The absence of number one, Carlsen, and the shadow of the Kremlin obscure the duel between Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren
The Putin’s Russia seems about to recover one of its most precious trophies, the world chess champion title. Let no one think that saving resources to achieve it. On April 7, the opening ceremony is held in Astana (Kazakhstan) and two days later the first of the 14 games is played between the Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi and the chinese Ding Liren. The coronation will take place on May 1, just the day a historic geopolitical change will be official: the Federation of AjedrezRussian no longer depend on Europebut from Asia.
Nepo and Ding are number two and three in the world. The undisputed leader Magnus Carlsenrenounced the crown and opened the doors of the palace to players that many do not consider worthy of the heavy burden of reigning. Garry Kasparov is blunt: “It’s an amputated duel. We can hardly call it a world championship.”
The aforementioned shift towards Asia that chess is experiencing should not be underestimated. The crown will end there, since the Russian federation has just made its break from the European Chess Union (ECU) official. Russian grandmasters will thus compete “more freely“, as the president of the International Federation (FIDE), the Russian Arkady Dvorkovich, celebrates. Malcolm Pein, vice president of the ECU, does not think so: “It is a shameful day for chess. We are the first sport to see how its governing body makes it easier for its Russian federation to evade sanctions by going to Asia.” Many chess players remain in almost no man’s land, opposed to the invasion of Ukraine and the decisions of its politicians and managers.
This politicization of the boards is not new. During the Russian revolution of 1917, the game of 64 squares became a symbol. The Soviet flag might as well have flown with a bishop and pawn, instead of the hammer and sickle. Lenin, determined to demonstrate the decadence of Western capitalism, applied himself to manufacturing chess champions as if they were weapons of mass seduction. Little more than a century later, almost everything has changed, but the spirit is similar.
Candidate profiles
The empire’s dream hero is Nepomniachtchi (Briansk, 32 years old), son of teachers, journalist by training, brilliant student and former video game star. He arrives at the best moment of his career to his second assault on the title, with more Elo and experience than his rival. The particular marker also favors him. in 2021 crashed into Carlsen, but the flight of the Norwegian gives him odds of winning until recently unthinkable. Also to take most of a loot of two million euros.
The only thing that stands in his way is a small and lonely Chinese man. Ding Liren (Wenzhou, 30 years old) usually travels alone and without helpers. At least that’s what he did in the Madrid Candidates tournament, where he barely left the hotel, except to take long walks, nor did he eat much more than the boiled rice that he prepared himself in his room. Ding is an ascetic that should not be trusted either; he a few years ago he broke Carlsen’s record by remaining unbeaten for a hundred games in a row.
Ding Liren is a lone wolf in sheep’s clothing. At first he resembles Bobby Fischer, the man who broke the overwhelming Soviet hegemony of the second half of the 20th century. The harmless aspect of him is unheard of for a great champion, however. There were other kind applicants, such as David BronsteinBut one way or another they ended up losing. That possible psychological failure is the second great obstacle for the Chinese. The first is his alleged weaponized nudity. He is a Zen master willing to face Nepo’s formidable human and technological team.
In return, the favorite has proven to be weaker at critical moments. In his first title assault, he held up well against Carlsen in the first few games, but as soon as he suffered his first loss he collapsed. In the two Candidates that he has won, everything went smoothly. What happens if Ding Liren hits first remains to be seen. The Chinese would be the first champion born in his country, where, curiously, most of the latest champions come from.
Kramnik, last Russian champion
The last Russian king was Vladimir Kramnikthe man who dethroned Kasparov. He lost his title in 2007, to the Indian Vishy Anand. Sergey Karjak too He came close to repeating the feat against Carlsen, who later denied it to Nepomniachtchi as well.
In Kazakhstan, we will see a duel that some consider illegitimate due to the absence of the Norwegian genius and others for political reasons. The most critical is the great teacher Peter Heine Nielsen, Carlsen’s assistant for years. He insists that Nepo is being helped by a state with blood on its hands and patrons controlled by known oligarchs. “Can you make sure that the Kremlin won’t use the World Cup for propaganda?” asks the Danish player and coach.
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