"Pragg, who has a bit of experience but isn't "fresh," might be in a "sweet spot." - Fabiano Caruana'

"Praggnanandhaa sometimes veers into recklessness" - Fabi

In this interview with Theophilus Wait, the director of operations - Lichess, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana evaluates his prospects and mindset heading into the 2026 Candidates tournament.Ultimately, he emphasises his experience, noting that while veterans understand the physical and emotional toll, newcomers often benefit from a unique, high-energy freshness. Caruana reflects on the aggressive and sometimes reckless styles of younger competitors, contrasting their approach with his own search for a balance between solid play and calculated risk. The conversation also covers his preparation choices, including his preference for knockout formats like the World Cup and his selective use of online chess tools to study amateur opening trends. Ultimately, he emphasizes that feeling pressure is a necessary sign of being in contention, as a lack of tension usually indicates a player’s chances have already vanished. Enjoy the conversation and you can also watch the full video here - Fabiano Caruana: If you're not feeling the pressure your chances are over! | Candidates 2026

Theophilus Wait: You’re the player here with the most experience, having played every single Candidates since 2018. Do you think that gives you an edge here?

Fabiano Caruana: I would be very reluctant to say that it gives me any edge. When I played for the first time, I didn't have experience but still got reasonably close. Playing for the first time has advantages, like freshness and not having the "super nerviness" you might expect. Players like Javokhir Sindarov have good nerves and have played high-pressure events like the World Cup. While knowing what's coming in the later stages can't hurt, I wouldn't call it a decisive advantage.

Theophilus Wait : Do you think first-time players like Sindarov have specific advantages in this format?

Fabiano Caruana: Yes, the excitement of the first chance. Someone like Sindarov is only 19 or 20 and will likely have many more chances. We are at different stages of our careers. Someone like Praggnanandhaa, who has a bit of experience but isn't "fresh," might be in a "sweet spot." But these things often don't make the difference; Gukesh won his first time with very little experience because things just fell into the right place for him.

Theophilus Wait : Younger players like Sindarov seem to play a new type of chess—very aggressive and quickly out of preparation. Does that style go against your own?

Fabiano Caruana: No, I try to learn from players who are super solid and find a good balance. I tend to be an aggressive player and sometimes too risk-taking, which can backfire, but it’s better to have big successes and big failures than to always have a stable result around the middle. Praggnanandhaa sometimes veers into recklessness, like a preparation risk he took against Gukesh that backfired, though a similar risk worked against Vidit. It’s very hard to find that "sweet spot" right in the middle.

Theophilus Wait : This reminds me of your game against Magnus Carlsen in Freestyle Chess, where you lost your edge in a chaotic position by trying to find calm, positional moves. Is that something you want to learn from for this tournament?

Fabiano Caruana: Those moments are very difficult. You don't always know if you should steer the game into manageable territory or keep it tense. You have to decide in the moment based on your perception; there isn't really a universal truth for that.

Theophilus Wait : You’ve played mostly invitational events this year and skipped the Grand Swiss and World Cup since you qualified early. Do you feel any rust?

Fabiano Caruana: I actually really wanted to play the World Cup. I don't find the Grand Swiss as interesting because of the Swiss format and tiebreaks. I love the knockout format of the World Cup. I decided not to play because my October was insane—I played four events in one month. I needed to take November off because December would be just as busy.

I like the format, though it could be changed. The real question is fatigue. If you play tiebreak after tiebreak, you miss rest days. When I played in 2023, I was completely drained by the end—the tiredness was on the level of a Candidates or even more because it was longer.

Theophilus Wait : In round one, you play Hikaru Nakamura with white. You've had this exact matchup in 2022 and 2024. Is momentum important in round one?

Fabiano Caruana: If you can win, it's great, but you don't get chances every day. Hikaru is one of the main favourites which could be seen as super important in the grand scheme. Hikaru is one of the main favourites alongside me.

Theophilus Wait : Hikaru has been less active against elite players lately. Does that expose him?

Fabiano Caruana: It's a bit of an unknown since his last major event was Norway Chess ten months ago. However, he has consistently performed at a 2800 level for years. I would never underestimate him, but it's hard to say exactly what his level is based on recent results.

Theophilus Wait : Being one of the favorites, does that add pressure?

Fabiano Caruana: Everyone feels pressure. If you're not feeling the pressure, your chances in the tournament are probably over. You have to avoid being so burdened by it that you can't make decisions. Only a few times has it been a "smooth ride" for a winner, like Veselin Topalov in 2005, Vishy Anand in 2014, or Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2022. I’ll take any path I can, even a rough one.

Theophilus Wait : You generally aren't a fan of online chess, but do you feel it still has a part to play in the ecosystem?

Fabiano Caruana: It's not that I don't like it; it gives you a chance to play top players from home, which is convenient and democratising. My issues relate more to the management of it and how the tournament calendar was affected after the pandemic.

Theophilus Wait : Do you use online tools for training, like bullet games or puzzles?

Fabiano Caruana: I enjoy Blitz (3+0) for fun and flagging, though it's not super useful for testing openings. Serious online events are more useful for trying new openings. I also checked the Lichess opening tree when I made a Chessable course to see what amateurs play. It was interesting to see how people approach openings; they get very connected to them, and it becomes part of their chess personality.

Thumbnail and Video credits - Lichess