(MC, where do the games stand right now?) India is on a streak. The Indian player has a huge lead. (AA, this must be good news for chess fans in India. Why is chess so popular there?) Many Indians know the game, but now thanks to our player who is so successful, it’s brought popularity for the game here. (You say chess originated in India. I didn’t know that.) Yes, that’s true. It used to be a game played by the king. (I understand you’ve played two games with this Indian champion.) Yes, I’ve beaten him twice out of three games, but it was in 1981 when he was a young boy. He was a fast, quick player even back then. (Give us a big picture of how significant his success is?) MC: for a long time you’ve had the game dominated by players who came up through the Russian system, so this Indian player will be one of the few champions from outside that school and the first non-Russian champion since Bobby Fisher in 1972. He’s been exceptionally well prepared.
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