Karuana evaluated his opponents before the "Candidates" tournament
Fabiano Caruana shared his thoughts while assessing his opponents ahead of the upcoming "Candidates" tournament. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Although many experts consider him the main favorite of the tournament, Caruana acknowledged the dual effect of this status: on one hand, it is praise, and on the other hand, great pressure. In his opinion, every chess player coming to the "Candidates" tournament has a single goal — to win.
Caruana compared the current participants with previous tournaments and noted that the difference in preparation levels has significantly decreased. Now, the result is determined not only by preparation but also by other subtle factors: physical condition, nerve management, correct assessment of situations, minimizing mistakes, and making the right decisions in critical positions.
He gave a special assessment of his opponents. For example, speaking about Praggnanandhaa, he highly evaluated his results in major tournaments in recent years and said that he considers success in big competitions more important than rating.
Anish Giri was described as a strategically strong player, but Caruana expressed doubts about his ability to win many games. Regarding Wei Yi, he noted that although his playing level is sometimes high, he lacks sufficient experience in winning major tournaments.
Caruana sees Yesipenkov as a dangerous opponent but did not include him among the main favorites. About Blyubaum, he said he could play the role of a "spoiler," but his chances of winning are limited.
Sindarov is one of the most interesting names for Caruana. He described Sindarov as an aggressive and dangerous player and even acknowledged the possibility of him becoming the tournament winner.
Speaking about Hikaru Nakamura, Caruana highly valued his experience and ability to win in previous tournaments. He recalled that Nakamura had a decisive opportunity in the last tournament as well and recognized his claim to the championship.
Overall, although Caruana admits the tournament will be tough, his ultimate goal remains unchanged — to fight for victory. Source: zamin.uz.
