Gukesh, Carlsen Absent, Anand Back for Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz

The Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz tournament returns to Kolkata this week with a high-profile field, compelling storylines and a distinctly generational edge, even as reigning world champion D Gukesh and world No.1 Magnus Carlsen headline a list of notable absentees.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will make a much-anticipated return to competitive action at the event after a gap of six years, leading a strong 10-player Open field that includes Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, Wesley So and Wei Yi. The tournament, to be held at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium, runs from January 7 to 11, with Rapid games scheduled over the first three days and Blitz contests concluding the event.

Gukesh, who recently claimed the world championship crown, has withdrawn from the tournament citing personal reasons, denying fans a marquee clash between the reigning champion and the game’s most celebrated Indian legend. His withdrawal, however, has opened the door for Nihal Sarin, one of India’s most naturally gifted blitz players, to step into the spotlight in what will be one of the biggest domestic events of the year.

Carlsen, the defending champion in both Rapid and Blitz from the previous edition, is also missing, ensuring that the titles will have new winners this time around.

Despite these absences, the tournament retains its competitive edge, particularly in the fast formats. Arjun Erigaisi enters as one of the favourites, riding on strong recent form and his growing reputation as one of the most dangerous rapid and blitz specialists in the world. R Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, will be under close watch as he balances expectations at home with preparations for the upcoming Candidates Tournament, a storyline that also extends to the women’s section.

Teenage Russian Grandmaster Volodar Murzin, the 2024 World Rapid Champion, adds another layer of intrigue, while the presence of American Grandmaster Hans Niemann brings global attention and a sharp competitive edge to the Open field.

For Anand, the tournament represents more than a comeback. Over the past six years, Indian chess has undergone a transformation, led by a generation of prodigies many of whom have trained under him or drawn inspiration from his career. Now, the former world champion finds himself facing his own protégés across the board.

“I am really very excited to be back at Tata Steel Chess India as a player after a gap of six years. Within this period, the world of chess has changed massively with the emergence of talented players, especially in India. I am really excited to accept the challenge from the young chess prodigies in this marquee tournament,” Anand said.

The women’s section is expected to deliver equally intense battles, with defending Rapid champion Aleksandra Goryachkina and last edition’s Blitz winner Kateryna Lagno headlining a field that also includes Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, Dronavalli Harika and Vantika Agrawal. With Divya and Vaishali also carrying the added pressure of a Candidates year, the tournament doubles up as a crucial test of form on the international stage.

The event features a single round-robin Rapid format followed by a double round-robin Blitz section, formats that traditionally reward intuition, nerve and speed over prolonged calculation. With a total prize purse of USD 41,500 each for the Open and Women’s categories, the stakes remain high despite the absence of a few marquee names.

As Tata Steel Chess India once again takes centre stage, the spotlight will firmly be on a changing of the guard where legends return, prodigies push forward, and fast chess promises little room for reputation to outweigh performance.