When young minds learn from the masters
World chess champion Magnus Carlsen participated in a simultaneous exhibition match against young Indian players in Chennai. The event highlighted the growth of chess talent in India and featured interactions between grandmasters and rising stars.
Why it matters
High-profile exhibitions by world-class athletes inspire youth participation in sports and promote the development of local talent.
The last time Magnus Carlsen gave a display of simultaneous chess in India, he was in for a surprise. And he spoke about it just before he took on 25 young players a few hours before the fifth edition of the Global Chess League got underway here on Saturday.
Carlsen had come to Chennai in 2013 for a reconnaissance ahead of his first World title match, against Viswanathan Anand. He agreed to play with 20 youngsters.
“I was told the players were some school champions, and I wasn’t aware that I was going to take on some really strong players,” the World No. 1 recalled. “I had jet-lag, and my opponents included Pragg (R. Praggnanandhaa), Vaishali and Aravindh Chithambaram. I don’t even remember how many games I lost.”
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