Carlsen in Chennai for big battle
DC | S Sujatha | 11 hours 12 min ago
Chennai: “Magnus. Velkommen Til India. Beste Onsker.“ These words that meant `Magnus, Welcome to India.
All the Best’ in Norwegian made the world no. 1 chess player Magnus Carlsen feel at home as he walked out of the Anna international terminal at Chennai airport on Monday evening. Carlsen is in town to fight for his first world championship against five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. The inauguration is slated for Thursday and the first of the 12 rounds will be played at Hyatt Regency on Saturday .
“I am happy to play in my first world championship match. I am well prepared. I had a two-week training camp in Oman,“ said Carlsen, who reached the city in an Oman Air flight from Muscat.
Along with Carlsen, his father Henrik, mother Sigrun and two sisters Ingrid and Signe also reached the city. His elder sister Ellen couldn’t make it to Chennai as she is busy with her medical studies. Carlsen’s personal security and doctor also accompanied him.
Carlsen, who was received by the All India Chess Federation officials, left straight to a resort to spend a couple of days before settling down at Hyatt, the match venue.
Dressed in a spotless white V-necked T-shirt, the world no. 1 was happy to see a chess fan Shankar, who wished him in his own language. “I am happy that someone has come to wish Carlsen,“ said the challenger’s manager Espen Agdestein, who was also happy to acknowledge the autograph hunter’s presence in the media crowd. Shankar managed to get Carlsen’s autograph.
“I am a huge fan of Carlsen. I also like Anand and Kasparov in chess,“ Shankar told Deccan Chronicle. Shankar said he would try to get defending champion Anand’s autograph during the opening ceremony.
“I already have Anand’s autograph. But I would surely take another one to mark the occasion of the world championship,“ he added.
Even though the arrival of Carlsen was a low-key affair, it still managed to raise the eyebrows of a few passengers at the airport because of the huge presence of the media and security officials.
Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com
What’s with Carlsen’s horns. There’s got to be a better picture than that!