Magnus Carlsen pulled his first trains in the Zillertal on Monday. The world champion from Norway, the former Indian world champion Viswanathan Anand and also Austria’s grandmaster Markus Ragger were in action in Mayrhofen as part of the European Club Cup. Carlsen plays for the Norwegian team Offerspill Chess, which competes in Tirol as an outsider. On Monday he drew with the black stones following 200 minutes once morest Latvian Nikita Meshkovs.
Anand also had to settle for a draw at the start, while Ragger, who plays for Czech club Novy Bor, won with black once morest Dutchman Freddie van der Elburg. A total of 87 teams with around 500 players are at the start in Mayrhofen in the men’s and women’s European Cup.
Carlsen will not give any media appointments. The 31-year-old recently made headlines following he made allegations of cheating once morest American Hans Niemann. There is no evidence of misconduct by the 19-year-old grandmaster Niemann.
