On the heels of one dreadful and a second merely mediocre tournament, Magnus Carlsen’s international rating has taken a dive.
The statistical odds, if he were to play a future title match with second-ranked Hikaru Nakamura, are now a modest 11-9 in his favor.
Nakamura, the current U.S. champion, has been a fixture in the ranks of the world’s top 10 for several years, but has never before been positioned so close to the top.
But Carlsen’s numbers are deceiving; they’re probably no more than a temporary low from which he is likely to rebound quickly.
The narrowing gap is a tribute to the steady improvement and ascent of Nakamura, who is the first serious contender from his country since Bobby Fischer forfeited the title 40 years ago.
Casting a shadow on his prospects, however, is a lopsided 11-0 trouncing in decisive games (draws not counted) which Carlsen has inflicted on the American during their careers in classical chess.
Nakamura’s embarrassing ineptness with the champion notwithstanding, his mercurial style is a spectator’s delight.
An unusual choice of openings and dynamic tactical play — often difficult to predict — are a highlight of his game.
Both players are virtually equal, besides, in both blitz (5-minute) and rapid (15-minute) chess, in which they tower above most of the international field.
