Magnus Carlsen: Classical chess is too forgiving, too easy to mask deficiencies | Chess News

Five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen has taken a dig at Classical chess, calling it “more like science, art”, while saying the shorter form of chess is “pure sport”.
After winning the 2021 World Chess Championship, Carlsen had announced that he will not take part in the championship. That, in a way, paved the way for India’s 18-year-old D Gukesh to become the youngest player to win the championships last week.
The Norwegian, speaking on a Take Take Take app podcast, said classical chess is the worst yardstick for determining the best player.
“It’s hard to say exactly what measures the best player overall. I would say that right now, if you want the kind of chess in which you need the most well-rounded game, classical chess is probably the worst way because it’s sort of too forgiving. It’s too easy to mask the deficiencies in your game. And I think if you’re able to handle both faster chess and freestyle, you have covered a lot of bases. You do have your basic pattern, and quick tactics.
“Faster chess, it is a sport. It’s sort of a pure sport kind of thing. But when you get to longer forms of freestyle, it becomes like more science, art,” he said.
The 14-match championship between Ding Liren and Gukesh was tied at 6.5 each going into the final game, with rapid chess tie-breakers looming. However, a massive blunder Ding for a position of playing a draw, saw Gukesh win the game and title.The overall quality of the games was severely criticised many including Carlsen and World No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura.
While Carlsen doesn’t compete for the classical world championship, he’s the reigning five-time World Rapid champion as well as the reigning seven-time World Blitz champion.
New world champ Gukesh said that though Carlsen doesn’t compete for the title, knowing Carlsen is superior to him acts as his motivating factor.“Becoming the world champion does not mean I am the best player, obviously that is Magnus,” he said.

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