Magnus Carlsen’s world title challenge to Vishy Anand commences on Saturday 9 November and continues to the end of this month. The age gap between the young challenger and the veteran champion is 21 years; such an age disparity has not been seen since the 1981 clash between Karpov and Korchnoi (a 20-year age gap) and Tal v. Botvinnik in 1961 (a 25-year gap). Curiously, reversing the customary narrative of the rising fresh talent, in both of those instances the older man was the challenger.
This week, the game which clinched the title for 50-year-old challenger Mikhail Botvinnik in 1961, and a puzzle showing 50-year-old Korchnoi succumbing to 30-year-old Karpov.
Botvinnik-Tal: World Championship, Moscow (Game 21) 1961; King’s Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 Nbd7 This variation is dangerous for Black since White can build up an almost ready-made kingside attack. Tal doubtless avoided the more natural 5 … 0-0 6 Be3 e5 since Botvinnik could then trade off with 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5 as in game 13 of the match when Black had no chances to win.
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