NOSGukesh and Ding
NOS Sport•vandaag, 08:56
Is the chess duel for the world title still the most important game of the year? Not if you ask Garri Kasparov: according to the Russian grandmaster and former world champion, it means little. Whether it will be the Chinese Ding Liren (32) or the Indian Dommaraju Gukesh (18), it means nothing to Kasparov.
The number one in the world, Magnus Carlsen, is not behind the board today in Singapore, where a series of chess matches for the world title will take place in the coming two weeks. The Norwegian chess genius, who was world champion from 2013 to 2023, no longer sees any point in defending his world title. He prefers to play the speed chess variants, which have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The once so prestigious title therefore goes to global number 5 Gukesh or number 23 Ding this year. How prestigious is that world title anyway?
ANPDing Liren (links) en Gukesh Dommaraju (rechts)
Chess legend Kasparov is clear: “The history of world champions ended with Magnus Carlsen. You cannot pretend that a game between the number five or six – what is Gukesh? – and the number fifteen or so is a game for the world championship,” he says against the Saint Louis Chess Club.
‘No historical relevance’
“We have sixteen world champions, from Wilhelm Steinitz (1886, ed.) to Magnus Carlsen (2022),” Kasparov claims. “What is being played now between Ding and Gukesh is a FIDE title. An official title, but without historical relevance. It is an event that has nothing to do with determining who is the best chess player on the planet.”
Because that is still what Carlsen is. Many tried to dethrone him, but no one managed to win a single World Cup match against the Norwegian. He was and is simply a class better than any other chess player in the world, but has not defended his world title since last year.
“The conclusion is very simple: I am not motivated to play such a match again,” he stated a while ago. The Norwegian still plays official chess games, but no longer participates in the world championship.
ANPCarlsen won Tata Steel Chess India this month, receiving the award from Viswanathan Anand, also a former world champion
The battle for the world championship is fought according to the ‘classic’ rules: fourteen games in which both players have a total of 150 minutes to think, with thirty seconds added to their clock per move in the final phase. A single game can easily last for hours, and the entire event is experienced by chess players as grueling.
Carlsen no longer prefers those hours-long games. He still plays them sometimes, but he much prefers the shorter games of between five and twenty minutes.
Blitz in bullet
In those shorter forms of play Carlsen still participates in world championships. He has already become world rapid champion seven times (15 minutes reflection time per person) and five times in blitz (3 minutes reflection time per person). And he also plays other modern chess variants.
In Singapore, Carlsen and global number two Fabiano Caruana played a demonstration match freestyle chess where the pieces are placed in a random starting position. This makes the well-known opening theories useless. The game, too Fischer Random of Chess960 mentioned, it becomes more unpredictable and therefore more attractive.
Instagram / Magnus CarlsenCaruana (left) and Carlsen (right) played chess in a swimming pool in Singapore last week
In short, chess could be a bit smoother if it were up to Carlsen.
Kasparov feels that too. “Today, with modern technologies, with chess getting faster and faster and our lives getting faster and faster, an ancient qualification system for the classical world title, which takes eighteen months to find a challenger, is no longer adequate.”
Massacre
Will the battle for the world title between Ding and Gukesh be the last ‘classic’ match for the world title? The classic age-old game form will not disappear anytime soon, but the international chess federation FIDE does listen to the criticism of grandmasters.
For the first time, chess players will not be given an extra hour of thinking time after their fortieth move, but ‘only’ thirty minutes. In addition, the prize money is now distributed in such a way that victories are encouraged and (hopefully) there will be fewer draws.
And Carlsen? He’ll be fine for it anyway. “It could be a bloodbath,” the Norwegian predicted. “I hope we get a match like last year between Ding and Ian Nepomniashchi, where both players played very risky because they felt the other was vulnerable.”
Chess: Is the World Title Still a Big Deal?
Ah, the world of chess. The sport where kings and queens do more walking than I do in a whole week! Today we dive into the recent comments from the iconic Garri Kasparov, who’s stirred the pot about the impending world title match in Singapore between Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh.
