Photo credit: Frans Peeters

NOV 19, 2013

MAGNUS CARLSEN IS WORLD  FIDE CHESS CHAMPION WITH  JUST THREE MORE DRAWS — Chennai, India

Photo credit: Frans PeetersTHE MILLION DOLLAR PAYOFF OF HIS  LAST MOMENT DECISION MADE BY LETTER … TO PLAY FOR THE WORLD  CHESS TITLE … is at hand …with a SHOOT ‘EM UP AND SHUT  ‘EM DOWN locked position round 8 endgame draw today … Norwegian wizard, world #1 player (the highest “elo”rated chess grandmaster of all time) MAGNUS CARLSEN HAS 5 POINTS, NEEDS JUST 6 AND ONE HALF  FOR ALL THE GOLD … will take the world chess champion V. ANAND’S title, apparently .. with just 4 games remaining … three draws will do it … two TOTALLY unexpected, unforced  errors in drawn rook and pawn endgames amidst back to back losses likely cost the world champion the crown …  12 game scheduled match if needed … Carlsen  2 wins/all other 6 games tied …  these then are Mr Carlsen’s glory days of summer … may he enjoy them like the girls of summer … for in a moment, believe me,  in a mere heartbeat, all can be gone. Time waits for no one … Rocket Carlsen quite literally caught the last plane out … the truly great Mr. Carlsen was also fabulously, unbelievably off-the-charts lucky in the past year as well. One has only to recall the immortal chess names Schlechter, Rubinstein and above all the fabulous, horribly cheated A.Shirov … to spy the grim reaper grimacing in horror at Carlsen’s last second career move-escape … but that is life, is it not? It turns on a dime,  a chance encounter in an ice cream shop, a mood, a letter ….Whew! What a great ride, indeed … glad I lived to see this. CARLSEN 5, ANAND 3.

— Jude Acers