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Mass lockdowns and “The Queen’s Gambit” have introduced sudden positive factors for chess in the course of the coronavirus, Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand advised AFP, praising the hit TV present’s “accurate portrayal” of the sport. Anand, who spent three months stranded in Germany ready for a flight again to India, mentioned chess has loved a shock growth in the course of the pandemic, with thousands and thousands extra folks taking part in and following video games on-line. It has been helped by the runaway success of “The Queen’s Gambit”, which follows the rise of a troubled chess genius — based mostly on America’s Bobby Fischer — and has set new viewing information for Netflix.
“People sitting at home seem to have discovered the game of chess,” Anand, a five-time world champion, mentioned in a telephone interview from his house in Chennai.
“There are now 13 million people playing online. And then during the pandemic there was also a Netflix show about chess, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, and that is also a bit spectacular.”
While many sports activities have suffered in the course of the pandemic, chess has thrived. Online platform Chess.com final month mentioned it had added 2.5 million new members because the launch of “The Queen’s Gambit”.
“Just like other sports have TV audiences, our audiences are principally online. So all that happened was that the chess players moved online to join the spectators,” mentioned Anand, 50.
“That’s not to say there were no adjustments to be made. It was quite complicated and there was a learning curve, but yes chess has done very well.”
– ‘Federer, Maradona in your room’ –
Anand, acclaimed as the best participant India has produced, mentioned expertise had led to deep adjustments for chess, with the web now offering the platform to take it to a mass viewers.
“Almost anyone, even someone who doesn’t know the rules of chess can follow online,” mentioned Anand. “A spectator-friendly experience is being created.”
Anand received his first world title aged 30 in 2000, three years after super-computer Deep Blue’s epochal defeat of Russian world champion Garry Kasparov.
“I was the crossover generation. I was 17 when the first chess database came along. I have pretty much worked with computers from that time onwards till today,” mentioned Anand.
“I think computers have changed the way you study the game. Every person no matter how weak, how isolated, has the world’s strongest chess player sitting in the room with them always willing to answer any question.
“Think of it, you might have a Roger Federer and Diego Maradona in your room and saying, ‘Ask and I will provide you with any reply’. That’s been the impression of chess computer systems.”
Anand loved nice rivalries with the likes of Kasparov, Russian grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik and Soviet-born Israeli Boris Gelfand.
He mentioned there are nonetheless muscular showdowns similar to Magnus Carlsen in opposition to Fabiano Caruana — the present main gamers — and tipped teenage sensation Alireza Firouzja, who was born in Iran however performs for France, for future stardom.
– ‘You want that pressure’ –
He mentioned Russian domination is more and more being challenged, with Ding Liren and Wang Hao main a wave of Chinese gamers and Caruana on the forefront of a rising US onslaught.
“China may have peaked recently in terms of having two really strong players stand out but they have had considerable depth for a while,” mentioned Anand.
“And the other thing is that they are very good in chess Olympiads, so they play well as a team. So we aren’t surprised by good Chinese results any more.”
Anand, who grew to become a grandmaster at 18 and stays on the earth prime 20, was taking part in in a chess league in Germany when most worldwide journey got here to a halt in February.
He saved himself busy following his favorite soccer group Real Madrid, doing commentaries and main India within the Online Nations Cup earlier than lastly returning house in May.
But regardless of the advances in expertise, he mentioned it was inconceivable to copy the strain and ambiance of a reside sport.
“If you want to play, you need that sense of being sitting there in the hall feeling that tension,” he mentioned.
Promoted
“All those things, I think I need to remember again. It has been a very, very long break.
“We by no means had the world grind to a halt like this.”
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