The Big Names Say It All
Now, if you’ve been living under a rock – or maybe just not reading blogs about chess – you might find it shocking that Magnus Carlsen, the crown jewel of chess, has decided he’s done playing the title game. Instead, he’s all about that speed chess life now; you know, that lightning-quick version where you blink and it’s all over! Carlsen, once the king, now prefers to be the flash. Makes you wonder if he just can’t be bothered to sit for hours contemplating his next move. I mean, who wouldn’t rather play chess on fast forward?
Wow, talk about a mic drop! Kasparov’s going all out, saying this year’s title clash is about as exciting as watching paint dry. According to him, whether Ding or Gukesh snags the title doesn’t hold a candle to the bar Carlsen raised. The prospect of a chess match featuring the fifth and twenty-third rated players? Kasparov isn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet.
The ‘Prestigious’ Title
To Kasparov, this isn’t even close to the “real deal.” We’ve had sixteen world champions, from Wilhelm Steinitz all the way to Carlsen. What’s this? A FIDE title resemblance wrapped in a morsel of historical significance? I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t hang that on my wall. It’s like ordering a fancy meal and getting served a tiny appetizer instead. Where’s the steak, people?
Here’s the real kicker: Carlsen, the best player of our time, is still out there winning tournaments left and right, just not the championship. He’s reinventing chess. Maybe he watched too many YouTube videos on how to spice things up—now blitz, Fischer Random, and all those fancy versions are hogging the spotlight.
Game of Thrones: Chess Edition
What’s this new format, you ask? Well, it’s a classic battle of endurance – fourteen games, 150 minutes of thinking time, and hoping that your opponent doesn’t spawn a deadly trap in the middle of it all. But who actually wants to sit for hours pondering a singular move when we could just shatter the tranquillity of the game with a whirlwind round of bullet chess? Faster, crazier, and possibly less dignified, but hey, why not live a little?
A Classic with a Twist
In a surprising twist (no, not like a bad soap opera), FIDE is shaking things up by reducing thinking time after the fortieth move! They’re rewarding victories, shoving that old-school chess mentality aside. And while Garry’s musings may suggest the title has no historical relevance, it’s evident the chess world is spinning faster than a grandmaster calculating permutations.
Magnus summarizes the upcoming showdown perfectly: “It could be a bloodbath.” Sounds more like a Netflix thriller than a chess match, but we’ll take it! We might just witness Ding and Gukesh unleash a strategic massacre so good it would make a regular match blush.
What’s in Store?
So, will Ding and Gukesh step onto this figurative battlefield and create a spectacle, or will it flounder like a fish out of water? Only time (and a fair bit of chess prowess) will tell. One thing’s for sure: the chess universe is buzzing, and every move will count. As for Kasparov’s pointed rebuttal—well, just make sure you keep the popcorn ready folks; this could be one heck of a showdown!
NOS Sport•vandaag, 08:56
Is the championship duel for the world chess title still considered the most significant competition of the year? According to legendary Russian grandmaster Garri Kasparov, it holds little importance in today’s chess landscape. He states that whether the competitors are Chinese grandmaster Ding Liren, aged 32, or the exceptionally talented Indian prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh, aged just 18, remains inconsequential in his view.
The absence of reigning world number one Magnus Carlsen at today’s series of matches in Singapore serves as a reminder of the shifting priorities in competitive chess. The Norwegian chess virtuoso, who held the world title from 2013 until 2023, has expressed his disinterest in defending his championship and now favors the faster, thrilling variants of chess that have gained immense popularity in recent years.
This year, the esteemed world title will be contested between the fifth-ranked Gukesh and the twenty-third-ranked Ding, raising questions about the title’s declining prestige.
Chess icon Kasparov is unequivocal: “The history of world champions ended with Magnus Carlsen. You cannot pretend that a match between the number five or six – what is Gukesh? – and the number fifteen or so is a world championship clash,” he opines during an interview with the Saint Louis Chess Club.
‘No historical relevance’
“We have a lineage of sixteen world champions, starting from Wilhelm Steinitz in 1886 all the way to Magnus Carlsen in 2022,” Kasparov adds. “What is taking place between Ding and Gukesh is a FIDE title. Although it is an official designation, it lacks the gravitas of historical significance. This event has little to do with identifying the best chess player on the planet.”
Magnus Carlsen remains the benchmark of excellence in chess. Numerous challengers have attempted to dethrone him, but none have succeeded in winning a single match against the Norwegian at the World Cup level. His skill level is undeniably superior to his peers, a fact underscored by his decision to refrain from defending his title since last year.
