He is in a class of his own

Viswanathan Anand is a top-rated rapid player in world chess. The Indian proved his class in the World Rapid championship in Cap d'Agde, France.

ARVIND AARON

Viswanathan Anand is a top-rated rapid player in world chess. The Indian proved his class in the World Rapid championship in Cap d'Agde, France.

In rapid chess you have to complete a game in about 25 minutes. Anand, who started playing chess from the age of six, after learning the moves from his mother, had played rapid chess right from his young age. Even in the classical game, he takes less time to make his moves, whereas some of his opponents would take two hours or more for a game.

During his young days, Anand was known as `lightning kid.' Anand has now transformed into a complete player, free of blunders. Anand had beaten all players in rapid chess, won all rapid matches beating world classical champion Vladimir Kramnik in 2001, FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov in 2002 and the No.1 ranked woman player Judit Polgar earlier this year. He won the Chess Classic in 2000, at Frankfurt, where the world top-six played a double round robin. Now he has added another feather to his cap, by winning the World Rapid chess title.

This is his fifth title and it is going to enhance his appearance money in the future. Anand shot into national fame in 1987, when he won the world junior in the Philippines. Later, his fame spread worldwide in 1995, when he led Kasparov 5-4 in the World championship at the World Trade Center in New York. He consolidated his titles by winning the FIDE World Cup at Shenyang in China in September 2000 and the FIDE World Championship at Teheran in the same year. Last October, at Hyderabad, Anand retained his title in the World Cup.

All his triumphs had come after hard work. Anand had training programme in Germany this September. It was not a great start for the champion at the World Rapid event, but once he entered the knock-out phase, he was more at home. Besides his speed, the difference between Anand and the rest is his approach to knock-out competitions. When FIDE announced the knock-out event prior to Groningen 1997, he was one of the few top players to welcome it. With a fine blend of risk and cautious play, Anand excels in this type of game. If there was a rating system for knock-out competitions, Anand will figure in the top of the list.

At Cap d'Agde, Anand could not enjoy some of the fine restaurants, as the venue and place of stay for the players were restricted to the CCAS campus.

Anand loves good food but prefers variety and ambience to kindle his creative mind. That is the reason it is hard to imagine him playing in the Olympiad, where you have to stand in the queue for food. Between the round robin phase and the knock-out games, there was one free day at Cap d'Agde and Anand had been to a Chinese restaurant despite poor weather and pouring rain.

Anand was accompanied by his wife Aruna and did not have a trainer like a few other players. However, like all chess professionals, he carries a laptop and prepares for the game with the use of the machine.

Anand is quite fit and visits the gym often and has his exercise bike and fitness gadgets. One can stop short of calling him a fitness freak. He also walks as a routine and if there is a pool he also swims. There is a lot to be learned from this Grandmaster. Sasikiran is perhaps overdoing his fitness programmes, but other Indians have a lot to learn from him. Kasparov also takes a routine walk to keep him fit.

Anand's hobbies are listening to music, watching Hollywood films, spending time at the seashore, walking, watching television, reading newspapers and visiting websites. He is also a linguist with the knowledge of English, Spanish, German, French besides his mother tongue Tamil. Importantly, he has answered the press in all these languages. His answering machine at home has dual language message in English and Spanish.

He downloads games from reliable sites and sorts and updates his database to stay ahead of the rest. You might find Kramnik going out for a smoke after a game and before dinner but Anand has clean habits.

Anand works with plenty of players. He last worked with Ubilava in Linares 2002. "I know that Ubilava was useful to him but if he can win without Ubilava now, that is even better," said Silvio Danailov, the trainer of Veselin Topalov. Anand had worked with his German clubmate Rustem Dautov in July-August this year. He also trains with Francisco Pons Vallejo of Spain sometimes.

"I received a nice e-mail from a chess friend in Denmark who said he made a lot of money betting on my games," said Anand. The December 11, 1969 born player likes to win and talk with known people. In cool winter weather he loves tea and coke before dinner. He has favourite restaurants in most cities since his schedule brings him to venues he had been to repeatedly.

The Hindu

His speed skills are growing stronger. He had won seven titles from nine tournaments this year. Many of his victories have come from rapid tournaments.

"Vishy, you are not like before. In the last when I saw you, you lost one game, you somehow fell in subsequent games. It happened against Kasparov also at New York. Now you have come out of that problem. You are fighting back," commended Grandmaster Anatoly Vaisser. "Thanks," replied Anand to his compliment.

His 5-3 win against Judit Polgar at Mainz this August was creditable. At Cap d'Agde, Anand was in a positive frame of mind. He went through the tough moments with admirable fighting spirit.

In the knock-outs, he challenged his opponents, showing the toughness of a boxer and was resolute in winning the games.

Now his aim should be to gain the No.1 ranking. Chess players do not lose ratings even if they do not stay active. Kasparov plays a few rating games in a year and he is there on the top.

Anand is going to keep himself engaged for the 2003-2004 season, playing both the German and French leagues. He plays for `Baden Oos' representing the German town Baden Baden in the Bundesliga for the second straight season and for Cannes in the French league, for the first time. Anand had in the past played for Lyon in the French league and Agro-Universal, Zemon in the Yugoslav leagues. Anand wants to play more games in Euroland.