‘It’s the only thing he can do’ - Magnus Carlsen takes dig at Vidit Gujrathi while reacting to his player card

Popular Chess grandmasters, Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Ian Nepomniachtchi, recently came together to react to the top Indian chess grandmasters' player cards. These cards included various skill ratings, featuring Attack, Defence, Calculation, Intuition, Time Management, and Overall Strength. The star players shared their thoughts and were seen having fun while analysing the abilities of their Indian counterparts.

While discussing Vidit Gujrathi's card, Carlsen was quick to praise him, noting that Vidit "calculates quite well." Nakamura added to the praise, saying, "Yeah, if you see 2020 to 2024, that’s actually when he played great shots and was calculating and getting good positions." Caruana intervened with a slight correction, stating, "In 2020, he played poorly, but in 2023, he played well."

Nakamura acknowledged his mistake and corrected himself, saying, "Oh yeah, wrong year." The host then pointed out that Vidit had been given a rating of 88 in the Calculation category. However, Nepomniachtchi felt that the number should’ve been even higher.

The conversation took a humorous turn when Carlsen jokingly remarked, "Yeah, I mean, it’s the only thing he can do." While it was said in a funny way, the comment didn’t sit well with many Indian chess fans, who felt it undermined Vidit’s all-around abilities.

Watch the video here:

Magnus, Hikaru, Fabi and Nepo react to the Indian's player cards. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/4oYC41mdVn

— Take Take Take (@TakeTakeTakeApp) April 16, 2025

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