When dreams come true, the entire world seems to come to a standstill. Well, six-year-old Dev Shah and nine-year-old Ananya Gupta will agree.
The two young chess wizards from Mumbai were in Chennai for the nationals, and made it a point to catch the battle between their hero, Magnus Carlsen, and Viswanathan Anand in World Chess Championship.
“He didn’t move his eyes for four hours,” Krupali Shah, Dev’s mother, said. “I was scared because you weren’t allowed to make noise, and for a six-year-old that is very difficult. But he maintained pin drop silence, just trying to guess the next move.”
Dev sat in one of the corporate boxes at the venue for the championship, watching Game 3 that ended in a draw after 51 moves and four hours.
What did he learn seeing Carlsen from such close quarters?
“His concentration,” Dev, who became India’s youngest rated player this year, said. “He never did anything that would break his concentration. He sits properly, analyses many things and does everything before his moves.”
If watching his idol wasn’t exciting enough, his co-spectator just a few seats away was the legendary Garry Kasparov.
“He looks very old,” Dev said. “But he is very wise,” he added in the same breath.
Ananya’s hero is same as Dev’s — Carlsen — and she went for Game 5, which the Norwegian won. She has been inspired by his documentary, The Prince of Chess, and was in complete awe watching him live.
What did she take away from the experience?
“I love Carlsen’s never-say-die attitude,” said World Schools bronze medallist Ananya. “He never settles for a draw. Also, he started so young, and has become a champion now. My dream, too, is to become the youngest GM.”
Her mother, Himangi, said Ananya felt proud of Carlsen, and emulated his traits in the nationals.
“She refused a draw in many of her games, even though it could’ve helped her. So that way, watching Carlsen was such a great learning experience for her,” Himangi said.
No interaction was allowed with their hero, but Ananya hopes the champion makes a visit during the World Youth Championship in Dubai in December, where the nine-year-old will be participating. “Maybe I can speak to him then,” she says.
Dev goes a step ahead. “I want to sit where he was sitting. Maybe when he is 43, I will.”
