Nigel Short, the 1993 world championship challenger, is set to travel to Antarctica for his next major competition. The 61-year-old, originally from Bolton but long a resident of Greece, is attempting to achieve an unprecedented milestone: becoming the first chess player to win tournaments on all seven continents.
Short will face off against representatives from five other continents in the upcoming tournament, which has received official recognition from FIDE, the global chess governing body. However, the event has also attracted criticism regarding its carbon footprint and climate impact.
Despite his age, Short is following a historical tradition of grandmasters maintaining high-level performance well into later years. Notable precedents include Emanuel Lasker, who competed at a top level in his mid-60s during the Moscow tournaments of 1935 and 1936, and Viktor Korchnoi, who remained competitive into his seventies. Most impressively, Vasily Smyslov reached the 1984 Candidates final against Garry Kasparov at the age of 63, demonstrating that exceptional endgames and strategic depth can defy physical decline.
Does FIDE really prioritize a carbon-heavy tour over more sustainable ways to promote the game globally? That feels odd.
I never thought I’d say this, but watching a 61-year-old tackle ice instead of boardrooms is genuinely inspiring chess history.
A noble quest for seven continents, but flying all that way just to play chess in Antarctica seems terribly wasteful.