R Praggnanandhaa recently became the first Indian after Vishwanathan Anand to compete in the final of the Chess World Cup. He has locked horns against Magnus Carlsen and the two have played out a draw in the first game of the final. While all the eyes are on the duo who are facing each other in the final, India's legendary Grand Master Vishwanathan Anand is delighted with the progress India has made in Chess.
He has called the current lot as a golden generation in the Indian Chess while also highlighting the fact that there are so many Indian players with 2,700-plus Elo rating and that too at a age of less than 20. He also called the achievement of these players 'special' while speaking to a weekly news magazine. Anand also predicted that these set of players will also be at the top in the next 10 years.
"I'm throwing in the title early, but they are a golden generation. They are all in the 2,700-plus group (Elo rating). And they're all under 20. That just does not happen; it's really something special. And what this means, and the reason I call them the golden generation, is they're going to spend the next ten years at the top. With varying career trajectories, of course, but they're going to spend the next 10 years being rivals and colleagues and friends and everything," Anand said.
Vishwanathan Anand also recalled how he used to be the only Indian in the Chess World Cup and the way so many Indian players have participated at the event this time around. He also acknowledged the fact that Chess, as a sport, has changed a lot in recent times. "It's a very different vibe because I [have been] used to being the only Indian in a tournament for very long. So, it's incomparable to my experience.
"I would share my experiences, especially psychologically speaking and emotionally. But, chess itself has changed so much. When I was growing up, what we tried to pass on to people was, how do you find better moves? But now, when the computer is giving you the best moves right away or the quickest answer, the thinking almost has to change. So, how does my experience compare with them? I have to be careful. I can share what I think and leave it in the air, but I can't be too prescriptive," Anand further added.
