Angry Anand?

The end of this press conference after Anand's game against Topalov in Stavanger has created some controversy, most people seem to see it as Agdestein being rude to Anand, who justifiably gets angry and leaves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAouQPUb5vQ

Lengthy discussion on the subject for example here:

http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/karjakin-wins-again-in-norway-anand-and-radjabov-score-as-well

So how irritated did Anand get, did he overreact, or was he maybe not angry at all?

Completely understandable and justified reaction, imo. I think Anand handled a rather cheeky, artless and undoubtedly annoying question as well as he could in the circumstances. I bet Mr ten Geuzendam, who tries so hard to make people feel comfortable and not offended, was cringing at that one.

I didn't see Anand as angry.  Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam was wrapping up the interview.  Agdestein's observations (he didn't have much of a question) didn't flow in the course of the interview.  If there was a pro-Carlsen ulterior motive, it never quite came to light because Anand left.

i could only hear mumbling

What was the question? I could only hear mumbling.

If I understood things correctly Agdestein first said that Anand is the best player of his generation, and that he now competes against a younger generation with a different approach to the game, with players like Nakamura, Wang Hao and Carlsen. I don't think he ever got around to the question before Anand left, but many were apparently furious with Agdestein and said that he deserved to be punched in the face, that it is impossible to even imagine something worse to say to Anand, etc. I didn't really get how so many got so extremely upset about the whole thing, but then I maybe missed something between the lines somewhere.

It was extremely disrespectful. I hope Magnus Carlsen lectures his manager to STFU, show some respect, and stop embarrassing Carlsen with that kind of BS. Agdestein was basically saying:

Anand, you are world champion because you are the best of your generation of old guys, but now there is a whole new generation of younger players who have different styles, including the number 1 Carlsen, and how can you possibly hold on against this newer generation in general and against Carlsen in particular, who nobody seems to know how to handle?

He didn't come out and say it, but was clearly heading towards veiled hints that Carlsen is a new generation of player, and the new generation's poster child will take the WC title from Anand this year.

Thanks to posts #6&7. That does sound like kind of an asinine thing to say.

It implies that the new way is superior to the old.

Simen brought up the subject of age before with Anand. He wondered in a previous round why Anand was very quick in his younger years, but nowadays he thinks very slowly. So this was the second time he was disrespectful to the World Champion.

The new way is overrrated...

BS like this from Carlsen's manager makes me want that Anand can defend his title one more time. Thumbs down to Agdestein, classless man.

Norway commentators are against Anand and tried to make him angry with their sarcasm. Needs Carlsen hooligans to beat Anand?

I think that Anand meant to say that Agdestein reminds him of Garry Kasparov, who also likes to rank players and say to which category each of them belongs. So he just made a friendly joke about it and left without commentating. The question was awkward though...

Actually, I'm more a fan of Carlsen. I just think it was very disrespectful. Chess is not boxing or some other sport in which talking trash is part of the culture. The norms of conduct are supposed to be more refined. His "question" was clearly designed more to play pre-match head games, and thus would have been better left unsaid, as it just reflects badly on Carlsen.

Yes, he is clearly trying to get everybody talking about how old and over-the-hill Anand is, and how his generation can't handle the new generation of Carlsen, Karjakin, Caruana, etc.

He isn't Carlsen's manager, but his brother is.

The "question" may seem a little harmless in that he did not say anything directly negative, but the tell that he was being a jerk was that it was not really much of a question. He first said that Anand was the best of the old guys, then mentioned that the new guys were different with a chuckle.  Anand's response was much better than mine would have been.

What's the big deal?   People like Roger Federer have to field questions like that in nearly every interview.   Guys, you are entertainers, not royalty.