After winning his first game of the final match, against Anish Giri, in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League at Friends House, Alireza Firouzja asked his coach: “When is the next game?”
The excitement of the Iran-born Frenchman was understandable. He had been scoring several wins on the Icon board for Triveni Continental Kings. He lost to Giri in the return match, but that didn’t matter. His team won that match and the final against PBG Alaskan Knights.
Firouzja, rated by five-time World champion and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen as the best player of the young generation, is a former World No. 2. He remains the youngest to reach 2,800 Elo points; he had broken Carlsen’s record in 2021. He is now ranked World No. 7 with 2767 Elo points. Excerpts:
You came in virtually as a last-minute replacement for Triveni Continental Kings and turned out to be the star performer on the Icon board…
I feel happy. I wanted to help my team.
You didn’t play in the inaugural edition of the Global Chess League, so this is your first. Your thoughts on the event?
We don’t have so many team events in the calendar. So I am happy I participated here. It was a kind of last moment thing, but at the end everything went well. And I liked Season one. I was watching from home. It was pretty cool. I remember some things from last season.
Such as…
The way Levon Aronian played (for Continental Kings, my team). And the final was very exciting.
This year the league got better, with Hikaru Nakamura and you coming in…
Yes, the tournament got bigger and tougher now. I like the fact that it has come to London. It’s good for chess in England.
What are your thoughts on doing away completely with the increment in time control? Do you think it is a good innovation?
I think it fits this tournament. It is very exciting. You still have to make good moves. But I think spectators love it, though we players may sometimes suffer because of it. But I like it. But I think the entertainment factor is good for chess.
You have had a good year so far despite the disappointment at the Candidates tournament.
Yeah, I think it was a good year after some ups and downs. I managed to win the Grand Chess Tour. I could have done a bit better at the Candidates. But you should learn from it and move on. And I did my best. The Candidates tournament is very tricky. Anything can happen.
A couple of years ago, Magnus Carlsen had said that he would defend his title only if you became his challenger (after winning the Candidates). How did you feel when he said that?
I felt nice. People say it would add pressure to me, but I took it very positively. He respects my play. But I also respect his play a lot.
What are your earliest memories about chess?
One of my most cherished memories about chess is entering our local chess club in Bablo, Iran. It is where I was born.
So how did you end up in that chess club?
We had a chess board in our home. Me and my brother were playing all the time. One day, it was summer. We checked football, gymnastics. And then we went to chess. I liked chess a lot. And we proceeded from there. You preferred chess to gymnastics and football.
What do you recall from those days at the club?
I spent a lot of time there. I would wait for my school to finish, so that I could go to the club.
When did you really become serious about having a career in chess?
I think it was when I was around 10 or 11. My coaches in that chess club were very professional.
Any particular coach that you remember, that you are grateful to?
Yes, I had a coach, Mr. Abbasi. He is a very good coach. He is still coaching there. The coaches advised my parents that I should continue with chess.
Back in 2019, you scored 105 points to touch the 2,700 Elo mark.
I was working a lot, so I kind of expected it. I knew I would reach 2,700 one day.
Then in 2021, you crossed 2,800, beating Carlsen’s record as the youngest player to reach the magical mark. Only 14 players have done it in history.
I am very happy to be one of them. It was a very special feeling because reaching 2,800 in your lifetime is a goal.
You took a year off from chess to study fashion designing in Paris…
I was playing chess for 11 or 12 years in a row. I wanted to have some social life. I liked it a lot. It helped me a lot, I think. But now I am focused a lot on chess again.
What made you turn towards fashion?
I always liked it. When I was 10 or 11, I was collecting sneakers. I was always following the fashion shows in Paris. I have many friends in the fashion industry.
So you may design some clothes in the future?
Yeah, probably, yeah.
How do you look forward to the world title match between Ding Liren and D. Gukesh?
I think Gukesh is a big favourite now. But Ding has experience, so you should not underestimate him.
So you would not write him off, unlike some players do?
I don’t think you can write him off. Writing him off is not a professional thing.
So you feel it could be a match?
Yeah, it could be.
What about your own aspirations as far as the World title is concerned? How do you look forward to that, playing a World title match?
Now I mostly think about becoming No. 1 in the world. It is my biggest goal. For the world championship, you have to be a bit lucky sometimes.
Especially for the Candidates tournament…
Yes, and the Candidates tournament happens every two years. And only one player qualifies. And in those two weeks, you have to not get sick, you have to be in the best physical shape. So I think reaching number one, to be the best player in the world is the most important thing.
Which factors do you think might have helped Gukesh to win the Candidates this year?
I think India has a very good structure for chess. The Indian youngsters have a lot of support. Then Viswanathan Anand is there, he has an academy there. And he is providing coaches for them and things like that.
You are part of an exciting young generation of chess. How do you see the future for the game?
Yes there are some very good players from around the world. So I am expecting that it will be exciting, at least as exciting as the previous generation.
(The correspondent is in London at the invitation of Tech Mahindra)
Published – October 14, 2024 11:58 pm IST