Three-year-old chess prodigy Anish Sarkar had the opportunity to meet and greet his idol Magnus Carlsen on Tuesday, November 12. The legendary chess player was impressed by the wunderkind and even offered him a piece of advice. The meeting came on the eve of the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Blitz, which will be held in Kolkata from November 13 to 15.
Anish became the youngest-rated chess player in history earlier in November, reaching an initial FIDE rating of 1555 after meeting the requirement of playing against five rated players. Born in 2021, Anish has already had the privilege of facing Indian No.1 Arjun Erigaisi in an exhibition match earlier this year.
On Tuesday, Anish and Carlsen posed for a photo in a memorable moment for the child, who was invited to the media conference on the eve of the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Rapid and Blitz tournament.
“First of all, it’s amazing to see the level he’s at. My nephew is turning 4, he’s a bright young child, but I don’t see him getting a rating of 1500 anytime soon,” Carlsen said, as quoted by PTI news agency.
“It is very impressive. Most of all, try to enjoy as much as you can. Don’t think about ratings, results, titles, and so on. They will come automatically; just do what you love,” he said.
WHO IS ANISH SARKAR
Hailing from Kaikhali in North Kolkata, Anish began his chess journey under the guidance of Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua. The toddler’s extraordinary talent and dedication have propelled him to this remarkable milestone.
Anish Sarkar, whose mother tongue is Bengali and who comes from a middle-class family, has also learned to speak English with an American accent from watching YouTube.
In an exclusive interview with India Today’s Anirban Sinha Roy, the three-year-old, who still speaks with the innocence of his age, said, “I love to play eight hours a day. I watch YouTube to learn about chess apart from lessons from Dibyendu Sir. My favourite chess pieces are the King and the Queen. The King is the main piece – if he is taken, we cannot play – and the Queen is the most powerful. My coach told me I did well.” While Anish’s idols are neither Magnus Carlsen nor Viswanathan Anand, his favourite player is Dutch chess Grandmaster Anish Giri.
Born on 26 January 2021, Anish made his debut in competitive chess at the West Bengal State Under-9 Open in October, securing an impressive 5.5 out of 8 points and finishing 24th overall, defeating two rated players – Arav Chatterjee and Ahilaan Baishya.
He faced Arjun Erigaisi in a simultaneous exhibition match during the Bengal Rapid Rating Open. Just a week later, Anish tested his skills once more in the West Bengal State Under-13 Open, where he faced older, more experienced players.
