The Brain’s Gambit

How we observe and memorize patterns has been key to our survival. A chess player’s ability to memorize and catalogue patterns on the board is key to their success. Five-time world champion and chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand discusses his practices with Duke University neuroscientist Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, and reveals some affinities to the protagonist in the popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit.

About the Speakers

Viswanathan Anand is considered one of the all-time greats in chess. His success in the world scene has made this ancient Indian game a mass sport in India. He became the first Indian grandmaster in 1987. As a five-time world champion, Anand is the only person in chess history to have won a world championship title in all formats: match, knock-out, and tournament.

He is a proud six-time recipient of the Chess Oscars awarded to the best player of the year (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008). In India he has received the high civilian awards of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, and Arjuna Award. He is also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Known as the Gentleman Champion in the chess world, Anand is a spokesperson for children with cerebral palsy (Vidyasagar), an ambassador of WWF, and the chief mentor of the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy that mentors and trains India’s highest talents.

Murali Doraiswamy is a highly respected physician and cognitive neuroscientist at Duke University School of Medicine where he directs a research program aimed at reversing age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. He has served as the chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Brain Research and has lectured at leading global forums to advance the forefront of aging and neuroscience research. Additionally, he is a leading advocate for increasing funding for brain and behavioral research to help address great looming challenges in society posed by modern developments in the 21st century. He is the co-author of the popular book The Alzheimer’s Action Plan.

About Brainwave 2021: Awareness

In our hyperconnected world it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and distracted. This may seem like a modern problem, but the earliest Buddhist teachings sought to help followers awaken from similar states of disconnection. From the Buddhist perspective, the first step to awakening is cultivating awareness.

Through the lens of neuroscience and psychology, the Rubin Museum’s 2021 Brainwave program series will explore awareness with speakers from different walks of life and experiment with tools to reconnect with ourselves, our surroundings, and our communities. Pay what you wish to attend any of this year’s programs.

Lead support for Brainwave is provided by Science Sandbox, an initiative of Simons Foundation, and by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Major support is provided by Gerry Ohrstrom with program support provided by Cheryl Henson.