TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS ON, ANAND CLOSE TO BEING TOPPLED AS INDIA’S NO 1 PLAYER
By Vijay Tagore, Ahmedabad Mirror | Feb 4, 2016, 02.00 AM IST
Viswanathan Anand’s hegemony in Indian chess is all set to end. It could happen in the next 24 hours, 48 hours or in a few weeks’ time. It looks a matter of time rather than whether. His 28-year reign is close to being consigned to history. The five-time world champion’s dismal showing at the ongoing Gibraltar Chess Festival seems to be taking its toll on his rating.
Having lost two games, including to a 16-year-old International Master in this open tournament, the Indian maestro is in danger of being overtaken by Petyala Harikrishna, who is breathing down his neck at the event. Going into the ninth round, which will be played later at night, Harikrishna is just about a point away from Anand’s live Elo rating, which has plummeted to 2759.5 from 2784.
Hari’s rating has soared to 2758.2 from 2753. Simply put, should Hari win his ninth round game tonight, he can overtake Anand. The 29-year-old Grandmaster from Andhra Pradesh is currently in joint lead with 6.5 points from eight rounds. Anand is way behind with 4.5 points. Between the two, a few other Indians like GM Abhijeet Gupta (6 points), GM MR Lalith Babu (6), GM Sandipan Chanda (5.5) are there but none of them is close to Anand’s ratings.
Anand has been India No. 1 since January 1988. “If it happens, it is a good thing for Indian chess. It means new players are coming up. It does not mean anything for Anand, he has been at the top for so many years. He has also been among the world’s top five for over 20 years. But it will be huge for Hari, who has struggled in the past but has been doing exceedingly well of late. He will get entries into important events. It will also show that the standard of Indian chess is improving,” Abhijeet Kunte, a Grandmaster from Maharashtra, said.
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Anand is a legend. I think he will bounce back. I doubt he’s finished yet.
It is a good change but for the time being only. Indeed unsung Pentalya Harikrishna especially by the Indian organisers so far may create an all round record over Anànd’s rating stability so far. But any change even for the time being would surely kindle vibrant interest not only among Indian chess players nay its general public too. However Anand would take his rating high soon in the coming World Cup and major tournamets on his way . it is right time the Indian federation should not overlook Hari’s superb record of just crossing over Anands in terms of FIDE rating