5-time world champion Magnus Carlsen believes that India is barely firstly of a ‘chess revolution’. The nation has seen an explosion in grandmasters in recent times, with the numbers rising from simply 20 earlier than 2010, to 82 within the final 13 years.
What’s much more heartening for Indian chess is that there are presently 9 Indians within the high 100 spots of the FIDE classical chess rankings: Viswanathan Anand (World No 9), Gukesh D (No 13), Vidit Gujrathi (26), Arjun Erigaisi (30), Pentala Harikrishna (32), R Praggnanandhaa (47), Nihal Sarin (53), SL Narayanan (85) and Aravindh Chithambaram (100). Out of them, gamers like Gukesh, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa and Sarin are nonetheless of their teenagers.
“It’s superior to see each the curiosity in chess (from most of the people and media in India) and likewise the massive quantities of younger Indian gamers which might be taking on the chess scene. I believe we’re simply firstly of a chess revolution that began with Viswanathan Anand changing into a grandmaster and finally successful the world championship. What we’re seeing now, it’s solely going to get higher. India is producing GMs at the next degree than ever earlier than. Particularly a participant like D Gukesh is breaking into the world’s elite at an early age. I believe he’s going to be the development fairly than the exception. I believe they’ve quite a bit to sit up for,” stated Carlsen after his aspect, SG Alpine Masters, had misplaced to the Balan Alaskan Knights within the World Chess League.
“It’s a unusual feeling. The 2 out of the six matches I’ve gained, my staff has misplaced”@MagnusCarlsen talks about his journey up to now on the Tech Mahindra World Chess League @SGAlpineWarrior#GlobalChessLeague #GCL #TheBigMove #GCLonJioCinema pic.twitter.com/JRY7ViTQmO
— Tech Mahindra World Chess League (@GCLlive) June 26, 2023
Carlsen is teammates with Gukesh, Arjun and Praggnanandhaa within the GCL and has been spending lengthy hours over meals speaking chess positions.
“All three of them are actually good. I’m simply letting them do their factor after which reply any query that they may have. However I believe they’re actually good. More often than not they don’t want my inputs.
“The three Indian prodigies within the staff, they’re actually attention-grabbing to speak to on the subject of chess. They calculate extraordinarily nicely. Pragg has proven within the Champions Chess tour on-line that he’s extraordinarily good at fast chess… that’s when he’s at his finest. The chess that he’s taking part in right here suggests that he’s taking even additional steps. It’s been actually spectacular to see.”
Regardless of the defeat, the Alpine Masters are on high of the GCL standings with the Ganges Grandmasters with 12 match factors.
“It’s unusual that I’ve gained two video games out of six, and people are the one video games we’ve misplaced. I believe I performed a good recreation and confirmed respectable method. As for the others, they’ve executed extraordinarily nicely up to now. Particularly Pragg, who gained once more on the final board. He’s simply doing superb. The ladies’s boards as nicely have carried out tremendous nicely. It’s an unlucky consequence, however we maintain going,” stated the world no 1, who added that he now seems to be on the TV screens throughout his personal recreation to see the place of his teammates’ boards to resolve whether or not he ought to combat for a win or accept attracts.
On being requested how he was having fun with the staff occasion, he stated: “I didn’t assume a lot in regards to the format of the occasion when it comes to the scoring. But it surely’s actually good. There are numerous boards with totally different strengths. However the groups are total pretty equal. This implies each match goes forwards and backwards. The previous couple of days, groups have been selecting to play white however then black was doing nicely. Then at the moment it was a large comeback from the gamers with the white items. I believe the format is de facto good, it evokes preventing chess and thrilling matches. For me, I believe that is the way in which ahead.”
After the five-time world champion determined to forfeit his proper to defend his crown, China’s Ding Liren turned the world champion. When requested how totally different his life had change into after letting go of the throne, he stated, “The factor individuals don’t realise is that my life isn’t so totally different now than it was. I’m nonetheless taking part in tournaments, making ready for them, travelling round, I take pleasure in it immensely. That is what I used to be doing earlier than I began taking part in on this planet championship. And that is what I plan on persevering with to do for some time.”
He was additionally requested who he noticed taking on the mantle as an all-time nice after him.
“I don’t have a look at ‘who after me’, but. I used to be requested this query 11 years in the past. It was a buddy of my father who requested me what I used to be going to do in 15 years when ‘somebody who’s higher than you comes alongside.’ I stated that’s not going to occur. I’m nonetheless preventing,” he stated.