The prestigious TePe Sigeman classical chess tournament, held in Malmö, Sweden, has brought together world-class grandmasters. Representing Uzbekistan, Nodirbek Abdusattorov drew attention from the very first round with a confident performance. Our compatriot successfully opened the tournament with a victory over Ju Jiner of China.
In an interview following the game, Abdusattorov shared his thoughts on the key decisions and strategy of the match. He noted that his choice of opening proved decisive. Having studied his opponent's style, the chess player chose the Caro-Kann Defense, a decision that caught his opponent off guard.
“She mainly plays e4 and has a good opening repertoire. I chose the Caro-Kann because she was likely expecting other variations. Throughout the game, Black faced no problems. Especially after certain positional decisions, the initiative shifted to my side,” Abdusattorov commented.
He also highlighted that he gained an advantage through piece exchanges during the positional struggle. According to him, as the number of pieces on the board decreased, the space opened up, allowing for a clear plan—the c5 attack. His opponent made a mistake due to time pressure, which ultimately decided the outcome of the game.
Abdusattorov also touched upon his recent consistent results. Recalling his successes in London, Wijk aan Zee, and Prague, he stated that the secret to his form lies in consistency and regular match practice.
Most interestingly, the Uzbek grandmaster openly revealed his reason for attending this tournament: “I came here for Magnus Carlsen. As soon as I heard he was participating, I decided to come,” he said.
It is known that Abdusattorov and Carlsen will face each other in the third round. Our compatriot will play with the black pieces in this match, but he emphasized that this situation does not put him in a difficult position. On the contrary, less pressure could work in his favor.
Thus, one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament is approaching. The question remains: can Abdusattorov maintain his high form against Carlsen? Chess fans are eagerly awaiting the answer.
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