Solidified position as the world’s top-rated player

Carlsen, Nakamura raise Brits’ brows
Saturday, December 26, 2009 3:07 AM
By SHELBY LYMAN

Magnus Carlsen solidified his position as the world’s top-rated player by winning the highly regarded London Chess Classic last week.
Finishing a close second was former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, whose first-round loss to Carlsen set the course.

On the suggestion of trainer and coach Garry Kasparov, the 19-year-old Norwegian played the English opening — Kramnik’s favorite — with the white pieces. Whether because of the shrewd psychology or Carlsen’s stellar play, the strategy worked.

It must be unnerving to sit across from Carlsen and sense the invisible presence of his mentor, the fiercely competitive Kasparov, beside him.

Scrappy U.S. champion Hikaru Nakamura also performed memorably despite a modest result of six draws and a loss.

Two of his draws were against Carlsen and Kramnik. Nakamura, from White Plains, N.Y., had winning possibilities against the first and repeatedly challenged the second with unexpected moves.

Nakamura’s original and aggressive style is a welcome addition to elite chess.

Source: Columbus Dispatch http://www.dispatch.com