Indian chess has come a long way, courtesy Anand: Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen with Anish Sarkar, the three-year-old who became the world’s youngest FIDE-rated player, in Kolkata, West Bengal
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri

Magnus Carlsen’s long reign as the World chess champion began in India, 11 years ago in Chennai. After claiming the first of his first five World titles, beating the local hero Viswanathan Anand, he was the king until he chose to abdicate the crown.

The World No. 1 said that Indian chess had changed considerably since his first visit to the country in 2013. “When I went to Chennai in August (that year) to look at the facilities and so on, I had given a simultaneous display at a school against some of the better kids in the area and now I find those kids are Grandmasters and even playing top tournaments,” Carlsen said on the eve of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament here on Tuesday (November 12, 2024). “Those who were kids then are now core of the Olympiad-winning Indian teams. Indian chess has indeed come a long way, thanks largely to Anand and what he did for the game in India.”

Two of Carlsen’s rivals here, Wesley So and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, spoke of the upcoming World championship match between D. Gukesh and Ding Liren. Both feel the Indian teenager is the favourite.

So said he was looking forward to the match that starts in Singapore on November 25. “The world title matches are my favourite events to watch,” said the American. “One of the best matches I have seen was the one between Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana in 2018; I woke up until three in the morning watching the game. I have talked to many Grandmasters and they said Gukesh’s match with Liren might not last 14 games, but we will see what happens.”

Abdusattorov said Gukesh was the Indian player he enjoyed playing against most. “He is the slight favourite at the World championship, but a lot depends on Ding’s form,” the 20-year-old Uzbek said.