Anand Accepts Oscar

No, this has nothing to do with the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences. Anand's acting skills are not going to make Tom Hanks worry (see advert below), but his chess skill is worthy of recognition.

The Chess Oscar is an award given by Russian chess magazine, 64, to the player judged to be the best player that year, according to a poll of chess cognoscenti.

Anand first won the award in 1997, and repeated his success in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007 and now 2008.  Anand received the award from FIDE president, Kirsan Illyumzhinov in Baku at the start of the President's Cup match where is playing for the FIDE World team.

Anand becomes the only non-Russian to win the Oscar more than five times, but Garry Kasparov still holds the record with 11 Oscar awards.