Viswanathan Anand is in Kolkata for the Tata Steel Chess, and it was only natural that I would request him for some time. The context was perfect, with so much talk around Indian chess following Praggnanandhaa’s runner-up showing at the World Cup. How does Anand look at this new-found interest in the sport? How does he see Pragg’s chances in the Candidates and how does he view the Indian teams for the Asian Games? Here is Vishy Anand unplugged on Backstage With Boria.
Boria: Welcome to my city. Feels great to see so much enthusiasm around the sport, and so many spectators here to watch the event at the National Library. How do you look at things?
Anand: You described it perfectly. It feels really good to see this level of interest. Clearly, the sport is in good health and that can only mean good things going forward. When more and more people watch the sport, it is the best thing for growth. So it is exactly how you said it, and how you feel.
Boria: There is a difference. I am the outside observer and chronicler here. You are the one who brought about this change. So it is your legacy of sorts. Tell me about that?
Anand: Yes, that’s true. When I see these young boys do so well, it feels good because I have spent a lot of time with them because of the academy. Given them tips and advice and now, to see them make a mark on the global scene, feels extremely good. It is like you have done something good and left the sport in a good space. The fact that so many people are watching the sport is something I am very pleased with, for that’s how the sport can continue to develop in India.
Boria: This is clearly the golden generation of Indian chess and there is a lot of expectation now as well. Do you reckon they have it in them to actually be world champion? They absolutely have the potential.
Anand: Yes, they certainly have the potential and we have to see where they finish. But it is always good if you have four hands and not one, or rather eight. That way, you will always have a better chance. With the boys, with so many of them doing well, I am sure it will happen. Pragg is the best-placed at the moment, and Gukesh is a step behind, but he too has a chance of making the Candidates. Then there are Arjun, Vidit and the others. But they are all there, so for the boys, it should certainly happen. Coming to the girls, I want to see more from them and that’s where tournaments like these, the Tata Steel Chess, make a difference. Last year, Vaishali had won and this year, Divya has done well. That’s how you unearth new talent.
Boria: A word on the Asian Games. In our country, we move from one multi-discipline games to another, and a good Asian Games will be great for the sport.
Anand: Yes, for us, more so. A good Asian Games will mean we will be in the Olympic stream and it will help a lot. There is a lot more expectation this time round, and it is as if people are expecting medals. I am actually trying to tell them that there is a Chinese team or an Uzbek team or a Vietnamese team, and don’t take things for granted. Having said that, I am also expecting two medals at least, and think we start slight favourites as well. So let’s hope for the best.
Also Read: Praggnanandhaa’s World Cup Run Augurs Well for India’s Chess Future
Boria: The one question I need to ask you is the “Why?” After you, there was one more generation and I am referring to, say, Harikrishna, who made it to No. 9 in the world. But there was nothing like what we are seeing now. Have you been able to analyse why now? How and what explains this sudden rise?
Anand: That’s a very difficult question, and I have to say I did not see it, for then I would have predicted it. I knew it was a very good group, but to see them breaking through like they have is something I hadn’t foreseen. Having said that, it is terrific to see. And if I am asked to pinpoint one reason, I would say they are all rivals and are extremely competitive. And at the same time, they are very good friends. Now that one is past 2700 [Elo rating], you will see all of them going for 2700. If one has done well, all of the others will want to do well. I can tell you from experience it always happens. Boris Gelfand, who is now coaching the boys for the Asian Games, and I had a similar experience. If one of us tried a new opening, the other had to get it for that’s how you stay competitive. That’s what is happening with this group. But I have also asked myself how if they are such close friends, where is the rivalry? You try to see the signs and always know that there is intense rivalry, but there is also great friendship.
Boria: If I can probe this a little more. They are all elite achievers, and each one will have an ego. To see one of them breakthrough should push the others. It is only natural.
Anand: Yes, I am sure there is rivalry, but at the same time, there is great friendship. They have all grown up playing the junior circuit, their parents have sat outside when the players are playing, and they are all very good friends which is a great thing. And from personal example, I can tell you some of my most intense rivals are now some of my best friends. It is because we can’t discuss these things with anyone else, and that sort of works for the friendships.
Boria: One specific question on Pragg. There is a lot of interest about him. Candidates coming. Can you help me decode his game. His strengths, his weaknesses, does he have a realistic chance?
Anand: See, the thing with him is he is an unknown quantity at this level, and that can actually work for him. When you are playing certain players, you actually know what they are capable of. You know that you don’t necessarily need to think in a certain manner because they will not go down that route. So there is an element of certainty with the more experienced guys. With him, he is very different and young, and capable of switching things around and bringing elements that you can’t really predict. I think the way guys will play him is they will go back to the time when they were inexperienced, and how they handled the bigger players then. That’s how they will play him.
What can really hurt him is the weight of expectations. It will depend on how much pressure he puts on himself. Take the case of Aronian in 2018. He wasn’t able to do well because of the pressure of expectations. And when things start to go wrong, they can go horribly wrong, and that’s something Pragg will have to balance out.
Boria: And he is so young.
Anand: That can actually go in his favour, you see. He will not have the same weight of expectations. He will not go into the competition thinking he can win. May be he will be a little pessimistic also, and that can go well for him. He will be the surprise element. He isn’t the dark horse or the favourite horse, but he is a horse nonetheless. So let’s wait and see.
Boria: Last one. From one Grandmaster to 83 grandmasters now. Did you ever think such a thing was possible?
Anand: No, absolutely not. Even in my own case, I would think of intermediate goals. So if I qualified for the Candidates, I would think: ‘Okay, let me get through this, and then I will think of becoming world champion’. So I wouldn’t ever think too far ahead. I still don’t know what I will be doing five years down, by the way. Having said that, there were only six grandmasters in 2000. Now, there are 83. It is nuts! You can’t ever predict such a sea change, which is a hugely welcome change, by the way.
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