Can you guess which Candidate is the best against Carlsen?
Well the Candidates tournament has already started and one can only imagine that the current world champion Magnus Carlsen is watching, awaiting who he will play for the Championship. Since we are still early in the tournament anyone can win. Because everyone still has a chance to win we have to wonder about the possibilities of what will happen if each of the candidates faces Magnus Carlsen. While past games aren't the only indicator of a world championship they might provide interesting predictions.
So do you have your guesses?
First, let me tell you two players who don't have a wining record against Carlsen.
Its not: Ding Liren.
https://cdn.chess24.com/bZXsCKBgT_qTalFpf4LRiA/original/ding-liren.jpg
Though Ding Liren is the number 3 player in the world he doesn't have a wining record against Carlsen. Liren has played 9 classical games against Carlsen and while 8 have been draws he has lost one of those games so he doesn't have a wining record against Carlsen.
It is not: Alexander Grishuk
http://www.chessdom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Alexander-Grischuk.jpg
Grishuk is the top rated Russian and ranked number 4 in the world. Even while being on of the top players in the world his record in classical games against Carlsen is not pretty. Grishuk has played 16 games against Carlsen and drawn nine of those games, however Carlsen has beaten Grishuk 6-1 in the other seven games.
Did your guess change? Well, now that I have narrowed down the Candidates you have a better chance of guessing who is the best against the current world champ and who may also face him in the world championship this year.
Here one last hint: This player has started off the Candidates tournament very well.
Its............… Nepo!!!!
https://en.chessbase.com/portals/all/2019/05/GrandPrixMoscow/r4d1/Ian-Nepomniachtchi.jpeg
Yep, Ian Nepomniachtchi or Nepo for short, has played Carlsen 11 times in the classical format. In those there where 6 draws and Nepo has won 4 games against Carlsen, while Carlsen has only won 1 against Nepo. So Nepo is one of the two players to start of round one with a win, and he is very much in the running to win the candidates.
Finally was your guess right? Let me know in the comments!
The stats mentioned in this article are from https://www.chessgames.com/index.html
