- Monday, December 16, 2024
Chess Federation of Russia president Andrei Filatov said the action of the Chinese player in the decisive segment was extremely suspicious “and looks like a deliberate one”
By: India Weekly
AMID celebration of D Gukesh’s sensational win at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Singapore on Thursday, a Russian chess federation official has cast aspersion on the conduct of his opponent – China’s Ding Liren.
The 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster had made history by becoming the youngest-ever to win the world title by defeating Liren in the 14th and final game of the championship.
Chess Federation of Russia president Andrei Filatov has accused Liren of losing the World Chess Championship 2024 on purpose.
Filatov claimed Gukesh’s victory raises questions and the International Chess Federation should investigate the issue, TASS reported.
He said the action of the Chinese player in the decisive segment was extremely suspicious. “Losing the position in which Ding Liren was is difficult even for a first-class player. The defeat of the Chinese chess player in today’s game raises a lot of questions and looks like a deliberate one,” he added.
During the post-game press conference, Liren claimed he was shocked when he realised about the blunder. However, he claimed he played his “best tournament of the year,” and had no regrets.
Kramnik, Carlsen disappointed
Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik was also not impressed with the quality of chess on display during the match, calling it the “end of chess as we know it.”
Kramnik expressed his frustration over the game’s quality, calling a critical blunder by Liren “childish”.
In his reaction, Kramnik wrote on ‘X’, “No comment. Sad. End of chess as we know it.”
In another tweet, he said, “Never yet has a WC title been decided by such a childish one-move blunder.”
Five-time world champion, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen too has been critical of the quality on display in earlier rounds, saying, “This does not look like a game between two World Championship contenders. It just looks like maybe the second round or third round of an open tournament.”
However, Carlsen lauded Gukesh for making the most of his chances to be crowned the youngest-ever world chess champion.
In the post-event press conference, Gukesh stated that he would love to fight it out against Carlsen at some point.
The Norwegian maverick decided not to defend his title in 2023 after winning his first world championship in 2013.
“Winning World Chess Championship does not mean I am the best player, obviously that is Magnus Carlsen. I want to reach the level Magnus has achieved,” Gukesh said.
“Obviously, playing against Magnus in the world championship would be amazing, it would be the toughest challenge there is in chess.”
But Carlsen ruled that out. “I am not part of this circus anymore,” said Carlsen in a general reference to world title clashes.
Anand defends Gukesh
However, the five-time world champion and Gukesh’s mentor, Viswanathan Anand on Friday asked the teen prodigy to ignore those questioning the standard of the World Championship title showdown.
“It (criticism) comes with every match. To be honest, I think it just comes with the territory. You ignore it and that’s all. You know Gukesh’s achievement, the whole qualification, everything and his concomitant rise. I mean if you look at the Olympiad, he showed that he’s actually become a much stronger player.
“He won the Candidates this year, so many good results in Toronto and he’s here. So this stuff (criticism) just comes with it. You cannot expect to become world champion and not face some random criticism,” Anand added.
Anand praised the psychological depth of the young champion’s approach.
“Gukesh was not playing aggressive or anything. He had an extra pawn and was circling around, trying to find a way through,” Anand said.
The tactic of wearing down the opponent, even when it looked as good as a stalemate, proved crucial.
“Ding unexpectedly relaxed for one moment. These moments are very common in World Championship matches, almost in every match in the last 20 years,” Anand added.
Watching Gukesh’s transformation over the last four years at his WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA), the legend said it was a source of immense pride for him.
“I’ve had a chance to watch his meteoric journey through the cycle to the World Championship match. It’s a golden generation of Indian players establishing themselves at the top.
“For Gukesh to become the youngest world champion in history is truly special. It’s definitely a very talented golden generation,” said Anand.
Kasparov lauds Gukesh
Russian chess great Garry Kasparov doffed his hat to Gukesh for surpassing him in becoming the youngest world champion, saying that the Indian has “summitted the highest peak of all” and critics counting the blunders should know that no previous match has been without mistakes.
Gukesh bettered Kasparov’s record of being the youngest world champion which the Russian created in 1985 by dethroning Anatoly Karpov as a 22-year-old.
“He has summitted the highest peak of all: making his mother happy,” Kasparov posted on X.
“Gukesh impressively surmounted every obstacle and opponent in his path, especially considering his age, and nothing more can be asked,” he said.
Kasparov is among the chess greats who feel that the world championship in its traditional form ended after world number one Magnus Carlsen decided against defending his crown in 2023. But the 61-year-old said “that is not the story today”.
The multiple-time former world champion, who is now a political activist based in New York, also differed with his contemporary Vladimir Kramnik, who said that given the many blunders that were committed in the match marked the ‘end of chess as we know it’ and that both players were “disappointing”.
“The level of play was quite high, at least equal to the previous match. Ding showed great resistance. As for the blunders, which world championship, or world champion, was without them? I had my share, and recall the double blunder in Carlsen-Anand 2014, g6. Matches take a toll,” Kasparov reasoned.
“Gukesh was well-prepared and the player who played the best won the match. His victory caps a phenomenal year for India. Combined with Olympiad dominance, chess has returned to its cradle and the era of “Vishy’s children” is truly upon us!” he quipped.
Kasparov called India a nation with an unlimited pool of human talent.
“The future is bright not only in chess. The summit has been reached and now the goal must be to raise it even higher for the next ascent. Congratulations again. Upward!” he said. (Agencies)
