5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Viswanathan Anand wins ‘Clash of Generations' exhibition match after beating Faustino Oro 2-0 in Tuscany
The one-of-a-kind 'Clash of Generations' exhibition game played between five-time World Champion, India's Viswanathan Anand and 'Messi of chess' Argentina's 11-year-old prodigy Faustino Oro was concluded on Monday in Tuscany, Italy. Anand defeated Oro 2-0 to sweep in what was largely a one-sided match.
Although Oro displayed maturity and calmness far beyond his age, the Argentine was no match for a semi-retired Anand. In what was tipped as 'a meeting between the past and the future of chess,' Anand was pitted against Oro, one of the most promising stars on the circuit. The youngest-ever International Master in chess history, the Argentinian prodigy became one of only three players to achieve the title before turning 11.
Anand had the white pieces in the first game, and it took him 57 moves to force resignation from Oro in the Morphy Defense of the Ruy López Opening, where he had three extra pawns. In the second game, Anand had the black pieces in the French Defense game. By the 48th move, he had an active rook for Oro's passive knight, where the Argentine resigned. The match was played in rapid time control of 10+3.
On Monday, in a unique opening ceremony, both Anand and Oro were brought to the match venue in a specially designed horse-drawn carriage.
After the exhibition one-on-one match, both players played in a simul (simultaneous) exhibition game, with each facing 10 invited guests. Both Anand and Oro ended up winning all the simul games.
The exhibition game was organised by Unichess and conceived by Grandmaster Roberto Mogranzini and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who is also a chess lover. The exhibition game is part of the Pietrasanta and Versilia Chess Roads project, which took place at Italy's La Versiliana. The event sees a unique exhibition from June 2 to 15 called Chess Roads, which features 40 rare and original chess sets from Asia and Europe. The exhibition event will see chess pieces in ivory, wood, and bronze, ranging from the late 1700s to the present.
On Sunday, the Chess Roads Festival began in Pietrasanta with a grand and cultural procession with players and guests arriving at Villa La Versiliana in traditional horse-drawn carriages. The parade then passed through Forte dei Marmi and Pietrasanta.
