After a slow start and multiple setbacks, World No.1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen mounted a big comeback to finish third at the Las Vegas leg of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam event on Monday. After losing to Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa and American-Armenian Levon Aronian in the classification round for a spot in the quarterfinals, Carlsen’s chances to fight for the title vanished.
However, the Norwegian dominated the lower bracket, winning all knockout rounds before beating Hikaru Nakamura in the third-place match.
“I had one really bad day, and that cost me in the end. But winning five matches in a row, even if the stakes aren’t that high, feels really good,” saidCarlsen after taking home $100,000.
“It was a bit up and down but overall I’m fairly happy with my level in those few games. I felt like I finished off with a really nice win as Black. It builds confidence for my next event. Things obviously weren’t looking that rosy on Wednesday, and I was pretty hard on myself then as well. But now winning the last few matches is always nice. I’m not going to win every tournament but I’m very happy with the way I fought back. So, I will definitely take some positives from this tournament,” he added.
Aronian beat compatriot Hans Niemann in the final to win the event. Carlsen said he was happy for Aronian and the Armenian was the deserved winner.
“It was incredibly impressive, very well deserved as well. He faced a lot of adversity for sure, especially the second game against Hikaru, it took a lot of mental resilience to be able to continue to press after he had several little chances to win, but he didn’t take them. The way he fought in difficult positions against Arjun as well. Like, he was completely busted but came back,” said Carlsen on Aronian.
“I’m very, very happy for Levon. Um, he is… I think he has probably been the biggest fan of freestyle among the top players for many years. There is always some consolation in having lost to the tournament winner. And clearly, you know, the deserved one,” he added.
