Gukesh the Humble OR Magnus the Maverick – Which to Follow?
Recently, Magnus Carlsen pulling out of the World Blitz and Rapid Championship 2024 and Gukesh becoming the youngest world champion are two of the most different chess stories.
Magnus's failure to follow FIDE dress codes adds to the idea that he is a chess rebel, which makes the establishment look down on him while his fans cheer him on.
The fact that Gukesh Dommaraju just won the World Championship shows how dedicated he is. And it's clear that Gukesh would never have broken any of the managers' rules, not even the most basic ones like the dress code.
So, which is a better example for a young person who wants to become a chess fan: Magnus or Gukesh?
Gukesh is the perfect model of a chess genius who works hard. To get to the top of chess, he had to stay focused and work hard all the time. At the end of his trip, he became the youngest world champion ever. This shows how important it is to keep going. He is very humble and says that it's because he worked hard and learnt from people who came before him. If you want to become a player, Gukesh is the usual way to do it: work hard, respect the game's history, and be quiet determined to do well. He makes his point very clear: to be successful, you need to be humble and work hard.
I especially like Gukesh's mother repeated words to Gukesh that has become his mantra: "“I’ll be very happy to hear that you are a great chess player, but I would be happier to hear that you are an even greater person."
Magnus Carlsen, on the other hand, has broken the rules many times. During his unmatched rule as world champion, he was brave and willing to question the way things were. Recently, he quit the usual World Championship cycle and is now pulling out of other big events. These decisions show how independent he is. Carlsen wants more than just winning titles, as shown by the fact that he often does things that cause trouble. He does what makes him happy and has fun first, even if it's not what most people do.
Bad Publicity equals Good Publicity?
If you're into writing content or creating YouTube videos, you should know that headlines like "Magnus Carlsen pulls out of World Rapid and Blitz" always get ton of clicks. The above thumbnail and headline is one good example but the title is very misleading and untrue as Magnus was not "KICKED OUT" (caps for emphasis) and was given every chance to continue. He chose to withdraw instead but titles like "Magnus WITHDRAWS ..." is boring and brings in less clicks. By the way "Take Take Take" is Magnus' new YouTube supporting his app bearing the same name.
"Chess mavericks" are heroes to some fans and although is bad press - brings publicity to the game . However this is something that sponsors who pay for and support chess events would NOT want. This is also unfortunate, especially since chess sponsorship money is hard to come by for many chess organisers and promising young players.
As it turns out, Gukesh and Carlsen are the exact opposites of what a role model should be like. Gukesh shows how strong quiet dedication can be, and Carlsen shows how appealing the will to break the rules can be. Young people who play chess have to choose the road that best fits their goals and values. They work hard to be successful in a quiet way. Or do they want to go their own way, even if it means going against the crowd?
