Hyderabad: After losing the World Championship title match for the second time in as many years to Magnus Carlsen, India’s Viswanathan Anand is looking ahead and not pondering over the defeat.“It was a tough series and I did well for myself compared to 2013. I like to live in the present and not ponder over the loss. I have left it in the past and am looking forward to the new season,” Anand said on the sidelines of an event in the city.
In the last two World Championships, Anand took a lot more time than Carlsen to make his move with both the white and black pieces. Reason? “In chess it’s not only about the move you make but it’s the decision making process leading it to. It’s better to make the right move than play the wrong one in a hurry. You must have played really well throughout the game but one bad move and you lose it,” the 45-year-old said.
And that one wrong move for the Indian came in the 11th game when he sacrificed his pawn (black piece) on the 26th move. The champion pounced onto the ‘monumental blunder’ and defended his crown.“Yes that move was a mistake. I would say the pressure got onto me. In the end one has to learn from one’s mistakes,” the five-time world champion said.
The 2014 clash was tipped as Anand-Carlsen part II. Will we see a third part of the Indian-Norwegian rivalry in the coming years? “The Contenders event is far away and I am not thinking about it. I am looking forward to the coming year. But my rivalry with Carlsen is not over. It’s just parked for a while. And hopefully we will kick it off soon,” quipped the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee.
With no tournaments lined up in the near future what are the holiday plans for the Grandmaster? “I would love to spend time with my son Akhil. He is going to school these days and with the holidays lined I up am looking to make the most of them and get the best out of my stress-buster,” Anand said.
Is Anand going to taking up coaching sometime soon?
“Sometime way down the line. I am not ready to give up my playing days for a few more years,” Anand concluded.Anand, who was in the city to launch MathLab Plus got a first-hand experience of the program from the Kennedy High Global School children.“It was good to see them play with the tools and demonstrate the concept. I obviously knew them but it was very nice to hear the explanation broken down like that,” Anand said.
Apart from cricket, sports like chess and badminton are also gaining popularity and Anand is upbeat about the future of the board game. “I am very happy with the way chess is coming along. Chess can go hand-in-hand with education as well,” the King of 64 squares said.
“When children play chess they learn a lot. For instance, chess helps children recall better as chess is always about remembering past situations. When one makes a move he/she will understand the consequence of making that decision. All these skills are applicable to other aspects of life as well,” Anand added.One has seen Anand always smiling. Does he have a flip side as well? “I try to keep a smile as long as I am in the public eye. Ofcourse I get angry and upset but try and control my emotions till I am alone,” Anand, the calm and composed champion, said.
