Fabiano Caruana Reveals Why He Chose World Champion Gukesh as His Opponent: ‘His Experience in High-Stakes Games Sets Him Apart’

Fabiano Caruana recently shared his thoughts on why he chose to compete against world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, rather than Nodirbek Abdusattorov or Hikaru Nakamura. Caruana highlighted Gukesh’s experience in high-pressure games, which played a significant role in his decision. In their recent quarter-final match at the Weissenhaus leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, Caruana triumphed over Gukesh, marking a notable achievement.

“I had to make a choice, and honestly, I could flip a coin,” Caruana remarked after his win. “Both Gukesh and Nodirbek are incredibly strong players. Gukesh is about 2790, while Nodirbek is close to 2780.”

He pointed out that while there isn’t a drastic difference in skill, Gukesh has a wealth of experience from competing in World Championship matches. This background gives him an edge in high-stakes situations compared to Nodirbek, who brings his own strengths, especially when applying pressure on opponents. Yet, today Nodirbek played too quickly and may not have been as cautious as needed.

Caruana felt he had a good understanding of both players, stating, “I think of Gukesh as a bit more of an unknown. We’ve faced each other before, so I knew I had to decide carefully.” He anticipated that Nodirbek would be a strong contender, and based on his previous matchups, he leaned towards Gukesh when it was a matter of choice between them.

Reflecting on his victory against the 18-year-old world champion, Caruana expressed his satisfaction. “Winning feels great, especially in such a tense game. I was aware that I could have lost if things had turned differently,” he said. He admitted that while he would have settled for a draw, he pursued an ambitious strategy in the game, even sacrificing a pawn with a bold move. Caruana concluded, “Sometimes, you just have to take control of your own destiny.”

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