City knights log in to take on chess icon Kasparov

But when the chance came along, the rest of the world accepted it with glee. Kasparov threw a challenge, he would play the entire world over the internet. Result: The world probably seems larger to him now!

A panel of experts suggest their moves. An internet user can consider the options and vote for the one he/she thinks is best. The move that gets the maximum number of votes is the final one which Kasparov has to respond to.

There have been over 25,000 hits daily, with several from Mumbai alone. And not just from regular players. It has taken up the fancy of even those who do not know anything about the game.

Express Newsline spoke to a few chess players of varying pedigree and almost everyone seemsto be following the game, if not on the internet then through newspapers.

Someone like Dhanesh Srikhande, coach of the Euwe Chess Academy, Dombivli, has made his first move. “Last week, I suggested qxc4 after Kasparov’s knight had captured the World’s A file pawn. I did not give the move too much thought, though,” said Srikhande.

Raghunandan Gokhale, a chess regular with a Dhronacharya Award to his credit, has been logging in and checking the progress everyday but has not made a move so far. “It is very slow. One move a day is too cumbersome. But I am following it nevertheless,” said Gokhale, who was a participant when Anatoly Karpov played the world in August ’96 in Oslo.

“The advantage then was the game got over in four hours,” he added.

International Woman Master Bhagyashree Thipsay has been following the contest through newspapers. But she is a little bemused: “I wonder if it is serious. The line World has opted to play against Kasparov is very unusual. I guess it is because there are somany people logging in,” she said.

But almost everybody felt it was a good concept. “It is good promotion for the game,” said Parag Varde, among premier coaches in the city.

“It has a lot of people interested in the game,” said Vivek Sthalekar while Srikhande added it has interested even those who do not have too much knowledge of the game. “Some of my friends, who do not follow chess at all, have been asking me about this match,” said Srikhande.

The level of involvement varies. Niharika Thakkar, a talented young player who has won some age-group titles, is preoccupied with homework though she is aware of the site. “msn.com” mumbled her thin voice.

Vivektesh Agwan, a nine-year-old from Thane “does not remember his moves” but “enjoys playing”. “If I remember my moves, I will tell you,” he said in an afterthought.

Dr AB Surveyor, a consultant oral diagnostician, but more importantly several times National Correspondence chess champion, has unfortunately not yet found the time to analysethe position. “If I can get ther entire game move by move, I can tell the position. I did follow it on move 12 or 14,” he said.

An interesting comment comes from 16-year-old Prasanna Iyer who would rather play Kasparov on a one-to-one basis. “(Anatoly) Karpov does it. Against Kasparov, you just have to vote on one of the four suggested moves. That’s not a lot of fun,” said the college student.

A few youngsters like Wesley Falcao and Harish Ramanathan were not aware of the format. “Can I make a move against Kasparov?” enquired the awe-struck Falcao while Ramanathan “knows the position” but is unware how it works.

Another awe-struck but not-so-young player is Anil Bahulayan. A post graduate in Botany and Zoology, he feels “great to play”. “Especially if the move which I vote for is selected and that causes Kasparov some distress,” says Bahulayan.

With 25,000 users a day, Kasparov surely has plenty of distress.