MARK RUBERY CHESS
The former world champion, Viswinathan Anand, fielded the following questions in an entertaining interview he gave with ‘The Indian Express’
Q: Chess players are perceived to be serious and intense. Do you guys think about rooks and bishops all the time?
VA: Well, I try to disconnect completely at times. But you can’t help it. Sometimes you wake up at 4am and you just know that Bh4 was the move in the position. Sometimes the best moves strike you at the most unlikely places. We were at the Kruger National Park in South Africa watching lions and I found a brilliant attack that I was able to use in Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2013.
Q: What do you do to release the tension that crops up say five, 10 minutes before a match starts? VA: I try to just keep calm and focus on my breathing. You just build a wall in your mind and try to stay in it. Because once the first move is made, you know the floodgates open.
Q: Are there any subtle things you do before/during a match to psyche your opponents out?
VA: I don’t think so. I like to have my knights turning outwards and like to check if my pen works.
Q: When you’re socialising at parties or such events, do you casually drop into chess conversations? Or is it something you avoid?
VA: People tend to ask me a lot about chess. I enjoy catching up on mathematics and astronomy. I like reading a lot on economy and politics. I could read about five Economists (magazine) almost non-stop. I enjoy being with people who have other interests. It broadens your horizon. I generally love reading on various subjects.
Q: What’s the most interesting conversation you’ve had during a tournament or while travelling? VA: The best would have to be one involving a co-passenger on a train in 1991. He asked me where I was working. I replied I played chess. He said, ‘that is ok, but what do you do?’ I again said I played chess. He got testy and asked, “Do you think you are Viswanathan Anand to play chess?
Here is the game that was inspired by his visit to the Kruger Park…
Aronian,Levon (2802) - Anand,Viswanathan (2772) [D47] 75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee 2013 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.a3 Rc8 12.Ng5 c5 (“Of course this was our match preparation for Gelfand-and to be honest I didn’t remember every last detail but of course it helps to know the assessment and ideas in in the position”-Anand) 13.Nxh7 (13.Bxh7+ “Is also a move but we found compensation for black everywhere.” – Anand) 13...Ng4 14.f4 (“He went 14.f4 and to be honest I was trying to remember the details. So I spent about half an hour here which is strange if you think it was preparation but of course it was a while back.” - Anand. [14.h3 Bh2+ 15.Kh1 Qh4 “and this is good for black.” - Anand.) 14...cxd4 15.exd4 Bc5! 16.Be2 Nde5!! (“I only knew that the position is supposed to be fine for black. I was only playing on that confidence.” - Anand.) 17.Bxg4 Bxd4+ 18.Kh1 Nxg4 19.Nxf8 f5! (“This move I am very proud of. To find it over the board is of course very nice.” - Anand.) 20.Ng6 Qf6 21.h3 Qxg6 22.Qe2 Qh5 23.Qd3 (23.Rf3 “I didn’t see a defence. The best he can do is get a worse ending here after 23...Nf2+ 24.Kh2 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Qxf3 26.gxf3 Nd3-Anand”) 23...Be3! 0-1 (As …Qxh3+ is irresistible) We are told that Capablanca, Euwe and Karpov all started chess as early as four years old whereas Steinitz (the 13th child in a very poor family) and Botvinnik (whose mother was totally opposed to chess) only learned the game when they were twelve. (V Strugo)