Grandmaster P. Harikrishna is set to debut on the million-dollar Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour by joining the game’s elite players in the $150,000 Chessable Masters beginning on June 20.
Carlsen leads the online 12-player field including Fabiano Caruana, Ding Liren, Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Daniil Dubov, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Anish Giri, Alexander Grischuk, Teimour Radjabov, Harikrishna and Vladislav Artemiev.
Ranked 26th in classical format, Harikrishna will have to use all his skills of rapid and blitz chess to do well in this classy field. Currently, Harikrishna is ranked 51st in rapid and 65th in blitz ratings.
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As per the format, the contestants play other in the round-robin format. The last four players are eliminated, leaving the remaining eight to advance to the knockout quarterfinals. In the knockout phase, each encounter involves a maximum of three best-of-four rapid games.
In case of a 2-2 deadlock in any four-game match, an Armageddon game is played, where the player with white pieces has five minutes - to his rival’s four - make the moves. In case of a draw, the player with black pieces is adjudged the winner.
This is the third leg of the Chess Tour, launched by Magnus Carlsen once the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the cash-rich Grand Chess Tour for the season.
After the launch of the third leg, Carlsen said, “I am proud to announce the next stage in the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour which I hope will bring something new for spectators and fans. As for me, I’m determined to improve from the last event (where he lost in the semifinals). My ambition is to win the Chessable Masters.”
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If the first leg - $250,000 the Magnus Carlsen Invitational - set the record of reaching the 10-million viewers, the most for an online chess event, the second leg - $150,000 Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge - set a new high.
Carlsen and Dubov, winners of these events at the expense of Hikaru Nakamura, are sure of a place in the $s $300,000 Grand Final in August.
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