“The conclusion is very simple: I am not motivated to play such a match again,” Carlsen declared previously. Although he continues to engage in official chess competitions, he has opted out of the world championship.
The battle for the world championship adheres to traditional rules: fourteen games where each player is allotted a total of 150 minutes to contemplate their moves, with an additional thirty seconds added to their clocks for each move made during the closing stages. A single match can stretch on for hours, making the entire tournament a demanding experience for the chess competitors.
Carlsen, having grown weary of these lengthy encounters, has shifted his preference towards more rapid formats, enjoying games that last between five and twenty minutes.
Blitz in bullet
In quicker formats, Carlsen continues to showcase his dominance by participating in world championships. He has been crowned world rapid champion an impressive seven times (with fifteen minutes of reflection time per player) and has clinched the blitz title five times (with just three minutes each). Additionally, he actively engages in various modern chess variants.
In Singapore, Carlsen and second-ranked Fabiano Caruana recently took part in an exhibition match of freestyle chess, where the pieces are randomly positioned at the beginning. This format eliminates traditional opening strategies, adding an element of unpredictability and excitement reminiscent of the well-known Chess960 variant.
Kasparov acknowledges the shifting landscape of chess as well. “Today, with modern technologies and the dynamic pace of life, the outdated qualification process for the classical world title, which spans eighteen months to identify a challenger, is no longer suitable.”
Massacre
There are speculations about whether the impending match between Ding and Gukesh might mark the last of the traditional ‘classical’ world championship contests. While the timeless nature of classical chess is here to stay, the international chess federation FIDE is receptive to the critiques of top grandmasters.
In a significant change, players will receive only thirty minutes of additional thinking time after their fortieth move, rather than an hour. Moreover, an adjustment in the distribution of prize money has been introduced to incentivize victories, aiming to mitigate the frequency of drawn games.
And what of Carlsen’s perspective? He maintains a keen interest in the unfolding matches. “It could be a bloodbath,” he quipped. “I hope we witness a contest similar to last year’s thrilling showdown between Ding and Ian Nepomniachtchi, where both players took calculated risks in their pursuit of victory.”
What are the key differences between Fischer Random chess and traditional chess that contribute to their growing popularity?
Ariants that have gained popularity, such as Fischer Random and online rapid matches. This shift reflects a significant change in the chess world, where speed and entertainment value are now key factors.
### The Modern Chess Landscape
As the chess community prepares for the upcoming title match between Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh, it becomes evident that the sport is undergoing a transformation. The traditional world championship, historically seen as the pinnacle of achievement, faces scrutiny from many, including legends like Kasparov. He echoes a sentiment that several fans share: the absence of Carlsen, a player considered by many to be the best in history, diminishes the allure of the current title bout.
Moreover, with Carlsen’s focus on faster formats, his critics argue that the essence of chess—the deep strategic thinking and the ability to withstand the pressure of long matches—might be at risk. The chess audience, especially the younger generation drawn in by rapid games and online streaming, may favor a different kind of excitement.
### The Title’s Future
Will Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh provide a spectacle that re-establishes the world championship’s status? Or will it merely serve as a footnote in chess history, overshadowed by Carlsen’s legacy? The answer might lie in the players’ ability to deliver high-stakes, tactical brilliance that captivates both die-hard enthusiasts and casual viewers.
As the chess world braces itself for this imminent clash, it will be interesting to see how both players approach the games. Will they take the risks Carlsen hopes for, reminiscent of last year’s thrilling encounters between Ding and Ian Nepomniachtchi? The potential for a ”bloodbath,” as Carlsen called it, hints at the possibility that this match could defy Kasparov’s skepticism and bring moments of brilliance that resonate beyond the immediate results.
### Conclusion
The discussion surrounding the relevancy of the world chess title reflects broader trends in competitive chess, where rapid formats are gaining traction and player preferences shift dramatically. Whether Ding vs. Gukesh will reclaim some of the title’s lost prestige remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: chess is evolving, and with it, the narratives around its champions. As we move forward, the chess community will continue to debate the significance of titles, formats, and the ever-changing nature of competition in this cerebral sport.