"Almaty is not a very pleasant city": how Kazakhstan's Alps disappointed a chess champion.

The Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen shared his impressions of his visit to Almaty during the World Rapid Chess Championship on Joe Rogan's podcast, as reported by Caravan.kz.

He noted the severe air pollution in winter, which compelled him to retreat to the mountains to recharge.

According to Carlsen, the air quality during the winter makes the city less comfortable to stay in. To mitigate the negative effects of smog, he headed to ski resorts that, in his view, are comparable in beauty to the Alps.

During his trip, he visited Shymbulak and the Medeu skating rink, where he met with local chess players and shared his experiences. Despite the environmental issues, the natural beauty of Kazakhstan left a strong impression on him.

“World Chess Championships have taken place in various locations. This one was in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which, at least in winter, is a polluted and not very pleasant city. Yet, just half an hour's drive from the city, you find beautiful mountains that reach heights of 3,500 meters. It’s simply fantastic! – you can get from the city to the mountain summit in an hour, enjoying a wonderful skiing vacation. I felt so unhappy being down in the city that I thought on that day: if I am going to compete today, I need fresh air, I need to get out of here. And so I took a risk,” Carlsen stated.

“World Chess Championships have taken place in various locations. This one was in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which, at least in winter, is a polluted and not very pleasant city. Yet, just half an hour's drive from the city, you find beautiful mountains that reach heights of 3,500 meters. It’s simply fantastic! – you can get from the city to the mountain summit in an hour, enjoying a wonderful skiing vacation. I felt so unhappy being down in the city that I thought on that day: if I am going to compete today, I need fresh air, I need to get out of here. And so I took a risk,” Carlsen stated.

Let us remind you that the World Rapid Chess Championship took place in Almaty from December 25 to 30, 2022. Carlsen emerged as the tournament champion, securing his fourth title in this format.