For ages, the game of chess has stunned and wowed every kind of audience worldwide with the incredulous feat of the players. It is the most unpredictable of games where anyone could be dethroned with the right set of moves and sharp, intelligent play. In a recent turn of events, certain players have made that level of performance and amazed people across the globe with literal sportsman theatrics.
Online chess has been a huge phenomenon since the pandemic, and it keeps growing as we speak. The uncertainty of the game is also a crucial factor behind its huge popularity. The game has a huge acceptance in the online world and is readily played by all kinds of players around the globe. If you want to play chess online, you have to download an app from good websites to get the best software for playing the game. Controls are easy and intuitive, and you will not be bored with challenging rivals available at your immediate swipe.
In the main story of the plot, let’s find out how the young talent from India, Praggnanandhaa defeated the world champion, Magnus Carlsen, for the second time and took the public by shock.
Who is Rameshbabu Praggnannandhaa?
The youngest chess player hailing from India to defeat Magnus Carlsen is just a 16-year-old Grandmaster. He became the first player to beat Carlsen after the latter became world champion in 2013. Praggnannandhaa is a regular player and plays his game diligently to reach the level he is at today. Known as Pragg by his contemporaries, he has a distinct style of play and oscillates between being a fast performer and sometimes a slow learner. The way he has balanced his learning curve by always aiming for the top is the true mark of a champion that resides deeply in him.
Who is Magnus Carlsen?
Magnus Carlsen is the top international Chess player and a grandmaster who has achieved incredible feats throughout his career to become the top chess player in the world. He hails from Norway and is the player who became the second-youngest world champion in the year 2013 when he was just 22 years old. Magnus was also a child prodigy similar to Praggnannandhaa and learnt to play the game when he was just 5 years of age, taught by his father. Carlsen has a world-class record of 125 unbeaten games in all chess formats, which was never achieved by any player earlier. With his current trajectory, apart from a few pitfalls, he is on the road to becoming the stuff of legends. The most scintillating demarcating factor is that he was able to achieve the top spot before reaching the age of 30.
The Beginning of the End
This tournament was an online rapid chess game which readily featured many young superstars who are fierce in their gaming style. Carlsen had earlier reported the effects of Covid in his gameplay, and he stated to the media that he was not up to his best level due to certain lethargic effects and feelings of brain fog. His statements further reveal that his energy had been on a continual stage of decline throughout the game.
In this era of chess post-pandemic, Carlsen suffered severe health problems that led him to face a lot of complexities in his professional life in chess.
How the Tables Turned
Pragg had been a cheerful contender throughout the game, but the detailed facts about this clash are very hard to digest. If you look into the statistics, Pragg could never take on Carlsen under normal circumstances. Before their game, Pragg had suffered three straight losses, but his energy was extremely high throughout the matches. The losses did not affect his motivation, and the interviews reveal so. He did not look fatigued and could face whatever was thrown at him. Due to the time zone difference between the international players, Pragg also had to face tough opponents in the middle of the night, sitting wide awake back in India.
On the other hand, being the star player he is, Carsen had a rough start to the tournament but faced Pragg after winning three straight matches against very capable chess players. The game began equally where the players showed great meditation over making moves, but it was over after Pragg quickly took control and checkmated Magnus in the 39th move of his game.
Accolades Fall In
Soon after the win was declared, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Singh Modi, tweeted, “I wish the talented Praggnanandhaa the very best for his future endeavours,”. This resounded as an amazing achievement for the child barely in his teens.
The famous actor Anil Kapoor also used his Twitter handle to congratulate the little one- “Congratulations, R Praggnanandhaa, on the wins! Wishing you many more!”.
Lastly, Sachin Tendulkar congratulated the young gun by saying that he had made India proud and his play was nothing short of magical. These accolades from legends themselves came after hundreds more from other celebrities and superstars.
Final Words
This incredible performance by the rising chess player opens more doors for Indian players in the international chess field. This win will encourage Indian parents to take more measures to educate their children and tutor them in learning more articulate ways of expressing their talents. The modern world needs more talent like this to be represented so that every prodigy has an opportunity to express themselves and achieve such inspiring feats that leave the world stunned.
