‘Carlsen’s time has come’

Alas, it was over for Viswanathan  Anand and one billion and more chess fans from India. He lost three games and drew seven to Magnus Carlsen, making the latter the undisputed chess champion of the world. Carlsen reached the magic figure of 6½ points in the best-of-12 series with two games to spare.

Writing for Time magazine (Nov 25, 2013) the irrepressible Garry Kasparov has been quoted as saying, “as I said before the match, Anand was fighting not only a stronger player but also the tidal forces of time and history. Carlsen is a force of nature whose time has come and there was little Anand could do to slow the inevitable in Chennai.”  Kasparov coached Carlsen for a year in 2009. And another influential chess voice, a former world championship challenger to Kasparov, England’s Nigel Short, also expressed his view in The Indian Express:  “It is hard to recall any world championship match that has been so bereft of theoretical novelties, as the young Norwegian constantly sought to sidestep Anand’s renowned preparation by going down less travelled paths. His simple philosophy was, in essence, ‘Give me an equal position that you have not studied with a computer and I will outplay you.’’’

20131117chessSome say that the Anand-Carlsen match was the biggest chess clash since the Spassky-Fischer encounter in 1972, in terms of the interest which it generated. Most of the media houses carried reports of the match, including celebrated newspapers, news magazines, television stations, radio shows and the like. Since the disappearance of Fischer following his 1972 match, there has been no Western world chess champion until now. This was perhaps why the media outlets chose to publicize details of the match in Tamil Nadu. Perhaps they sensed there could be a new world champion. Fischer did return, however, for a match against Spassky, which he won handsomely, and for which the purse totalled a glittering US$5 million, unrealized so far by other active chess players. Fischer cited himself as the world champion at the beginning of the nineties at the conclusion of the match in Yugoslavia, but no one took him seriously.

Carlsen’s toughest rivals who play chess currently are Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Levon Aronian of Armenia. You would recall that Kramnik was defeated by Carlsen on the tie-break system at the Candidates tournament in London in March of this year, and thereby secured the right to face Anand.  And perhaps Fabio Caruana of Italy. And still, I believe, we haven’t heard the last of Anand as yet. He is earmarked to play in the Candidates tournament next year. The line-up for that tournament promises to be awesome, matching some of the fabled tournaments of yesteryear.

Carlsen, the poster-boy for chess, has been named as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. Writing for Time, Kasparov emphasized that Carlsen is “charismatic and independent as he is talented. If he can rekindle the world’s fascination with the royal game, we will soon be living in the Carlsen era.’’

Magnus Carlsen has been branded by the press as “the world’s sexiest chess player.’’  Now that he is the world chess champion and the highest ranked player on the planet, the accolades would undoubtedly continue. At 22, already he is being called the “poster boy’’ for chess, and he models clothes for the Dutch company G-Star Raw. Carlsen became the second youngest world champion in the history of the game, after Garry Kasparov. As Kasparov correctly noted, his accolade of being the youngest ever world champion, might be the only record that would remain since Carlsen took over. The chess world is eagerly trusting that the face and influence of Carlsen would secure enhanced sponsorship for the game, and increase the number of players in schools  across the world.
Magnus Carlsen has been branded by the press as “the world’s sexiest chess player.’’ Now that he is the world chess champion and the highest ranked player on the planet, the accolades would undoubtedly continue. At 22, already he is being called the “poster boy’’ for chess, and he models clothes for the Dutch company G-Star Raw. Carlsen became the second youngest world champion in the history of the game, after Garry Kasparov. As Kasparov correctly noted, his accolade of being the youngest ever world champion, might be the only record that would remain since Carlsen took over. The chess world is eagerly trusting that the face and influence of Carlsen would secure enhanced sponsorship for the game, and increase the number of players in schools across the world.
The National Senior Chess Championship of Guyana began yesterday at the Ocean Spray hotel. Seven players will face Taffin Khan for the title.
The National Senior Chess Championship of Guyana began yesterday at the Ocean Spray hotel. Seven players will face Taffin Khan for the title.

India has succumbed. Its mighty warrior was plucked from the pinnacle of world chess. But people should remember that Anand inspired an entire generation of chess players. There are more chess players in India than ever before. No more is India a mediocre chess-playing nation, and Anand should be heartened by this devlopment. In total, India boasts some 38 grandmasters in addition to numbers of other titled players. Given the strength and depth of Indian chess, it is only a matter of time before a person of consequence rises again from the land where the royal game was created. It would be fitting for someone to make Anand proud again.