Chess by Shelby Lyman
June 1, 2014
Magnus Carlsen is the Achilles of chess.
His games are not merely a form of play, an exercise of board science or a flowering of the aesthetic in a form of sublimated warfare.
Carlsen, to put it simply, wages war on the chessboard. Like Achilles, he is a lethal force striking fear into the enemy ranks.
Modern grandmasters are tough and resilient. They are capable of protracted maneuver and fight. But against Carlsen they often demonstrate an added dimension: collapse.
The pressure he mounts is relentless. Surviving is never easy. Carlsen is always there, lurking and stalking.
Willy-nilly, one is obligated to stand and fight — not an easy thing to do in a four- or five-hour struggle. Active, not passive, play is the sine qua non for survival.
Sometimes, one imagines, it is a relief to lose and finally escape the onslaught of the deceptively boyish predator.
Viswanathan Anand will have an opportunity to regain the world title he lost to Carlsen in November. The grandmaster from Chennai, India, has the talent, the self-knowledge and will.
But does he have, at the age of 44, the strength and stamina it takes to cope with Carlsen?
Source: http://www.vnews.com
Magnus will win because Nakamura wasn’t invited. The biggest threat to Magnus isn’t there.
Oh really? Nakamura was invited but he CHICKEN OUT as Carlsen is there – Afraid to lose again to Carlsen and lose further ranking points lol Thats why Giri managed to get invited as replacement. Ohhh in case you want to know where would Nakamura be… he will have a 4 game match with Navarra… what a pussy ditch Super Norway Chess for a chance to play Navarra… such a weakass lol
Nakamura, who is he?
No mention of Fischer? I’m disappointed!
More like an Achilles Heel of Chess. He’s probably going to shoot himself in the foot.
Magnus has beaten Nakamura the last 10 games in a row, no threat!
Carlsen is the Achiles of Chess while Nakamura is the foot fungi of chess lol
If Carlsen is the Achilles of chess, then Nakamura must be the heel. LOL