'Carlsen is Norway's greatest sportsman'

 

A group of three Norwegians, led by the secretary of the country's youth chess association Dag Danielsen, were savouring the success of the Nordic nation's most famous citizen at the venue on Thursday . The gentlemen heralded the start of round nine in jolly good mood and ended it in the same manner with a pint of beer as Magnus Carlsen put champagne on ice by taking a three-point lead against Viswanthan Anand.

 

According to Danielsen, Carlsen is well and truly on course to becoming Norway's greatest sportsperson in history. “Winning the world title in a sport played by more than 600 million people will clinch the honour for Magnus. It's for the first time we would have a champion in a global sport. He's a genius,“ he added.

 

Danielsen expects a chess boom back home. “The prospects for the game are bright following the media explosion for the Chennai match.

What Carslen has done to raise the profile of chess in Norway is immeasurable. He's a national hero. I think he has paved the way for a generation of youngsters to take up chess,” he added.

 

The chess administrator, who also runs a club, said the success of Carlsen bodes well for the entire Western world.

 

“There is already a buzz in Western Europe and the USA because people there can relate to Carlsen better. I anticipate more interest for the game in countries that are wealthy with plenty of resources.

 

Carlsen can do what Anand has done in India,” he added.

 

Danielsen said Carlsen’s approach to the game is fresh. “He asked his dad to end his coaching stint with Kasparov in 2009 mainly because of conflicts arising out of the clash of cultures. The Russian wanted Carlsen to adopt obsessive training methods that existed in the Soviet era. But the young man’s approach to chess and life was totally different and his association with Kasparov became untenable,” he added.

 

The Norwegian chess buff credited Carlsen’s first coach GM Simen Agdestein for his meteoric rise.

 

The world no.1 has done what his mentor couldn’t do in his prime: beating Anand. Simen was at the receiving end of the Indian’s lightning play at the 1987 junior world championship in the Philippines.

 

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