Anand: I don’t pay much attention to critics

I don’t pay much attention to critics: Anand
West Bengal
Sports, Thu, 12 Jul 2012

Kolkata, July 12 (IANS) World chess champion Viswanathan Anand said Thursday he did not pay much attention to critics who have been raising questioning about his age despite his all-conquering run at the top.

‘The best is not to pay any attention to the critics. I play each championship hoping everything goes well. If you love the game and enjoy playing it you can play even at 42,’ said Anand, who clinched the World title for the fifth time in Moscow in May defeating Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in a rapid-chess tie-breaker.

Asked repeatedly on the issue, which had been the staple of many chess experts in the run-up to and even after the World championship, the 42-year-old chess genius said: ‘I was not thinking about my age or that I would be winning the World championship for the fifth time.’

In a strong reply considering his mild-mannered nature, Anand said: ‘Generally it is not my duty to answer such critics. I wanted to win over Boris. And I was happy to win over him.’.

When another scribe referred to veterans like him and tennis star Roger Federer remaining top achievers, Anand said it was a question of perspective. ‘We love the game and work hard to win. I don’t think I need to explain it more’.

Anand refused to single out anyone among himself, American legend Bobby Fischer and Russian chess great Garry Kasparov as the greatest chess exponent of all times. ‘I like Bobby Fischer. But It is very difficult to compared people you have played against (Kasparov) with those about whom you have only read (Fischer). It becomes more difficult when you compare yourself to them.’

Anand said the World championship fixture against Gelfand was the toughest title contest he was ever involved in. ‘It was the toughest. It went all the way to the tie-break.’

Comparing his title contest with Russian Vladimir Kramnik in 2008 with the one against Gelfand, the Indian said before his outing against Kramnik, he had not faced him for some time.

‘On the contrary, before the recent World championship, I had already played two matches with Gelfand. I had exposed my cards. Gelfand was well prepared, he was sophisticated. He put up a tough fight.’

However, Anand said he had all along expected that the games against Gelfand would be difficult.

The winner of six chess Oscars did not agree with a questioner that Gelfand wanted to move the title tie to the tie-break.

‘Neither I, nor Gelfand was trying to take the game to the tie break. We did not want to take chances or commit hara kiri. The last four games were very intense. My strength is rapid chess. And that helped me.’

Anand, who has reposed faith in the same quartet of seconds since the 2008 exchanges against Kramnik, said retaining the team for years had both its pros and cons. ‘One the one had you don’t’ have to explain everything to them. On the other hand with the same sort of people you have a limited pool of idea.’

Apart from Grand Master Surya Sekhar Ganguly, the only Indian member in Anand’s quartet of seconds, the others are Peter Heine-Nielsen of Denmark, Polish GM Radoslav Wojtasek and former world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan.

Source: http://www.newstrackindia.com