Viswanathan Anand - World Champ for 8 Years.

[Omkara]

I protest ..... He is our TRUE world champ .... Just like we will have a seperate sania mirza forum..we will always talk about anand as a world champ

[jayakris]

Somebody tell me the correct years when he was the world champion, and I can add that in the title. As I have been operating for ever in protest of the concept of chess being taken as a sport, I refuse to look this up, but I should do the moderator job, at your command

[Prashant]

Undisputed World Champion from 2007-2013 inclusive. Also World Championship 2000-2002, but this was during a split in the governing bodies so there were two claimants.

That is for conventional chess. He has also won the rapid chess title at least once, I think twice.

For what it's worth - Anand has had a longer reign at the top than either Bobby Fischer or Boris Spassky.

[jayakris]

Okay, changed the title.

I think there was an elaborate analysis of Anand and other world champion reigns here earlier. The conclusion seemed to be that he is close to the top-3 or so ever, but not quite the greatest ever or anything. But he had a great run, it seems to me. Certainly there has not been any world champion in any sport or game whose name meant "universe's leader", I am sure.

[sameerph]

Anand lost in the QF of the London Super Sixteen rapid tournament to Vladimir Kramnik . Anand draw with black but lost in 27 moves with white. So, disappointing end to 2013 for Anand.

[sameerph]

Vishy Anand is confirmed to participate in for the Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk from March 13 to March 30, 2014.

This is the final list of qualifiers for this tournament -

1. Viswanathan Anand (IND, former world champion)
2. Vladimir Kramnik (RUS, world cup 2013 winner)
3. Dmitry Andreikin (RUS, world cup 2013 finalist)
4. Veselin Topalov (BUL, grand-prix 2012-13 winner)
5. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE, grand-prix 2012-13 runner-up)
6. Levon Aronian (ARM, rating list 2012-13)
7. Sergey Karjakin (RUS, rating list 2012-13)
8. Peter Svidler (RUS, host nominee)

The winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge Magnus Carlsen for the world championship title in the last quarter of 2014.

Tough task for Anand to try to win in this tough field.

[kujo]

Astronomy images taken by Anand with the help of a friend using a remote 20 inch telescope. He had alluded to this specific interest of his, in one of the interviews.





Exposure time of 1 hour and 40 mins for each image!

[sameerph]

Vishy Anand is confirmed to participate in for the Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk from March 13 to March 30, 2014.

This is the final list of qualifiers for this tournament -

1. Viswanathan Anand (IND, former world champion)
2. Vladimir Kramnik (RUS, world cup 2013 winner)
3. Dmitry Andreikin (RUS, world cup 2013 finalist)
4. Veselin Topalov (BUL, grand-prix 2012-13 winner)
5. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE, grand-prix 2012-13 runner-up)
6. Levon Aronian (ARM, rating list 2012-13)
7. Sergey Karjakin (RUS, rating list 2012-13)
8. Peter Svidler (RUS, host nominee)

The winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge Magnus Carlsen for the world championship title in the last quarter of 2014.

Tough task for Anand to try to win in this tough field.

Well, he made that tough task look easy by winning the title with a round to spare. Nice to know that he can still compete well with the best in the world.
So,another one coming against Carlsen.

[suresh]

It is going to be fun to see how Carlsen performs as defending World Champion (the sword of Damocles?).

[Omkara]

It is going to be fun to see how Carlsen performs as defending World Champion (the sword of Damocles?).

I was in few of the chat forums... people seems to have written him off completely

[suresh]

I don't care what people think about Anand. What really matters is what Anand thinks about his chances against Carlsen? I think he has to work on his "chess stamina" to fight Carlsen's tendency to play till the very end. Karjakin gave him a taste of that in his last match. I was surprised to see other players not use such a strategy against Anand in the Candidates tournament. I don't think Carlsen will have it as easy this time around. Carlsen may be the best player in the world at the moment but he has to prove himself time and again to establish himself as an all-time great. That is how Kasparov remains a top player (in the minds of people) even though he has retired from competitive chess.

[sameerph]

Anand is the second oldest player in history to earn a rematch after Korchnoi.

Candidates triumph helps Viswanathan Anand set up rematch with Magnus Carlsen

Nice to see his so gracious even in win -

Despite attaining what was thought to be unimaginable at the time Carlsen demolished Anand, the Indian was extremely dignified at his press conference. "I won't deny... this result (winning the Candidates title) is one of the most pleasant surprises that I have had recently," he said.

He even agreed with the notion that none of the other players in the eight-player meet could get expected results (points). Anand himself came up with stats: "At this stage of the Candidates last year, two players were +4 (difference between number of wins and defeats; and other two were +2. The overall score was +12. But here (in Khanty Mansiysk), only I'm in plus (others are either equal or minus). It's quite strange. The point is they are not having fewer wins or losses (once they have hit the rough, they have not recovered)."

[kujo]

Anand won with a round to spare!! That definitely didn't happen last year's tournament.
It has been an unbelievable performance from him, even for Anand's fans many of whom thought that he might be a spent force.

What Karjakin did was not a challenge today. It was just prolonging the inevitable. By move 50, Anand had built a fortress which could not be broken....
Remaining 40+ moves were just a wasted effort from Karjakin.

[kujo]

As for the Carlsen re-match in November, there are some interesting fine tuning to be made in Anand's game.
1. Some of the simplifications in end-game has to be thoroughly worked out. No need to analyse - just use the computer's precise move sequences. Carlsen hates playing against a computer and there is a reason for that - they don't make mistakes in end games!

2. Complicate the opening preparations - this is not a strong suit for Carlsen. He just wants to reach the middle game quickly, along well analysed paths. Destroy those paths and Anand has a good chance.

It has to be an asymmetrical warfare. Play to your strengths, while neutralising (not winning) on opponent's strengths.

As for the stamina, his age is what it is. Lots of rest and brisk amounts of exercise - same as what he did in Candidates should do fine....

[suresh]

Thanks Kujo for your remarks -- they are a lot more refined than mine (My knowledge of chess doesn't go beyond playing chess as a kid). My reference to "chess stamina" was a reference to not making silly errors in the end game, a point that you explain very well. I don't think (or maybe hope) that it won't be a cake walk for Carlsen.