Anand for Candidates tournament
TNN | Jan 22, 2014, 11.58 PM IST
PUNE: Viswanathan Anand has confirmed his participation for the Candidates chess tournament scheduled to be held in Khanty Mansiysk, Russiafrom March 13-30. The winner of the double round-robin meet (14 rounds) will challenge Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, who dethroned Anand last year, for the world title in November.
Apart from the former Indian champion, other players in the field include Vladimir Kramnik(Russia, knockout World Cup winner); Dmitri Andreikin (Russia, knockout World Cup finalist); Vesein Topalov (Bulgaria, GP winner); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, GP runner-up), Levon Aronian (Armenia, on Elo rating strength); Sergey Karjakin (Russia, on Elo rating strength) and Peter Svidler (Russia, host nominee). All eight qualifiers confirmed their entries for the meet within Fide’s January 20 deadline.
After losing one of the most one-sided world title contests (0-3 in 10 games) in Chennai, Anand was guarded about spelling out his long-term plans in the immediate aftermath. Though he may not feature among the favourites to win the Candidates tournament ahead of Kramnik and Aronian, it would be preposterous to summarily dismiss Anand’s innovation, experience and pragmatic approach.
The total prize fund of the event is 420,000 euros. Even the third, fourth and fifth place get 75,000, 55,000 and 40,0000 euros, respectively. Anand and Carlsen are supposed to play a six-player Category 23 meet in Zurich from January 29. It will be a five-round event.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
He will win too.