Andres Guadalupe's Spanish Cartoons and Chennai Anand - Carlsen World Chess Championship 2013

Chess and humour do go together. Andrés Guadalupe, a cartoonist and illustrator, has played chess ever since he can remember. He has been a club player as well and has always, always been passionate about chess. The Anand - Carlsen Chennai World Chess Championship 2013 is a special opportunity for him to explore his love for both chess and cartooning. Of course, a cartoonist always sees what mere mortals cannot!

"I've been making cartoons many years ago and not only chess, editorial cartoons, graphic humor in general, illustrations as well. Many subjects,' says Guadalupe, adding, "I'm doing chess cartoons regularly and now eventually doing a serial cartoons about the world chess championship."

"My favorite cartoons always are the last, in this case the ones about the world chess championship."

Guadalupe says, "My favorite player is Mikhail Tal. And finally my subjects apart from chess obviously, are editorial cartoons. My subjects are Everything. The life that surrounds me."

Guadalupe begins with paper first, pencil and ink, then scans and puts in the text and coloring in Photoshop.

He says, what a whole lot of us want to say all the time, "I would like that the chess was as popular as the football and other similar sports."

Don't forget to check out Andrés Guadalupe's great blog 'Ajedrez con humor'. It's in Spanish, but don't you worry, cartooning, like chess is a universal language. Also, don't forget to give Andrés Guadalupe a Like on his FB fanpage. -- Rajat Khanna

Andres Guadalupe will soon be making an exclusive cartoon for us, so stay tuned.

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Anand - Carlsen Match will become Exciting Soon, Even Heavyweight Boxing Starts Slow: Kasparov

Chennai World Chess Championship Chennai 2013 GM Interview: Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov has said the Anand - Carlsen World Chess Match will witness a close finish. 

Speaking to journalists at the Hyatt Regency, the former world chess champion said, "I am amazed by the publicity for the match and reminds me of my match with Anatoly Karpov and the Spassky-Fischer game. I hope Anand vs Carlsen match will be the revival of chess, it shows the importance of the title and is an amazing clash of generations."

Garry Kasparov reached Chennai with his wife Daria as a "chess tourist" and said even though he felt the 22-year-old Norwegian challenger has a slight edge, the experience of the 43-year-old defending champion Viswanathan Anand could come into play.

Kasparov said, "I have a very good relation with Carlsen and his team but my talk will be limited to wishing him good luck. I cannot hide the fact that my sympathies are with Carlsen, not because we have worked before but because I believe that the future belongs to the younger generation and Carlsen is half of Vishy's age."

"Having said that, World Championship is a highly unpredictable event and Vishy has plenty of experience and is on his home turf. The match will be very close and I would not share the optimism of many commentators saying Carlsen will have an easy job. There is no easy walk to World Championship."

Kasparov said, he didn't make much of the two draws so far. He said, the match would become exciting later on. "I wasn't critical because there is too much at stake. When you look at heavyweight boxing it very often starts slow." 

"It could be dramatic but normally they find to find a weakness but eventually it gets faster. Nobody wants to make a mistake or give the opponent an early lead. The match will become exciting," said Kasparov. (B&W With inputs from PTI)

* GM opinions on Chennai Anand - Carlsen World Chess Championship 

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Garry Kasparov Reaches Chennai as 'Chess Tourist'

Chennai Anand vs Carlsen World Chess Championship 2013 Media Update: LiveMint has reported that legendary World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov has reached Chennai Monday evening without any welcome from the organisers of the Anand - Carlsen World Chess Championship. Kasparov has himself said that he is in Chennai as a "chess tourist". The legendary Grandmaster is accompanied by his wife Daria. 

Arundhati Ramanathan writes, "The 50-year-old legend did not get any attention from the organizers of the world championship match underway in Chennai when he arrived in the city on Monday for a two-day visit to cheer for Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian challenger to Viswanathan Anand’s world title. On Monday, Kasparov checked into Chennai’s Hyatt Regency hotel, where the match is being played, at around 5.20 pm, accompanied by his wife. No one except some hotel officials received him."

Legendary 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov with wife Daria at Hotel Hyatt Regency in Chennai on Monday evening. -- Photo: PTI

In India, Fide vice-president DV Sundar is quoted as saying, Kasparov has come on his own, not at the invitation of the world chess federation, “Who are we to welcome or not welcome him?” he asked.

Kasparov will not be allowed to address the media at the venue of the world chess championship match, a key official said.

“I have been advised by the Indian chess federation that he should not be allowed to enter the media centre (from where Fide officials and the two players have been addressing press conferences),” Arvind Aaron, press officer for the Chennai 2013 world title match, said on Monday.

“In my view, this is a PR (public relations) disaster for the Indian chess federation,” said an Indian Grandmaster, asking not to be named. “In the light of Kasparov’s plans to contest the Fide elections next year, the Indian chess federation got swayed by the political implications of his visit. But this isn’t any way to treat a player of his stature.”

“I am here as a chess tourist,” Kasparov said arriving at the hotel. “It’s a free country.”

When told that the organizers refuse to take note of his visit to Chennai, he said Fide was “concerned” that he could get a lot of media attention in India and that the Indian chess federation wasn’t backing him as Fide president.

The organizers should only make sure that nothing untoward happens during the visit that could “portray (him) in bad light,” Kasparov added.

It isn’t immediately known if the Tamil Nadu government, which is the principal sponsor of the world championship, endorses the Indian chess federation’s stand on Kasparov. Officials in the sports department said on Monday that they had not been briefed on the matter.

Kasparov, who retired from competitive chess is 2005, remains one of the most haloed players ever, having been the world champion for some 15 years till 2000. A part of his reign, though, was disputed because of his rift with Fide. He lost his title to fellow Russian Vladimir Kramnik, whom he tutored for a long time.

Though they passed up the opportunity to pay their respect to Kasparov, the organizers are bracing for a huge turnout of fans at Hyatt Regency hotel on Tuesday when the former world champion turns up to watch Carlsen play Anand in the third of their 12-game match.

Kasparov, who has inspired generations of players, still remains one of the most recalled chess icons anywhere in the world.

A human rights activist who takes interest in Russian politics, Kasparov has announced that he will contest for the president’s post in the Fide election next year. “Unlike with (Vladimir) Putin, at least we can be sure that the votes will be counted,” Kasparov said on Monday, when asked about his chances of winning.

Addressing the media last week, current president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov described Kasparov as a “worthy contestant”, even as he reiterated that he will contest again because heads of national chess federations want him to carry on.

Ilyumzhinov has led Fide since November 2005, having funded the sport since the early 1990s. He committed to bring in at least $10 million for tournaments and for promotion of chess if he is voted to lead the federation for another term.

Like another world chess champion Bobby Fischer before him, Kasparov has repeatedly rebelled against Fide, demanding more money for winning world championships and better television coverage of chess. In 1993, he broke out and founded the Professional Chess Association (PCA) to launch a rival world championship. 

The PCA collapsed after holding two world championships—in 1993 and 1995—after one of its key sponsors, chip maker Intel Corp., backed out. But the world championship remained divided for many years until Kramnik won a reunification match in 2006.

Asked why he wanted to contest the Fide election, Kasparov said the current leadership had “missed a lot of opportunities” and that he could bring about meaningful changes, but quickly added that he was in Chennai only to watch the match and wish Carlsen luck.

“I can guarantee that in the next 48 hours, I won’t be campaigning,” he said.

-- Arundhati Ramanathan/LiveMint

* All Garry Kasparov-related reports 

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Chennai World Chess Championship 2013 vs Anand: Will Garry Kasparov help Magnus Carlsen?

The 13th World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov (50), is reaching Chennai, the venue of the Anand - Carlsen World Chess Champion, on Monday. Kasparov has already tweeted his schedule. The big question everyone wants to know is: Will Garry Kasparov help Magnus Carlsen?

The legendary Russian chess player has already declared his support for the young prodigy from Norway. Kasparov tutored Carlsen for a brief period earlier in the latter's career.

Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen in 2009. Photo (c) Chessbase

VG Nett - the online edition of Norway's most-read tabloid newspaper - quotes Magnus Carlsen's manager, Espen Agdestein as saying the Russian chess legend might have some role to play in the World Chess Championship. 

Agdestein was quoted as saying, "There is a possibility. We have been in contact, but I cannot say specifically whether there will be a co-operation or not." 

Agdestein said Kasparov has vast experience in World Chess Championships and his experience is valuable, so it would be silly not to take advantage of it. 

VG Nett continues with fantastic coverage of the Anand - Carlsen World Chess Championship and it's a pity we didn't enlist for Norwegian classes a few months back.  

Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen said at the post-game press conference, after Game 2 on Sunday, he would like to relax on the first rest day of the World Championship. News reports had said Magnus Carlsen would be spending World Championship rest days at Fisherman's Cove - a resort about an hour's drive from Chennai. 

However, VG Nett stated on Sunday, Magnus Carlsen would stay on at the Hyatt Regency for the first rest day of the Chennai World Chess Championship. 

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Chennai World Chess Championship Game 2 Anand - Carlsen 1/2- 1/2; Carlsen: We are both settling in

Chennai World Chess Championship Game 2: Both Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen admitted today at the press conference that they were meeting their toughest opponent yet. In an atmosphere of friendly humour with two games of the World Chess Championship behind them, both the defending champion and challenger hoped to spend the first rest day of the match watching football and relaxing!

In reply to a question put both to Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand as to whether they found the other as the toughest opponent yet, both replied 'yes'. 

Carlsen said, "He has been world champion for many years now and obviously he has beaten my other opponents, surely he is the toughest opponent." 

Anand was equal in his praise for Carlsen while replying to a similar question. "Magnus' results in the last few years speak for themselves. Definitely he is the toughest," Anand said.

Photo and Press conference video via official website. 

At the start of the press conference, defending champion Viswanathan Anand offered an apology of sorts after he played out a draw with white pieces in the second game of World Chess Championship clash against Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

"Today it's my turn to tender a slight apology," said Anand.

"The position we got after move 12 is a very sharp one. I have studied it in the past, it's very very complicated and I had not really expected it. That's clear," he said at the post-game conference at the Hyatt Regencey hotel.

The opening move of the second game today was a big success for Carlsen and it was a great pull back by the Norwegian after Anand had got an easy draw as black in the first game yesterday.

"I will not talk too much about the opening move. I think the critical point was on move 18 when Vishy could have tried but black seemed to be doing fine," world number one Carlsen said. 

Anand said things might have become risky for him after Carlsen's opening came as a slight surprise coming in the form of a Caro Kann defense.

"I had to decide whether to fly blind because it's clear that he would have been into more details. I decided to go for a slightly solid line, a slightly prudent decision today, essentially after the queen exchange there is nothing much happening," said the five-time champion Anand.

Anand, however, said the battle royale that has thus far produced just 41 moves in the two games would only get better.

"We both have a little information now as to what the other person is trying, I am sure it will get interesting," the local hero said.

Asked about the preparation for this game's opening move, Anand said, "I was trying to recollect all sharp variations around move 13-15, trying to figure out what he might be aiming for before he took the path to equality.

In reply to another question, Carlsen said his start at the Chennai World Chess Championship was similar to his start at the London Chess Candidates where he started with draws. 

Carlsen said, "I did not know what to expect really. I feel it is a little bit similar to my start in the Candidates Tournament where I got an easy draw as black in the first and conceded an easy draw with white in the second game. Then things really took off," he said adding, "like Vishy said, we are both settling in." -- Agencies 

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Calling Chess Parents, Chess Kids Worldwide: Play Chess, Celebrate Carlsen's Birthday in Norway Dec 1

There's going to be a huge chess day in Bærum, Norway on Sunday, 1st December! Chess parents and chess kids are invited from all over the world. 

  

Bærum is the region where Magnus Carlsen grew up and took his first steps in chess, and it was only natural that the authorities supported the idea to organize a big chess day for kids in Bærum.

The regional officials have teamed up with Stormester & Stormester - involved in chess teaching at the Norwegian Elite Sports Academy “NTG Sjakklinja” and the chess line for kids “Dragulf”. They arrange after-school chess courses, evening courses for kids and adults, regular rapid tournaments, lectures with GMs, training camps for talented young players, international chess tours and publish books. (More about their activities at www.stormester.no and www.dragulf.no and their FB page in English www.facebook.com/stormester.no)

The organisers also will welcome Magnus at the big chess event on his return from the Chennai World Chess Championship against Viswanathan Anand.

The main event in the chess celebrations will include a team school championship, a rapid tournament over six rounds. The tournament is open for everybody and has many different groups for all the ages (including a separate group for parents).

More chess activities will include the NTG Rapid Grand Prix (a rapid tournament for rated players in 2 groups), different chess contests for kids, and last but not least, a celebration of the World Championship Match and Magnus' birthday.

There will be nice prizes and surprises for everybody!

All the participants of NTG Grand Prix and Bærumsmesterskap 1st Desember will be presented a new edition of Simen Agdestein’s book on Magnus Carlsen!

Your lovely gift if you participate in the big chess festival organised by Stormester & Stormester. 

Remember to sign up: NTG Rapid Grand Prix and Bærumsmesterskap. Or contact Simen Agdestein simena@ntg.no or Olga Dolzhykova olga@chess-destination.com if you need more information.

* Magnus Carlsen book review

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Garry Kasparov Comments on Carlsen - Anand World Chess Championship Game 1

Here are the comments by chess legend Garry Kasparov on Game one at the Carlsen - Anand World Chess Championship 2013 in Chennai. These comments are via Kasparov's twitter account @Kasparov63. 

 Garry Kasparov ‏@Kasparov6311h

- Hello from Goa! Great event today at #THiNK2013. Looks like half of those in attendance were tweeting about. I will share some in a moment.

- First, a few brief comments on today's Carlsen-Anand game. Brief comments are fitting for such a brief game.

- I imagine Anand's 2..g6 was a surprise for Magnus, and 4..c6 as well. Then White has a big choice: to play c4 & sacrifice a pawn, or not.

- Sacrificing the pawn with c4 would not be a typical position for Magnus but Anand (& his second Leko) know those positions well.

- But without c4 by White Black gets a very solid position, even if he plays the Nbd2 I'd prefer to Carlsen's Nc3. Little danger for Black.

- I remember Anand played this in his 1994 NYC candidates match against Romanishin, who played c4 & drew one & lost one. Can be quite sharp.

- First games of big matches are often tentative. Both get a half point but it's great to start any event with an easy draw with black!

- Anand & I drew first 8 games of our 1995 world championship match. But then, boom! Next 4/5 were decisive & the match was basically over.

- So do not get too depressed with a slow start. Of my 7 world championship matches, 5 started with draw in first game.

The links to comments by Garry Kasparov are also in interviews with

BELIEVE MAGNUS: Chess legend Garry Kasparov (left) keeps Magnus Carlsen as the favorite in the World Chess Match
PHOTO: Junge, Heiko / NTB Scanpix

- Aftenposte.no

- VG.no
- The Times of India

* Kasparov goes Harry Potter-ish
* Kasparov India schedule

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The Road to Chennai 2013 – Success at the Top: Magnus Carlsen's Dad Continues Blog Series

A few weeks back, World No 1 Magnus Carlsen's father Henrik Carlsen had updated the Arctic Securities Blog with the first part of the series. it was titled 'The road to Chennai - Early Development'. Here is the second part: 'The Road to Chennai 2013 - Success at the Top'. We posted the first part here.

Magnus Carlsen's Blog

The Road to Chennai 2013 – Success at the Top

Towards the end of 2008 we discussed a cooperation with Garry Kasparov, and Espen Agdestein, who had already helped us secure the sponsor FAST the year before, agreed to work as a sponsor agent to help finance the cooperation. Espen has been the manager of Magnus from 2011. 

Financial firm Arctic Securities and Simonsen Vogt Wiig lawyers have now been main sponsors of Magnus for four years already. They share with Magnus the emphasis on focused dedication, attention to details and uncompromised quality. 

Espen and Magnus have continued to make sure that new sponsors represent high standards, and later Norway’s main newspaper VG, software company Parallels and recently high tech company Nordic Semiconductor have joined as main sponsors. 

For Magnus interactions with his main sponsors have provided valuable experience and perspectives balancing life as a professional chess player. 

Magnus appreciated the 13 months cooperation with Kasparov, “the one who invented a lot of the modern concepts of chess”. He came close to winning both in Linares and Sofia 2009, and suddenly everything worked out perfectly in Nanjing 2009 resulting in clear first with 8/10 and an above 3000 rating performance. 

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 A sponsoring agreement has been agreed between Arctic Securities and Magnus Carlsen. Magnus became an International Grandmaster at the age of 13, the youngest at the time. In October 2009, during the Nanjing Pearl Spring tournament, he became the fifth chess player in the history to achieve an Elo-rating over 2800 – by far the youngest to do so. That year he also became The World Blitz Chess Champion. On January the 1st of 2010 the new FIDE list was published and at the age of 19 Magnus became the youngest ever chess player to be ranked World Number One. Carlsen is the best representative for top excellence within both analysis and implementation.

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Later that autumn he won the Blitz World Championship with nearly 75% score, and the London Chess Classics. In general, Magnus has preferred to prepare on his own during tournaments. He has worked with other strong GM’s on many occasions, and Ian Nepomniachtchi was also his second during the successful London Chess Classics 2012. 

After the Kasparov cooperation in practice ended early 2010, Magnus scored 7.5/10 in Bazna in June despite less focus on preparation. Maybe the games lost during the 2010 Olympiad and subsequent Bilbao Masters served as a wake-up call. For the last three years his tournament rating performances have all been well above 2800 bringing his rating to an all-time-high of 2872 in February 2013, and securing yearly Chess Oscars from 2009 onwards. 

Among his tournament victories are Tata Steel Chess (former Corus) and London Chess Classics three times, and Bilbao, Nanjing, Bazna and Biel two times. Over the years he has played a few matches. In rapid chess I remember vividly the 5-3 victory against Peter Leko in 2008. Magnus was under pressure in several games, and in one of them he had to find about 20 only-moves with 10 seconds increments to draw. 

In classical chess he participated three times in the World Cup in his youth with shared 3rd in 2007 as his last and best result. In the Candidates earlier that year in Elista in Kalmykia, at 16, he lost a tense and even match against Levon Aronian after equalising three times in the classical stage (3-3) and rapid phase (2-2), before succumbing in the final blitz games. 

Due to changes to the rules in mid-cycle, Magnus withdrew from the Grand Prix in November 2008, and he did not participate in World Championship qualifications until 2013. In March this year he qualified for the match against V. Anand starting November 9th in Chennai, by winning the Candidate Tournament in London on tie-break after a tense finish. 

Peter Heine Nielsen was helping him in London, in addition to a team of other strong grandmasters contributing from home. Kenneth Gvein and Metronet have helped professionalizing Magnus' digital appearance. Online activities will only become more important in the future. 

Thanks go also to Basefarm for providing important hosting support. Somewhat unusual for a chess player, Magnus became a campaign model for G-Star Raw clothes in 2010/2011. It was flattering that they wanted to renew the cooperation for 2014, as announced last week. Magnus’s last tournament before the World Championship match was the Sinquefield Cup in St.Louis in September and he won quite convincingly with 4.5/6. 

Last but not least, we would like to thank all the unnamed, but not forgotten, tournament organisers, organisations, chess colleagues, seconds, spectators, fans and friends that have been supportive and contributed with practical help, encouragement, enthusiasm or otherwise on the long road to Chennai 2013. 

Thank you! 

For Team Carlsen, 
Henrik C., 

November 3rd, 2013

2013-11-03 20:20:04

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Chennai World Chess Championship Game 1 Carlsen - Anand 1/2- 1/2

World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand began his title defense with confidence, holding off World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway to a 16-move draw in quick time in the first game of the Chennai World Chess Championship this evening. (Photo: Game 1 begins/official website)

Anand, with black pieces, showed the world that he has come well prepared for the most challenging match yet.

The Indian gave no chance to Carlsen who started with the Reti opening and got nothing with his first white game.

The quick draw, lasting a mere 16 moves, proved Anand's preparation right as Magnus spent more time on the clock in the opening and still could not get the complicated and sometimes lifeless positions wherein he famously outplays opposition.

There was much speculation about Anand going for a sharp position and he did not disappoint his backers.

"I know after two moves its Reti, after that I don't know what it is," said Anand smilingly in the post match conference.

After Anand's 10th move Carlsen thought he had no chances and went for the repetition of moves by force. However the highest rated player in the world did not think he was worse at any point in the game.

Video starts 00:08:00



"I would not have minded if he (Anand) had continued, my long term prospects are not bad," Carlsen said.

Anand simply repeated the Knight moves while Carlsen moved his queen a few times to get the same position three times. The players immediately shook hands.

It was a position akin to the Gruenfeld for Anand and he did not opt for a locked structure. His ninth move created the imbalance that the Indian wanted and Carlsen conceded that white had nothing after the tenth move.

The Norwegian superstar said he was quite happy that he could start the match but not with the way it went.

"I am happy that finally the match is on, hopefully we will give you more than one and a half hour," he said mentioning the duration of the game.

With the first match done, Anand will now be playing with white pieces in the second game tomorrow. The 12-game match carries Rs 14 crore as prize money. -- PTI

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Anand, Carlsen Predictions: Truly Fun Video from Streets of Philadelphia by Chess Life Online

The US Chess Scoop went out on the streets to see how much Philadelphians know about chess and their predictions for Carlsen-Anand World Chess Championship 2013. This video is guaranteed to make your weekend and you are sure to watch it twice at the least. The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is the official, not-for-profit US membership organization for chess players and chess supporters of all ages and strengths, from beginners to Grandmasters. Find out more at uschess.org.

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