CHESS#1232

Magnus Carlsen has been the world’s best player for a major part in the last seven years. He first hit #1 in January 2010. He’s been #1 continuously since July 2011. He won the world title in 2013, ousting Viswanathan Anand.  

In 2016, Carlsen showed the first signs of mortality. Challenger Sergei Karjakin fought a bitterly contested title match that went to tiebreakers. In the end, Carlsen kept his crown. But the halo has been destroyed. The Norwegian made errors under pressure. 

Every player with title ambitions will have taken note. Several members of his generation will now reckon they have a shot at beating Carlsen (born 1990). Incidentally, this is collectively the strongest generation ever. The “Carlsen cohort” are all remarkable for their error-free, original styles. Not coincidentally, they are all native engine and database users.  

The year ends with a record four players rated above 2800. The difference between Carlsen and #2 Fabiano Caruana is only 10 Elo points. Caruana (1992) is two years younger than Carlsen, as is Ding Liren (1992 and rated #1 at blitz). Among other potential contenders, Maxime Vachier Lagrave and Karjakin are the same age as Carlsen, as is Ian Nepomniachtchi. Wesley So (1993) and Anish Giri (1994) are younger, and Hikaru Nakamura (1987) is three years older than “Sauron”, as he once nicknamed Carlsen.

The USA rode to Olympiad gold this year on the back of great individual performances from the three Americans in the top 10. The youngest of the trio, So (#4), cemented his place in the top 10 when he took the big pot at the Grand Chess Tour, winning two of the three events and finishing second in the other one. 

The rise of the Carlsen generation has also meant a long slow fadeout of three former champions. Veselin Topalov has lost motivation and form. Vladimir Kramnik struggles with indifferent health. Anand’s form has been patchy throughout 2016. 

The Indian GM suffered defeat on his 47th birthday to Nakamura at the London Classic. He doesn’t have a clear slot in the next Candidates. It’s the first time since 1990 that he’s not in automatic contention. Nobody (including Anand himself) knows if he has enough ambition to push through the qualification cycle all over again.  

Whatever he does and whenever he chooses to call it a day, his legacy will include popularisation of the game. Thousands of youngsters started playing because of his feats. There are now 40-odd Indian GMs and two Indians in the world top 20, as well as two in the top 10 women's list.  

Pentalya Harikrishna (#13) is only a shade behind Anand (#6) now. Hari, along with Adhiban Baskaran, S Sethuraman, Vidit Gujrathi and Murali Karthikeyan nearly pulled off a podium finish at the Olympiad. The men edged into 4th place in the Open section after leading midway. The women tied for fifth place. 

Among the next generation, teenager GMs Aravindh Chithambaram, Murali Karthikeyan, Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan are all very talented. There are also two incandescently talented pre-teenagers in Praggnanandhaa (born 2005) and Nihal Sarin (born 2004). Praggnanandhaa became the youngest International master in history this May, at the advanced age of 10 years and nine months. If he can bag the GM title by February 2018, he would be the youngest GM in history. “Praggu’s” elder sister, Vaishali (all of 15), is also a world champion and the Woman International Master deserves mention in her own right as an extraordinary talent. 

Just in case anybody thinks Carlsen is washed up, The DIAGRAM, White to Play (White: Magnus Carlsen Vs Black: Nils Grandelius, Norway 2016) features an intuitive sacrifice from one of the best games of 2016.   

10.exf6!! gxf3 11.Qf4 fxg2 12.Rg1 Na5 13.f7+ Kd8 14.Bd5 Bh6 ? [The best defence 14...d6 15.0–0–0 Kc7 16.Rxg2 when white has long-term pressure].  

Play continued 15.Qe5! Rf8 16.Bh4 Rxf7 This is forced. Now white has a material edge plus attack after 17.Bxf7 Nc6 18.Qg3 Qxb2 19.Rd1 Qxc2 20.Bd5 Qf5 21.Rxg2 Bf4 22.Qf3 Kc7. Carlsen finished efficiently (1-0, 38 moves).  
 

Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player