2013 noticed Magnus Carlsen grow to be World Chess Champion for the primary time, defeating Viswanathan Anand for the title. The Indian GM then certified for the subsequent World Championship in 2014, however as soon as once more misplaced to Carlsen, ushering to start with of a brand new chapter in chess.
Talking on a YouTube podcast lately, Anand took a stroll down reminiscence lane and recalled his rivalry with the Norwegian, who can also be the present world No. 1.
“I used to be in a chess disaster from roughly the tip of 2010 till, effectively, after the match in 2013. I used to be actually fighting my recreation, and whereas I used to be working, I feel I used to be unable to adapt to the brand new tendencies and developments. On the similar time, I used to be working tougher and tougher in my outdated methods, attempting to catch up, and it wasn’t working,” he stated.
“This frustration climaxed in a fairly pathetic defeat in Chennai. However then I immediately had this realisation… after I took a variety of strain off myself and simply tried to play for enjoyable and experiment a bit extra. I definitely received the Candidates in 2014 and performed Magnus. I feel I performed a lot better this time… a variety of the video games have been at the least two-way battles that might have gone both course earlier than they went in his favour. In order that’s my story.”
How was Magnus Carlsen in his early days?
Anand additionally had an fascinating revelation about Carlsen’s early days. He stated, “As for Magnus, he was once fairly a restricted participant, very, superb in that particular space. He restricted himself to areas the place nobody else was actually focusing, just like the endgame and dry technical positions. He noticed potential the place others principally noticed paint drying, and he was capable of lure a variety of unsuspecting chess gamers to their doom over and over. He was actually cashing in these factors earlier than folks realized the exhausting technique to take these positions significantly and begin engaged on them.”
“Dry positions, the place it appears you’re simply on the best way to creating a draw… he understood that you simply nonetheless have to be exact. When folks chill out, they cease being exact; they undergo the motions however aren’t paying consideration anymore. So he (Carlsen) used to extend his effort there, power precision, after which the opposite gamers would make a mistake, unravel, panic, and lose these dry positions. He was cashing in throughout 2013-14, however right here’s the factor… he bucked two nice tendencies.
“One pattern was the broader pattern I discussed… why I feel no nation will dominate for a very long time. Computer systems have been presupposed to degree the taking part in subject by way of info, however Magnus confirmed that his distinctive skill, to extend his focus at essential moments, to lift his effort when others have been winding down, may very well be utilized to many components of the sport. He was saying, “In any opening, I can discover a little bit space to work in. I’ll apply this strain, you’ll be inexact, and I’ll punish you.” He was in a position to try this for some time. He’s been by way of a variety of tendencies, however later, he even turned one of the best opening participant on this planet. For 5 or 6 years, he was the world’s main opening skilled. He might not have marketed it a lot, however he had caught up in openings with everybody. He was taking part in positions he earlier used to keep away from… he saved increasing his recreation.
“Second, he saved increasing his consolation vary. He began taking part in quicker and quicker time controls. He all the time preferred blitz, however he started taking part in all this on-line web chess, seemingly curious to see what he couldn’t get good at. I feel that’s one purpose he’s dominating now… as a result of a variety of these quicker codecs have gotten extra widespread. He continues to do extraordinarily effectively in them to the purpose the place, now that he appears barely bored of classical chess, he focuses completely on quicker play. However that’s a transition he labored on for a very long time So he’s the massive exception to the pattern that claims, “All of us have the identical info; it’s not straightforward to indicate a bonus.” Magnus proved in any other case. And whereas others attempt to catch up, it seems it’s not that straightforward to cut back his edge to some easy steps. You need to change your complete perspective… focus for lengthy intervals with out anticipating quick payoff, put in effort the place others nonetheless don’t suppose it’s needed. That’s what makes him totally different,” he additional added.
Anand is a five-time World Chess Champion, however by no means received the title once more after his 2013 defeat to Carlsen. Carlsen can also be a five-time World Chess Champion, however didn’t defend his title in 2023, citing an absence of motivation.
