D delivers a shocking underdog run</h2>



<p>Prior to the Candidates Tournament, a lot of experts, and even Magnus Carlsen himself, believed that veterans will take away the limelight. Names like Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura are often in the predictions to win the Candidates. If it doesn't fall to the veterans, a lot of people had high expectations for youngsters like R Pragg and even the inconsistent Alireza Firouzja. </p>



<p>Take <a href="https://esports.gg/news/chess/magnus-carlsen-ranks-players-of-candidates-tournament-2024/">Carlsen's predictions for the Candidates</a> - Gukesh sits in the near bottom of the tierlist. The former World Champion believes Gukesh will "perform poorly" and he "cannot imagine Gukesh winning." That was how much of an underdog Gukesh was. But he proved the masses wrong.</p>



[esports_link url="https://esports.gg/news/chess/magnus-carlsen-ranks-players-of-candidates-tournament-2024/"]



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-chess-championship-gukesh-to-take-on-ding-liren">World Chess Championship: Gukesh to take on Ding Liren</h2>



<p>Gukesh is only one step away from becoming the world chess champion. And his final obstacle will be the reigning champion, Ding Liren. The Chinese GM has a solid pedigree but his performance has been visibly lackluster in the past year. It is also worth to note that there is a massive age gap between both of them, with Gukesh being 17 and Ding Liren being 31.</p>



<p>Following Gukesh's victory, Ding Liren comments that although he has the better classical skills, Gukesh will be a tough opponent to face.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/chesscom/status/1782367974722052309
</div></figure>



<p>Stay tuned to <a href="https://esports.gg/">esports</a>.gg for more chess news and updates!</p>

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17-year-old underdog wins the Candidates Tournament to become the youngest winner in chess history

Gukesh D delivers a shocking underdog run

Magnus Carlsen reveals predictions for the 2024 Candidates Tournament

World Chess Championship: Gukesh to take on Ding Liren