As curtains drew on the FIDE World Chess Championship 2021, with the reigning champion Magnus Carlsen fixing the crown stronger on his head, challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi had much to regret. It was a blunder - that slipped the game that was closing for a draw - from his hands and handed over the match to Carlsen.
Magnus Carlsen has etched his name in gold once again! The 6th game of the world championship match between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Magnus Carlsen spilled over midnight as Carlsen sealed his dominance as the World Champion. Held in Dubai, the match reflected Carlsen's patience over 136 moves. The inspiring victory took 7 hours and 45 minutes. First time in history, Game 6 became the longest game of the world championship carrying a legacy of 135 years.
The pandemic-induced popularity of online chess, surplused by the highly popular Netflix series Queen's Gambit has turned a never-before spotlight on the elite sport. Back home, the streaming sessions by influencers like International Master Sagar Shah and stand-up comedian cum chess enthusiast Samay Raina have further brought Indian youth closer to the good old board game and its intricate gaming techniques.
Abhimanyu Mishra, became the world's youngest chess grandmaster in June 2021 at the age of 12 years, 4 months and 25 days, breaking the 19-year-old record of Sergey Karjakin in Budapest. Karjakin, who had played against Magnus Carlsen in the world championship in 2016, earned his title at the age of 12 years and 7 months.
The chess world celebrated the International Chess Day on the 20th of July. With the newfound glamour and attention the sport received during the past year thanks to the online boom and Netflix’s Queen's Gambit, netizens over the globe hit the social media with chess quotes, funny memes, greetings and messages.
FunMaster Mike of chesskid.com teams up with Mind Mentorz - Bengaluru’s premium chess coaching institute - for a session of fun-filled, hands-on game experience for its young players.
The Magnus Carlsen Invitational, the Fourth event of the Champions Chess Tour, will be held on March 13-21. The World Champion has teamed up with Breakthrough Initiatives to commemorate the 60th anniversary of man’s first flight to outer space. The organisation that is driven by a quest for investigating the fundamentals of life beyond Earth is funded by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, headed by philanthropists and tech investors Yuri and Julia Milner.
In a dramatic coup d'état, Dutchman Jorden van Foreest won the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament held at Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. The 21 year old GM became the first ever Dutch player to win the grand tournament in 36 years. Van Foreest overthrew his mighty opponent and compatriot GM Anish Giri in a miraculous playoff following an 8.5/13 finish for both.
Chess is known for its cognitive properties and as a booster for improving memory, strategic thinking and span of attention. It isn’t a surprise that the ancient game has been used in behavioural therapy for decades. The neurological and psychological impact of chess on human minds has been a topic of intense research and has led to innovative breakthroughs in cognitive skill development, artificial intelligence and behaviour modulation.
As the year winds up in silent mode, the world of chess can’t grumble much. It did taste a different wine online. Yes, the star players felt strangled and deprived of the pure excitement of a real face-off. But 2020 did eventually bring out the glory of online chess. And the platform witnessed quite a few gripping games.
