Glad to be part of American Gambits at Global Chess League: Murzin

Volodar Murzin stunned the world last year when he won the World rapid chess championship in New York, finishing ahead of so many big names, including the five-time winner Magnus Carlsen. He had started as the 59th seed, and was just 18 then.

The Russian will be defending his crown at this year’s World Rapid Championship, beginning in Doha on December 26. Before that though, he will be playing at the third edition of the Global Chess League, to be held in Mumbai from December 13.

This is his Murzin’s second league; last year he had played for Ganges Grandmasters. This time he is representing American Gambits. And he is glad to be part of the team headlined by the World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura.

“I am delighted that I am playing for American Gambits and we have an excellent team,” Murzin told The Hindu over the phone from Moscow. “We have the team to win the title this time and that is what we will be aiming for. All the players in the team are familiar to me.”

He was referring to Richard Rapport, Vladislav Artemiev, Richard Rapport, Bibisara Assaubayeva and Teodora Injac. He said he liked the format of the Global Chess League. “It is exciting,” he said. “And I really like the league’s time control.”

The trip to Mumbai will be his second visit to India within less than two months. He was in Goa for the World Cup, which was a big disappointment for him, though: he was knocked out in the first round itself. He must be hoping for a better show at the glamorous league.

Looking back at his victory at the World rapid championship, he said the title meant a lot as the world’s leading players were there. He became the second youngest winner in the history of the tournament, behind Nodirbek Abdusattorov.