Vishy Anand not ready to retire from chess yet

Viswanathan Anand has endured a tough 2017.

The five-time world champion started the season by finishing eighth at the Norway Chess Open. After finishing Zurich Chess tournament in third place, Anand suffered a close defeat to Wesley So in the final of Leon Chess.

In July, Anand finished eighth at the Leuven tournament where world champion Magnus Carlsen won the title. Following the event Anand told official broadcasters, “I think I shouldn’t bother playing like this. There’s no point playing chess like this.”

Anand’s statement resulted in several reports claiming he was hinting at retirement. However, Anand has clarified that he has no plans of retirement. “It turned out to be a bad way to phrase the sentence. I was basically angry with myself for the performance I put in. I have clarified 100 times that I am not retiring. The words were basically meant as self-criticism for my performance at Leuven,” Anand said.

I was basically angry with myself for the performance I put in. I have clarified 100 times that I am not retiring. The words were basically meant as selfcriticism.

Barring his performance in Zurich and Leon, Anand has lacked consistency. But the fivetime world champion said he was not too worried .

“In 2015, I had a rough patch for close to six months. I have not had a good result for a couple of months this year but there is nothing to worry about.,” Anand said. Anand’s next major assignment will be the tournament in St Louis, followed by the crucial Chess World Cup in Georgia in September. These two tournaments hold utmost importance as he aims to get back into reckoning for the World Championship.

“The work you put in at one tournament will reflect in the other. I must perform well in St Louis. I still have time for World Cup. I must do well there if I have to qualify. The World Cup gives me opportunities to bounce back as there will be a lot of matches,” Anand said.