‘Slump’ was brief for Norwegian
Saturday, November 20, 2010 02:55 AM
The Columbus Dispatch
Shelby Lyman
Bubbles are common in the world of finance but rare in chess, as Magnus Carlsen demonstrated recently when he won the Pearl Springs Masters tournament in Nanjing, China.
His victory included wins against the reigning world champion, Viswanathan Anand, and former titleholder Veselin Topalov.
Carlsen’s incredible run of tournament successes during the past year and a half – which catapulted the 19-year-old to the top of the international rating list – was thus convincingly vindicated.
His failures in the world chess Olympiad and the Bilbao Masters, which preceded Nanjing, are now seen as simply bad form, not the pricking of a freakish and unsustainable bubble.
Although draws usually receive less attention than wins, Carlsen’s seventh-round, 68-move draw with Anand at Nanjing arguably provided the tournament’s highlight.
As if out of nothing, the Norwegian prodigy created winning opportunities which he then failed to exploit – in part because of Anand’s stubborn resistance.
“He’s an incredible talent,” Anand said after the game. “Some of the things he does, even Vlady (Vladimir Kramnik, the former world champion), who is a great technician, can’t do.”
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Magnus is the best ever.
Magnus did not win against Anand. He blew it. And Topa played like a patzer ( on purpose? ). Also Bobby said ‘ you need character and determination to stay the course’ and not be sidetracked by diversions,if you want to become WC. Unless Magnus becomes WC he is only among the ‘best ever never to have won the WC’.
I ditto the above comment by Anon,11;01;00. Look at the fairness of Anand: he praises the brat skyhigh. And then look at CARLSEN who just wants to be WC without having to play a match against the legitimate and worthy Anand!! I never thought the brat would be such a coward! Mathur