Magnus Carlsen is perhaps the greatest chess player. Filling in the shoes of a giant like him is no easy feat.
And if you ask who can be the next Magnus Carlsen, the answer would be… no one. Okay, maybe his clone. Or something like MagnusAI.
The point is making a copy of almost any human is hard. And replicating a genius is perhaps the hardest.
Instead, let’s reframe the question to – Who could be as dominant a player as Magnus Carlsen in the coming years?
Okay, now there are a few contenders. Some which come to mind instantly are Alireza Firoujza, Abdusattorov Nordirbek, and the Indian talents including the likes of Gukesh D, Nihal Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa.
Each of them makes a serious case for why they could become the next greatest player.
Before we make an argument for them, let’s understand what makes the Norwegian Grandmaster so special.
What makes Magnus Carlsen the greatest player?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZO28NtkwwQ
Magnus made his argument:
- Unbeaten as a world champion in 5 tries
- World no.1 for 11 consecutive years
- Has the highest chess rating of all time (Peak elo 2882)
Plus, he dominated the opposition in an era where chess engines have leveled the playing field.
I would also add that Magnus is not just a Classical World Champion but has also been the World Rapid and Blitz Champion a number of times.
Time and time again, he proves why he’s the undisputed best player.
So who could become as dominant as Magnus?
The Upcoming Stars
Source: chess.com
Before the 2022 Candidates, Magnus had made it clear that he would only defend his World Championship title if Alireza Firoujza became the Challenger.
Alas, that didn’t happen. But it definitely hints at who Magnus thinks is a worthy opponent(and successor).
Then during the World Rapid Championship in 2021, Magnus was leading the field by half a point. He was on course to win the tournament, until he faced Abdusattorov Nordirbek.
The Uzbek Grandmaster defeated Magnus and went on to become the World Rapid Champion. He definitely looks promising.
Source: chess.com
And who can forget the young talents coming from India? Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh have all shown they can beat anyone on their day
(L-R) Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi. Source: Chessbase India
(L-R) Gukesh D and Prag. Photo: Lennart Ootes
Not only are these youngsters extremely talented and hardworking, but they also have a great mentor, who was once the no.1 player and a world champion himself – GM Viswanathan Anand!
So those will be the predictions.
However, there are too many factors that go behind becoming one of the greatest players of all time. Only time will tell who will rise to the top.
Who do you think will become the greatest? Share with us in the comments.
