In a remarkable display of chess prowess, 24-year-old Indian chess grandmaster Karthikeyan Murali achieved a stunning victory over the world's number one player, Magnus Carlsen, in the classical chess format during the ongoing Qatar Masters tournament. This remarkable win marks only the third instance in which an Indian player has emerged victorious against Carlsen.
Karthikeyan's triumph occurred in the seventh round of the tournament, where he expertly played with the black pieces. This victory firmly establishes him among other accomplished players like SL Narayan, Javokhir Sindarov, David Paravyan, Arjun Erigaisi, and Nodirbek Yakubboev, all of whom share an impressive score of 5.5 out of 7.
Hailing from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and a two-time national champion, Karthikeyan showcased flawless gameplay and skillfully recovered from a draw against Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran in the tournament's sixth round. Karthikeyan Murali now joins an elite group of Indian chess players, alongside Pentala Harikrishna and Viswanathan Anand, as the third Indian to defeat Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess game.