Garry Kasparov issues clarification after viral post on Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov has issued a clarification after his post on X advising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "first win Rae Bareli before challenging for the top" went viral. "I very much hope my little joke does not pass for advocacy or expertise in Indian politics!" he wrote. The clarification came in response to Ranvir Shorey's X post, which appeared to be a dig at Gandhi's recent claim that he was the best chess player among Indian politicians.
Twitter Post
Check our Kasparov's response
I very much hope my little joke does not pass for advocacy or expertise in Indian politics! But as an "all-seeing monster with 1000 eyes," as I was once described, I cannot fail to see a politician dabbling in my beloved game! https://t.co/MlBnR4PeZ6
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) May 3, 2024
Admiration
Gandhi's chess admiration and Kasparov's response
The Congress recently shared a video of Gandhi playing chess on his phone. In the video, Gandhi expressed his admiration for Kasparov, calling him a "non-linear thinker" and drawing parallels between chess and politics. He stated, "Once you get...better at it, the opponent's pieces actually operate almost like your own." This prompted an X user to express his relief at Kasparov's early retirement from chess before facing "the greatest chess genius of our times," leading to Kasparov's viral response.
Legacy
Kasparov's chess legacy
Kasparov, who held the world chess top spot for an impressive 255 weeks, became the youngest undisputed world champion at age 22 in 1985. Now a political activist, he is a contemporary of Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand. Recently, Kasparov praised 17-year-old D Gukesh for surpassing his record of being the youngest challenger to the world title by winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto, referring to Gukesh as "the Indian earthquake in Toronto."