Anand vs Kasparov; Gukesh faces Carlsen: Legendary rivals to clash

IMAGE: World champion D Gukesh will take on Magnus Carlsen. Photograph: Michal Walusza/FIDE

Indian great Viswanathan Anand will revive his iconic rivalry with Russian stalwart Garry Kasparov, while world champion D Gukesh will go up against familiar foe Magnus Carlsen in Clutch Chess exhibition matches come October in St Louis, USA.

Kasparov and Anand last squared off in 2021 in the Croatia Rapid and Blitz competition at Zagreb where the Indian had emerged victorious. The two have clashed 82 times across formats in their illustrious careers with Kasparov leading in all of them and 30 games ending in draws.

“Two former world champions, Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand, go head-to-head in a special Clutch Chess (Legends) exhibition match from (October 7 to 11). This once-in-a-generation clash celebrates the legacy of two chess greats and officially launches the month of reopening festivities,” the St Louis Chess Club stated in a press release.

“The exhibition match will be the first event held in the Club’s enhanced facility, reaffirming the city’s role as the chess capital of the United States and a global leader in the game.”

The event will feature a USD 144,000 prize fund to be awarded across a 12-game Chess960 (Fischer Random) match between the two icons.

The games will be played at rapid and blitz time controls and “with an innovative scoring system designed to captivate both players and fans.”

Days after this, there will be a Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown from October 27 to 29 at the same venue.

The lineup features World No.1 Carlsen, World No.2 Hikaru Nakamura, World No.3 Fabiano Caruana, and Gukesh in what will be the highest-rated chess tournament of the year.

“With USD 412,000 in prize money, including daily win bonuses and a Champion’s Jackpot, the stakes have never been higher,” the club stated.

“The event’s 18-game rapid double round-robin format (10 minutes plus a 5-second increment) will feature escalating point values each day. Wins are worth one point on Day 1, two points on Day 2, and three points on Day 3,” it added.

Carlsen leads Gukesh 31-12, with six draws in head-to-head matches across all formats.