Kolkata: The idea was to test the waters, see if the competition had closed in on Magnus Carlsen. Nine rounds of Rapid chess however were a resounding validation of Carlsen’s genius in a tournament that boasted some of the best minds in the game. Six wins out of nine games culminated into a two-point lead over runner-up R Praggnanandhaa that Norbidek Abdusattarov came close to shaving in the last round but Carlsen had no problem forcing a draw after an error from the Uzbek GM. He finished with 7.5 out of a possible nine points.

“The first (against Praggnanandhaa) and the last games were the most difficult,” said Carlsen after winning the Rapid section of the Tata Steel Chess India here on Friday. “I think I played really well yesterday but then my level dropped a little bit today. Norbidek is an enterprising player. He outplayed me quite badly and I am not thrilled about that. Prag had a good performance. Overall, I played quite well during my six-game streak.”

Asked what keeps him motivated to play chess even now, Carlsen said: “It’s my favourite hobby in the world. It’s very satisfying while being good at it, especially facing the younger generation.” That Carlsen was head and shoulders above the competition was evident in his relaxed approach, often leaving the board during his match against 20-year-old Vincent Keymer to observe other games despite the clock running against him. Keymer shook hands a little while later, followed by Daniil Dubov, making Carlsen the winner with a round to spare.

Also fascinating was the comeback staged by Praggnanandhaa, winning against Arjun Erigaisi and SL Narayanan. A draw against Wesley So propelled Praggnanandhaa to 5.5 points, equaling Wesley’s tally but edging him out on tiebreaks.

In the women’s section, Aleksandra Goryachkina showcased their dominance to emerge victorious with 7.5 points. A draw against India’s Koneru Humpy in the seventh round was followed by consecutive wins against Divya Deshmukh and Valentina Gunina, securing her place at the top of the podium. Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze secured the first runner-up position with 5.5 points, while India’s Vantika Agrawal delivered an inspiring performance to claim the second runner-up spot with 5 points.

Final Standings (Rapid)

Open Section: Magnus Carlsen 7.5, R Praggnanandhaa 5.5, Wesley So 5.5, Nodirbek Abdusattorov 5, Vincent Keymer 4.5, Nihal Sarin 4, Daniil Dubov 3.5, Arjun Erigaisi 3.5, Vidit Gujrathi 3, SL Narayanan.

Women’s Section: Aleksandra Goryachkina 7.5, Nana Dzagnidze 5.5, Vantika Agrawal 5, Kateryna Lagno 4.5, Harika Dronavalli 4.5, Valentina Gunina 4.5, Divya Deshmukh 3.5, Vaishali R 3.5, Alexandra Kosteniuk 3.5, Koneru Humpy 3.