‘Only tiebreak could separate us’
May 31, 2012 – S. Sujatha | DC | chennai
Viswanathan Anand is a relieved man now. After losing game seven, he thought he had blown up the title.
But the immediate win in game eight boosted his morale that he held his nerve to defeat Israeli GM Boris Gelfand in the world chess championship series held at Moscow.
“This is the toughest world championship match that I have played so far,” Anand told Deccan Chronicle over phone from Moscow.
“I will give 10 out of 10 for this match. While I rated my match against Vaselin Topolov at 9, this series was really tougher,” he added.
“I barely got through this one. I cannot think about the next one. It will take some time for this title win to sink in,” said Anand soon after the match.
Noting that he never felt like a favourite especially considering Gelfand’s form since 2009, Anand said he always had an impression that it would be a tough match.
With preparations more or less balanced, Anand said, the Israeli GM was trying to win every game but he was careful enough not to do anything insane.
“The problem in tight match is that you face an incredibly heavy blow after a loss. I was extremely fortunate to come back in game eight after the loss in game seven,” he added.
On the crucial game 12, Anand said, he played an interesting idea but then Gelfand had a great equalising chance.
“The tied result after the regular games was a reasonable situation. Maybe tiebreak was the only thing that could separate us,” he added.
“Things really went by my way today. I was under pressure. I won because I won,” said Anand, adding that the match was tantalising but he held on to dear life.
“After game seven loss, I couldn’t sleep. I thought I had blown up the match. Even though I would have fought till the very end, the win in game eight boosted my morale,” he added.
On former world champion Garry Kasparov’s comments that the Indian GM has lost spark, Anand said, he doesn’t think it is relevant especially while playing a world championship.
“When I am playing for a world championship, I don’t really bother what other people are saying about me,” he added.
Meanwhile, Israeli GM Boris Gelfand hoped that the momentum gained in his country due to this world championship match would be sustained. “Chess should be upgraded to better position in Israel.
In my country, people think chess players should have another profession. I only hope this match kindled the aspiration of professional chess players to lead a happy life in Israel.
I will be happy if this match motivates thousands of children to take to chess in Israel,” he said.
Source: http://www.asianage.com
Really! A Very bad WCC Match… A list down some strong facts that describe it:
A) None of the World Top 3 players were taking part at the match (1-Carlsen, Magnus; 2-Aronian, Levon; 3-Kramnik, Vladmir), neither the World´s best living Player (Kasparov). Anand and Gelfand had only very few good tournaments participations during last 5 years! Other low rated playes like Ivanchuck and Nakamura, had much better results and lots of beautiful victories!
B) The press coverage is very reduced… Only some chess playes are interested. Chess importance to World is beind reduced… It was completely diferent from the period before the year 2000. Kasparov x Karpov and Fischer x Spasky matches were commented everywhere through the whole World…
C) There was a lot of fight and creativity during the games! Look at the “Average number of moves in the WC matches”: only 29. In the past it used to be over 40…
D) Despite the chess quality and the level of all players are increasing during the past years due to Internet, communication and computer advances, this match games had only very few good games (like the 9th one – that hard fight draw: Q x R & Kt). Lots of dead draws and a very ugly decision at rapid games where they played liked “woodpushers”, even without being so short of time, specially at the third one that was a decisive draw…
It´s impossible to compare it with many strong tornaments played during last years, with high quality games and full of emotions (example of a much better event: Grand Slam Bilbao-Sao Paulo).
We hope for an urgent improvement, owing to the fact that we trully love chess!!
And I think it will happen soon. The next WCC candidate qualifing will have many stronger players like Carlsen and I think that they will try to convince Kasparov to take part…
Really! A Very bad WCC Match… A list down some strong facts that describe it:
A) None of the World Top 3 players were taking part at the match (1-Carlsen, Magnus; 2-Aronian, Levon; 3-Kramnik, Vladmir), neither the World´s best living Player (Kasparov). Anand and Gelfand had only very few good tournaments participations during last 5 years! Other low rated playes like Ivanchuck and Nakamura, had much better results and lots of beautiful victories!
B) The press coverage is very reduced… Only some chess playes are interested. Chess importance to World is beind reduced… It was completely diferent from the period before the year 2000. Kasparov x Karpov and Fischer x Spasky matches were commented everywhere through the whole World…
C) There was a lot of fight and creativity during the games! Look at the “Average number of moves in the WC matches”: only 29. In the past it used to be over 40…
D) Despite the chess quality and the level of all players are increasing during the past years due to Internet, communication and computer advances, this match games had only very few good games (like the 9th one – that hard fight draw: Q x R & Kt). Lots of dead draws and a very ugly decision at rapid games where they played liked “woodpushers”, even without being so short of time, specially at the third one that was a decisive draw…
It´s impossible to compare it with many strong tornaments played during last years, with high quality games and full of emotions (example of a much better event: Grand Slam Bilbao-Sao Paulo).
We hope for an urgent improvement, owing to the fact that we trully love chess!!
And I think it will happen soon. The next WCC candidate qualifing will have many stronger players like Carlsen and I think that they will try to convince Kasparov to take part…
Really! A Very bad WCC Match… A list down some strong facts that describe it:
A) None of the World Top 3 players were taking part at the match (1-Carlsen, Magnus; 2-Aronian, Levon; 3-Kramnik, Vladmir), neither the World´s best living Player (Kasparov). Anand and Gelfand had only very few good tournaments participations during last 5 years! Other low rated playes like Ivanchuck and Nakamura, had much better results and lots of beautiful victories!
B) The press coverage is very reduced… Only some chess playes are interested. Chess importance to World is beind reduced… It was completely diferent from the period before the year 2000. Kasparov x Karpov and Fischer x Spasky matches were commented everywhere through the whole World…
C) There was a lot of fight and creativity during the games! Look at the “Average number of moves in the WC matches”: only 29. In the past it used to be over 40…
D) Despite the chess quality and the level of all players are increasing during the past years due to Internet, communication and computer advances, this match games had only very few good games (like the 9th one – that hard fight draw: Q x R & Kt). Lots of dead draws and a very ugly decision at rapid games where they played liked “woodpushers”, even without being so short of time, specially at the third one that was a decisive draw…
It´s impossible to compare it with many strong tornaments played during last years, with high quality games and full of emotions (example of a much better event: Grand Slam Bilbao-Sao Paulo).
We hope for an urgent improvement, owing to the fact that we trully love chess!!
And I think it will happen soon. The next WCC candidate qualifing will have many stronger players like Carlsen and I think that they will try to convince Kasparov to take part…
Gelfand was a chess champion probable even at a young age and so cannot be ruled out in any competition. However,he blew it by not playing his usual style in game 8. Understandable of course,as he was literally trying to kick Anand into oblivion when he has down!!. Full credit to Anand for roaring back immediately after a loss, as he did vs Topalov also. Also,the great Kramnik only drew against Leko to retain his PCA title. So in a way Anand was still champion after Gelfand was only able to draw the classical match. In the rapids,irrespective of ‘oh! I had a better position ” laments by Gelfand, Anand was speedier and deservedly won. After all one needs to take advantage of the clock and be rapid! in the rapids!