A brilliant year: Alireza Firouzja’s rise to the very top

In a year that saw Magnus Carlsen defending the Classical World Championship title for a fourth consecutive time, a young player became the most dangerous potential challenger for the Norwegian. 17-year-old Alireza Firouzja climbed to the second spot in the world ranking by showcasing incredible results throughout 2021. We look at how the Iranian-born grandmaster gained 55 rating points in 12 months. | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit