Five things that make Magnus Carlsen so attractive: A note on World Chess Championship Challenger 2013

Magnus Carlsen – the world’s number one chess player

Chess world’s Guy of the season, Magnus Carlsen had at least 2,000 girls screaming a welcome when he recently visited Chennai, the venue of the forthcoming World Chess Championship 2013.

Trust us, in India, not many people would seriously bother with professional chess except for those in the cities of Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai. The kind of welcome Carlsen received is reserved only for cricket players or film stars in India.

Chess, as a sport, has failed to capture the imagination of the nation despite Viswanathan Anand being a name easily recognised across the country.

So, how come, the chess wonder boy, took chess back to Indian prime time television news and Page One in the print media with a single visit? What exactly makes Magnus Carlsen so hot? Here are five reasons you are bound to agree with:

1. The Magnus Carlsen Brand of Passion

Didn’t they say chess was played by bespectacled dweebs and nerds, or oldies, who took the art of being anti-social to the next level? Carlsen has changed all that in one stroke. He describes himself as an athlete on his Facebook page, is incredibly fit, dresses like a model (is one), and speaks his mind.

He is a 21st Century champion who seems to have brought back the mystique and charisma of Bobby Fischer with modern fizz, elan, passion and sanity. Youngsters can relate to him, seniors enjoy trying to fathom his chess style and everyone who plays chess is inspired by him. He has also added great commercial value to the sport of chess as well. Only Carlsen (or Kasparov) could dare say this: “It has been a while since I went into a game with losing as an option.”

2. To hell with Chess Computers

Just when the chess world was sure that computers had destroyed the game, Magnus Carlsen has shown the way for humans. Carlsen’s is a secret chess path that might be difficult for human experts to understand for at least another decade, yet he’s shown how to tell those machines to shut up. He doesn’t bother too much with computer-learned openings.

That also spells hope for the vast majority of chess lovers out there who have other things to do (like earning their daily bread) while wanting to play good chess at the same time. We can’t help cheering for Mr. Carlsen.

Carlsen has also said, “I’ve never been much of a (chess) computer guy at least in terms of playing with computers. Actually until I was about 11, I didn’t use a computer for preparing for games at all. I was playing a bit online, was using the chess club mainly. Now, obviously, the computer is an important tool for me preparing for my games. [But] in general I get much more pleasure from playing human opponents. That’s why I never really played with computer. I just analyse when I’m on the computer, either my games or my opponents. But mostly my own.”

3. Killer Carlsen

He’s not a drawnik chess Grandmaster. No way. No one could have put it better than 2012 British Chess Champion Gawain Jones when he remarked that Magnus Carlsen draws blood from stone. Carlsen has himself said that he does not believe in draws. Draws have been killing chess for quite a while now. Carlsen brings chess back to life.

About draws in chess Carlsen says, “I just think at top level tournaments you should play out the games… At top level tournaments, there’s simply no excuse for not playing out the games.”

4. Carlsen’s New Age Fundamentals of Fun

Carlsen has always insisted that “For me, it’s about playing as long as I’m motivated, as long as it’s fun, as long as it’s interesting.”

The 22-year-old chess champion doesn’t care about money despite already being in the millionaire’s club with his earnings. That’s exactly what all New Age gurus speak about: Do what you’re good at and have fun with. Dump that materialism. The New Age concept is a rage with the youngsters giving them a new way to view both chess and life. This ‘Carlsen-itis’ is infectious!

5. Pure Chess Talent

There’s no doubting that Magnus Carlsen has pure chess talent – part God gift and part hard work. He has also been coached by the very best, the legendary Garry Kasparov. Carlsen has already set the world record of the highest chess rating achieved by a human on the planet at 2872! That’s beyond stratospheric really.

Not for nothing has Cosmopolitan already voted the Chess World No. 1 as one of the top sexiest men on the planet. Who wouldn’t agree?