Nodirbek Abdusattorov shared his impressions of participating in a training camp with Magnus Carlsen. Abdusattorov says that their joint training was useful for both of them. Nodirbek notes that this was a unique event for him. Abdusattorov spoke about it in an interview with ChessBase India.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov

Nodirbek Abdusattorov

World's No. 5

“[Interviewer: Tell us a bit about this collaboration with Magnus]

We held a small camp in Spain for very small periods. And I was pleased to collaborate with him, to play training games, and to know him better as a person.

I’ve got some ideas from him, and I hope that he also had different fresh ideas from my side. Hopefully it will be a useful collaboration and we’ll have a good result at the Total Chess Pilot.

[Interviewer: Is it something a bit new for you? In the sense of working with top players in a private setting like this? Or have you done that many times before?]

I’ve joined a lot of training camps. But of course, a training camp with Magnus is very special. You don’t get this opportunity [every day]. So, it was obviously an exciting moment for me.

I’m always open for opportunities to learn something new, to kind of share experience with top players. And I think this is a very unusual thing among very top players.

They usually don’t work with each other, but I think times are changing and who knows, maybe there’ll be a lot of similar camps in the future.”

Magnus Carlsen posted photos and a video from a training camp in Spain on his Instagram in late October. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Peter Heine Nielsen, and David Howell took part in the camp. Magnus shared his thoughts on this collaboration in early November.

Carlsen and Abdusattorov gathered together at a training camp for the first time. Both Grandmasters are currently playing at the Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot. The event takes place from November 10 to 21 at the Anantara New York Palace Hotel in Budapest, Hungary.

Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE