Chennai: Magnus Carlsen is big in the chess world. He is massive in Norway. For a country that has few global superstars in sports other than the winter variety, the world no.1 is like a blast of fresh air. For Norwegians, the chess prodigy is a combination of Shahrukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar.
If you still have no clarity on Carlsen's skyrocketing popularity in his homeland, listen in to Benjamin Ree. The 24-year-old Norwegian documentary film maker for VG TV, whose only work in the last seven months is following Carlsen, says the chess player is the most talked about person in his country now.
According to Ree, “Even people who normally don't follow chess are taking interest in the game. Chess boards are flying off the shelves of stores and we never knew this young man was so big. Only a few among five million Norwegians may not know who Magnus is,“ he added.
Ree, who is in Chennai in anticipation of Carlsen's crowning glory in the world championship, said his conversations with friends back home were revelatory. “There is a facility in an iphone to record your blabbering while you are asleep. A friend's recording went this way: rook d4, e7... Another friend attended a party in which all the talk in rest room was about Carlsen,“ he laughed.
Ree only has words of praise for his country's heart-throb. “Above all, I like his honesty . He detests pretentious behaviour. In a press conference here, Magnus said he doesn't watch Indian movies when he could have pleased Indian journalists by professing an interest in Bollywood. I'm also an admirer of his commitment in whatever he does,“ he added.
“In my opinion, one of the crucial reasons for the popularity of Magnus outside Norway is his fresh and open approach to chess. He is totally different from the stereotypical Russian champions. Magnus plays the game for joy. He has the killer instinct, without being obsessive about results,“ Ree said, adding that Carlsen has been groomed well in a stable family .
In a 27-minute documentary put out on VG TV's website (http://www.vgtv.no/embed/ ?id=73427), Viswanathan Anand talks about his surprise in seeing a chess wizard emerge from a country like Norway. Ree is also amazed by the chess phenomenon. “Sports heroes need obstacles as motivation. Our country is so peaceful and conflict-free that I often struggle to find subjects for documentaries. I'm proud that a player of Carlsen's calibre calls himself Norwegian,“ he added.
In his one-on-one conversations with Carlsen, Ree never touches chess. “He has enough interest in various things for me to make a feature film-length documentary. I already have 60 hours of footage excluding the world championship. I'm waiting for the moment when he will be crowned the champion of the world,“ the documentary maker said.
Even though young girls are crazy about Carlsen back home, the chess superstar seems not to have fallen for anyone so far.
“I reckon his image as a brainy guy is an impediment. Bond girl Jemma Arterton admitted to being intimidated by his intellectual power in an interview to our channel. Everyone in Norway would love to know the girl in the life of Magnus,“ Ree said.
From US, for the love of the game!
From US, for the love of the game!
DC/ S SUJATHA
CHENNAI: Have you heard of a person with a middle name 'checkmate' or have you seen a young man buy five different types of chessboards at one go? Yes, there are people who do such unique things to make life better for themselves as well as others.
Deccan Chronicle caught up with two such people at Hyatt Regency, the venue of the world chess championship.
If Orrin 'Checkmate' Hudson (50) from Georgia is in Chennai to promote the game among school children, Ted Keyport (24) from Minnesota has made a quick one day visit to the TN capi tal to catch up on the AnandCarlsen game. Both the US nationals are not regular chess players. While Hudson was a police officer, Keyport was an English teacher, who is in between jobs now.
“After quitting my job as Alabama State Trooper, I started a car dealership in 1993. But I always wanted to do something to the society. On May 24, 2000, I came across an incident, where seven people were shot dead for $2000. It was then that I decided to promote peace instead of violence, using chess as an important tool,“ said Hudson.
The active and energetic Hudson was full of enthusiasm when he spoke about his non profit organisation Be Someone. “I teach children chess and help them build self confidence. I give them the knights and bishops to move instead of wielding knives and guns,“ he said, while swinging his hands and legs to a rap song Get in the Game, which he wrote to motivate children.
Hudson is in the city mainly to convince the winner of the world championship to do some volunteer work. “Whoever wins, I want them to help me take chess to the masses. I want to make the game cool. Sing, dance and enjoy playing chess. It helps you to think before you make a move. In life, many shoot first and think later. This game helps one to be patient and respect the opponent,“ he added.
Keyport, who is less than half of Hudson's age, is so much in love with the game that he bought different kinds of chessboards as soon as he landed in India. “I will keep a few good ones for myself and give away the rest to my friends,“ he said.
A self-confessed fan of Carlsen, because the Norwegian belongs to his generation, Keyport is now trying out different openings like the world no. 1, with the aim of becoming a complete player.
