The population of Norway is 5.2 million. Around three million of them were glued to their television during the last three weeks watching one programme.
It was no gripping soap opera that they were following. It was no winter sport or football match either.
They were all watching two men, in distant London, facing each other across a table. Understandably one of those men was a Norwegian. And he was playing the title match at the World chess championship.
That man, Magnus Carlsen, was the overwhelming favourite to win. As he has been practically every time he has sat before a chess board for the last eight years.
There was no surprise in London. Carlsen won.
There were three games of rapid chess in the tie-breakers and he won all of them, against Fabiano Caruana, as he clinched his fourth World title in five years.
But, this wasn't the most convincing triumph of the lot. For, he had failed to win a single game of the 12 classical games – of longer duration – and that was strange. He didn't lose any either, however.
Stalemate
That was why the World title had to be decided by the tie-breakers, comprising rapid and blitz games. It was for the first time in the history of the World championship when all the classical games in the series were drawn. And the history goes back to 1886, when Wilhelm Steinitz defeated Johannes Zukertort 10-5 in a match that was played in the three American cities of New York, St. Louis and New Orleans.
The format then was such that the man who won the first 10 matches would be the champion. Steinitz's 10th win came in the 20th game. He had lost five, and there were just five draws.
What happened in London 132 years later was, of course, lot more different. But, so is today's chess.
The game has changed dramatically, with all the books on theory and then the technology. The margin of error is very thin at the highest level; a draw is much more probable than a win. So a full point is extremely important, much like that rare outright victory in the Ranji Trophy.
The willingness to stretch himself to the limit when he sights an outside chance of a win has been one of the qualities that set Carlsen apart. In London, however, he quite didn't do that.
Many were surprised he had settled for peace too soon in Game 12 – his last chance to avoid the tie-breakers – as he offered a draw to Caruna after 31 moves in a slightly superior position. You would have expected Carlsen to push his American opponent.
Stinging criticism
Garry Kasparov -- the world's strongest player before Carlsen (also someone who coached him for some time) -- was among those who made his displeasure known. He tweeted: “In light of this shocking offer from Magnus in a superior position with more time, I reconsider my evaluation of him being the favourite in rapids. Tie-breaks require tremendous nerves and he seems to be losing his.”
Reigning chess world champion, Norway's Magnus Carlsen, left, and Italian-American Fabiano Caruana concentrate at the final day of the World chess Championship in London, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 | Photo Credit: AP
Vladimir Kramnik, who ended Kasparov's 15-year reign as the World champion in 2000, also criticised Carlsen's approach sharply.
Carlsen, of course, had the last laugh. And the comments from the two former World champions hadn't escaped his attention.
The right move
About his decision to go for the tie-breakers instead of pressing for a win in the final game, he said: “I think I made the right decision, and not solely based on the result. As for the opinions of Garry and Vlad, they are entitled to their stupid opinions.”
Still, to opt for the tie-breakers was a risk. But, he knew that he stood better chances than Caruana in rapid chess, though he was perceived to be not in the best of form. The difference between him and the American are three Elo points in classical chess, but, significantly, in rapid chess, it was 91.
True champions know their strength. They also know they could adapt to different formats of their sport better than almost anybody else. Look at the ease with which Virat Kohli switches his batting mode between Test, ODI and T20 cricket.
It may be no exaggeration to say that Carlsen is Norway's Kohli. But, unlike Kohli, he has had to make his countrymen learn the game he practised from scratch.
Like India's own Viswanathan Anand, Carlsen revolutionised chess in his country. One recalls watching the euphoria of the large Norwegian continent in Chennai that November evening of 2013, when Carlsen won his first World title, beating Anand in a one-side match in his hometown.
“Twenty percent of the entire Norwegians are watching some of the games live on television from here,” Norwegian Chess Federation president Joran Jansson had told this writer then.
Five years later, far more Norwegians watched victory in
London. Carlsen is not just good for Norwegian chess. Articulate, handsome and exceptionally gifted and driven, he is the brand ambassador chess needs to take the sport to the masses.
World champions over the years
1886--1894: Wilhelm Steinitz (Austria)
1894--1921: Emmanuel Lasker (Germany)
1921--1927: Jose Raul Capablanca (Cuba)
1927--1935: Alexander Alekhine (France)
1935--1937: Max Euwe (Netherlands)
1937--1946: Alexander Alekhine (France)
1948--1957: Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR)
1957--1958: Vasily Smyslov (USSR)
1958--1960: Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR)
1960--1961: Mikhail Tal (USSR)
1961--1963: Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR)
1963--1969: Tigran Petrosian (USSR)
1969--1972: Boris Spassky (USSR)
1972--1975: Bobby Fischer (USA)
1975--1985: Anatoly Karpov (USSR)
1985-2000: Garry Kasparov (USSR/Russia)
2000--2007: Vladmir Kramnik (Russia)
2007--2013: Viswanathan Anand (India)
2013-- : Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
FIDE World champions
1993--1999: Anatoly Karopv (Russia)
1999--2000: Alexander Khalifman (Russia)
2000--2002: Viswanathan Anand (India)
2002--2004: Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine)
2004-2006: Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan)
2005--2006: Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria)