Viswanathan Anand (Fifteenth World Chess Champion) Bio
Viswanathan Anand
Fifteenth World Chess Champion
Viswanathan Anand was the fifteenth World Chess Champion. He was born December 11th 1969 in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988. He was the undisputed world chess champion from 2007 to 2013 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008. Anand then defended his title in the World Chess Championship 2010 against Veselin Topalov and in the 2012 against Boris Gelfand. In the World Chess Championship 2013 he lost to challenger Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand lost again to Carlsen in the World Chess Championship 2014. Anand is one of eight players in history to pass 2800 Elo on the FIDE rating list. He occupied the number one position for 21 months, the 6th longest on record.
Lubomir Kavalek describes Viswanathan Anand as the most versatile world champion ever, pointing out that Anand is the only player to have won the world chess championship in tournament, match, and knockout format, as well as rapid time controls. In an interview in 2011, Kramnik said about Anand: "I always considered him to be a colossal talent, one of the greatest in the whole history of chess"; and "I think that in terms of play Anand is in no way weaker than Kasparov but he's simply a little lazy, relaxed and only focuses on matches. In the last 5–6 years he's made a qualitative leap that's made it possible to consider him one of the great chess players.”In an interview in 2014 Alexander Grischuk said about Viswanathan Anand: "I have to say that of all the players I’ve played against Anand has personally struck me as the strongest, of course after Kasparov.”
In August 2010, Viswanathan Anand joined the board of directors of Olympic Gold Quest, a foundation for promoting and supporting India's elite sportspersons and potential young talent. On 24 December 2010 Anand was guest of honour on the grounds of Gujarat university, Ahmedabad, where 20,486 players created a new world record of simultaneous chess play at single venue. His hobbies are reading, swimming, and listening to music. Anand is married to Aruna Anand and has a son born on 9 April 2011.He has been regarded as an unassuming person with a reputation for refraining from political and psychological ploys and instead focusing on his game. This has made him a well-liked figure throughout the chess world for two decades, evidenced by the fact that Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, and Magnus Carlsen, of whom the former two were rivals for the World Championship throughout Anand's career, each aided him in preparing for the World Chess Championship 2010. Viswanathan Anand is sometimes known as the "Tiger of Madras". He was the only sportsperson to have been invited for the dinner hosted by the Indian PM Manmohan Singh for US President Barack Obama on 7 November 2010. Anand was denied an honorary doctorate from University of Hyderabad because of confusion over his citizenship status; however, later Kapil Sibal, India's Minister of Human Resource Development apologized and said "There is no issue on the matter as Anand has agreed to accept the degree at a convenient time depending on his availability". According to The Hindu, Anand finally declined to accept the doctorate.
Viswanathan Anand versus Victor Bologan
2000
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 c5 15. d5 c4 16. Bg5 Qc7 17. Nf5 Kh8 18. g4 Ng8 19. Qd2 Nc5 20. Be3 Bc8 21. Ng3 Rb8 22. Kg2 a5 23. a3 Ne7 24. Rh1 Ng6 25. g5! b4!?
Anand has a strong kingside attack, so Bologan seeks counterplay with the sacrifice of a pawn.
26. axb4 axb4 27. cxb4 Na6 28. Ra4 Nf4+ 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. Nh5 Qb6 31. Qxf4 Nxb4 32. Bb1 Rb7 33. Ra3 Rc7 34. Rd1 Na6 35. Nd4 Qxb2 36. Rg3 c3 (see diagram) 37. Nf6!! Re5
If 37...gxf6, 38.gxf6 h6 39.Rg1! Qd2! 40.Qh4 leaves White with an irresistible initiative.
38. g6! fxg6 39. Nd7 Be7 40. Nxe5 dxe5 41. Qf7 h6 42. Qe8+ 1–0
White forces mate in 12 moves if the game were to continue, with 42...Bf8 43.Rf3 Qa3 44.Rxf8+ Qxf8 45.Qxf8+ Kh7 46.d6 exd4 47.Ba2 h5 48.dxc7 Nb4 49.Qg8+ Kh6 50.f4 g5 51.f5 g4 52.h4 Bxf5 53.exf5 Nxa2 54.Qh8#
