Anand to Face Rising Star Gukesh in Tata Steel India Chess Tournament
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Chess legend Viswanathan Anand is set to return to the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament in Kolkata, where he will face a tough challenge from rising star D Gukesh in January. Anand, along with other top players Hans Niemann, Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, will participate in the open section of the tournament, scheduled from January 7-11. Anand expressed his excitement to be back in the tournament after a six-year gap, acknowledging the significant changes in the chess world, particularly the emergence of talented Indian players. He is eager to take on the young and talented Gukesh, who has been in the spotlight since becoming the youngest-ever world champion. Gukesh will be competing in his second event in India since his historic win, and he will be hoping to find his form in 2026 and put up a strong show in Kolkata. Despite facing some setbacks in his 2025 season, Anand believes that Gukesh's willingness to experiment and learn from his mistakes is a healthy quality that will eventually lead to improvement. The women's section of the tournament will feature top players like Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali Rameshbabu, and Harika Dronavalli, among others. The tournament promises to be an exciting event, with some of the best players in the world competing against each other in Kolkata.
