Volodar Murzin (photo FIDE/GCL) NEW DELHI: Russia carries its history as a legacy, something that cannot be ignored. Chess is naturally one of his proudest legacies.Another civilization rooted in deep traditions, India has spent the last few decades carving out its own place on the global chess map, producing prodigies and sharing podiums at a pace that even the old guard now acknowledges.
Anish Giri Exclusive: FIDE World Championship in Goa, preparation of 2026 candidates, GCL stories and more
Yes, Russia, formerly part of the USSR, may have even more world champions, but when Russian grandmaster Volodar Murzin talks about India, he leaves the game of 64 fields aside. Instead, his mind jumps to something much more delicious, something much more edible.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!For 19-year-old Murzin, India starts with mangoes, paneer and sugarcane juice, a trio that clearly proved his taste buds.“I have played in India many times,” Murzin told TimesofIndia.com from his home in Russia during an exclusive interaction. “When I was in India, I ate a lot of mangoes, drank sugarcane juice and I like Indian paneer.”What about spices?“I like spicy food. Yeah. It’s not a problem for me. Indian paneer is very tasty.”As India prepares to host the Global Chess League (GCL) for the first time from December 14-23 at Mumbai’s iconic Royal Opera House, Murzin, the FIDE Rapid 2024 champion, will join the fray as one of the sharpest young minds.Murzin, who was retained by American Gambits, is quite positive about the third season.“I like this type of tournament,” he added. “I always like team competitions… you get to talk to the strong players on your team.With Hikamu Nakamura, Richard rapport, Vladslav Artěmiev, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Teodora Injac and Volodar Murzin, America Gambits have one of the strongest lineups in the league this season.Although Murzin has yet to speak with his superstar teammates about the upcoming season, he feels communication won’t be a problem.“I know everyone on my team. I communicate well with everyone,” he told the website.“Of course we want to win… but we just have to play and not think about it,” he added, sounding like a veteran who has seen enough pressure for his age.When asked about his overall experience since winning the World Rapid title last year, Murzin admits that the crown has changed him.“I just became more confident,” added the teenager. “Now it will be easier to play because I feel more comfortable.But 2025 wasn’t perfect. “It wasn’t a good year for me… I didn’t play very well. I just need a little more time,” he explained.However, his ambitions are sharp. He wants to improve his classical chess: “Sometimes I can think for 15 minutes… if I start playing faster, I think I will definitely become a top player.”Ask him about the 2026 candidates and he feels that the experienced on the circuit are slightly more popular: “Caruana has a good chance. He is in good form, very strong. Anish Giri too.”
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With Doha hosting the World Rapid and Blitz Championships from December 25-31, Murzin is aware of the potential challenge: “There are a lot of strong players and it’s very interesting to play against them.”However, he does not hesitate to name the opponents he would like to face: Arjun Erigaisi and Hans Niemann.“Erigaisi has an interesting style… he’s like an intuitive player,” added Murzin. “And Hans too, very interesting style.But before all that, the future of Russian chess is coming to Mumbai for GCL and maybe some mango and protein-packed paneer.ALSO READ: From ‘dying from spice’ to ‘iPhone revolt’ and ‘Gukesh mode’: Dutch No.1 Anish Giri opens a box of not-so-chess stories | Exclusive
