India’s lengthy anticipate a world champion will not be very far as chess wizard Viswanathan Anand hopes that “some Indians” will qualify for the Candidates Tournament next year.
Seven slots are available for the Candidates in Toronto that will determine the challenger to the recently-crowned Ding Liren in the next World Championship in 2024.
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“There are good chances for them to qualify. It could happen in the very next cycle, hopefully,” Anand informed PTI in an unique digital interplay on the sidelines of the Global Chess League’s announcement.
Barring Anand, who’s the top-ranked Indian at No 9, seven others from the nation are contained in the FIDE high 100.
The five-time world champion Anand has already introduced that he’s not going to struggle for it once more.
But the likes of D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin have proven numerous promise.
Anand couldn’t agree extra.
“We have many, many promising children. If we’re fortunate, we might have an Indian challenger to Ding Liren.
“But on the very least, I’m hoping some Indians will qualify for the Candidates the very subsequent time. That will likely be very thrilling,” said the 53-year-old who mentors some of them at the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy.
A FIDE deputy president, Anand also spoke on Ding’s success and hoped that will popularise the sport more in China.
“Definitely, it’s an interesting signpost that China have both men’s and women’s titles. That is quite interesting. They were also the Olympiad champions back in 2018 and didn’t compete in Chennai last year.
“Hopefully Ding’s victory makes the game more popular in China. As a deputy president, that’s what I’m interested in seeing.”
Ding grew to become the primary male world champion from China after sealing the win with a 68-move win over Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi with black within the fourth and final speedy sport of the tie-break part in Astana lately.
The world championship battle lasted three weeks of end-to-end slugfest that includes 14 classical video games, and tie-break of 4 speedy video games.
“Both contributors went at one another very courageously. Essentially, that they had the arrogance that they’ll beat the opposite participant.
“They went and did every thing they may, and the video games have been gripping — six decisive video games, even most of the attracts have been thrilling until the tip and an interesting tiebreaker as nicely. We by no means had such an viewers, and that’s very, excellent for the sport.
“The match was very, excellent for the World Championship cycle. It has not been this thrilling for a very long time. There have been numerous discussions on why and the way that’s. But we see that the present format can produce incredible competitors so long as the gamers go for it like this.”
Asked whether China is the new powerhouse of chess, Anand said: “For me, it’s not obvious that they are necessarily going to dominate. Whether Asia is going to dominate is an interesting question.
“If you look at the top-four countries in the world in chess, it is China, India, USA and Russia. We are generally talking big countries with a lot of people playing chess. I think that will continue to be.”
Wrestlers costs have to be probed totally
Anand additional spoke in regards to the raging wrestling controversy and termed the wrestlers’ accusations, “very, very critical”.
Indian champion wrestlers like Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia among others have come out on the streets, demanding the arrest of
WFI chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on sexual harassment charges.
“Justice should happen. We should have a full investigation. I hope the charges they have made are investigated to the full. These are very, very serious accusations and, therefore, I hope they investigate it fully,” Anand concluded.
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