Champion Anand's mind on Mission Bulgaria
Hari Hara Nandanan, TNN, 7 February 2010, 12:47am IST

CHENNAI: Apples and oranges. This is the latest of Vishy Anand's
quotable quotes. The world champion was referring to his performance
in the Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee in relation to his upcoming
World championship match against Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in April.

While it was expected that Viswanthan Anand would be doubly cautious
about his play in the event, the number of draws he conceded, 11 in 13
games and nine in a row from the start, was quite surprising. But then
Anand is adept at explaining the intricacies of the game in his own
inimitable way. Even while answering a question on whether he was
preoccupied with his match preparations for April while playing in
Corus, he sidestepped the issue.

"Playing a tournament especially like Corus that has 13 opponents is a
very different experience. You train for different styles and the
colours of the draw can have an impact on the way the event goes. In a
match, it's only one person. So it's very different," he told the ToI
as he took a break from chess and returned to Spain.

Anand's record at Corus is impeccable: he holds the record for most
title wins and he enjoys playing there, more because there is an
Indian connection. He started slowly against weaker opponents and by
the time he entered the second half, it seemed he had forgotten how to
win.

"I would have liked to win a few more games in the earlier rounds.
Maybe, I could have played a bit differently," explained Anand whose
official preparations towards the Topalov match start later this week
with his manager-cum-wife Aruna visiting Sofia to inspect the
arrangements there.

He could have played differently but then there is no takeback in
chess, no revision.

In his own words, he played spoilsport towards the end, pulling down
the two GMs in form - Alexei Shirov and Vladimir Kramnik, who both
were in the lead when they met the Indian across the table. "I was
patient with the long string of draws. The win against Shirov was
tense and the game went back and forth. My game with Kramnik I was
quite happy with."

Vladimir is playing exceptional chess and has shown great results
since the match (against Anand). "I was happy with how I played the
game. It is very difficult to beat players of his calibre. He is one
of the most well prepared players in the game," Anand explained.

good read but i wish it was longer..

On Feb 6, 2:33*pm, ChessFire wrote:

since the match (against Anand). "I was happy with how I played the
game. It is very difficult to beat players of his calibre. He is one
of the most well prepared players in the game," Anand explained.

Yeah I notice how Anand seemed happy with draws against weaker
players. Lack of a killer instinct cost him the tournament.

RL

On Feb 7, 9:37*am, raylopez99 wrote:
On Feb 6, 2:33*pm, ChessFire wrote:

since the match (against Anand). "I was happy with how I played the
game. It is very difficult to beat players of his calibre. He is one
of the most well prepared players in the game," Anand explained.

Yeah I notice how Anand seemed happy with draws against weaker
players. *Lack of a killer instinct cost him the tournament.

RL

Definitely - Nakamura and Carlsen are the two young tigers who want to
win with black and white against anybody. But Vishy made do better at
match chess in terms of improving his draw rate. I expect he will be
very well prepared. OTOH Topalov is a slow starter in rr or swiss
tournaments, but when he is on he can beat anybody. I imagine he is
preparing some special anti-Vishy lines to see how the WCh copes with
time-pressure in resolving them.

Of course - I am only guessing at what's next, but guessing from a
pattern

Phil

On 7 Feb, 14:37, raylopez99 wrote:
On Feb 6, 2:33*pm, ChessFire wrote:

since the match (against Anand). "I was happy with how I played the
game. It is very difficult to beat players of his calibre. He is one
of the most well prepared players in the game," Anand explained.

Yeah I notice how Anand seemed happy with draws against weaker
players. *Lack of a killer instinct cost him the tournament.

He was the only unbeaten player but he finished 4th. After 4 or 5
draws at the start he should have tried everything to win even if he
had lost, just to break the sequence. I am sure Polugaevsky says he
used to do that.

I hope Anand annihilates Topalov. It'll be a weird match because the
world's number 1 won't be taking part. That hasn't happened since 1969.

On Feb 8, 4:02*am, Offramp wrote:

I hope Anand annihilates Topalov. It'll be a weird match because the
world's number 1 won't be taking part. That hasn't happened since 1969.

Yes, I'm rooting for old age to upset youth too, but youth usually
wins.

RL

raylopez99 wrote:

On Feb 8, 4:02 am, Offramp wrote:

I hope Anand annihilates Topalov. It'll be a weird match because the
world's number 1 won't be taking part. That hasn't happened since 1969.

Yes, I'm rooting for old age to upset youth too, but youth usually
wins.

---

Anand should have stepped down if he wasn't going to give 100/110% @
Corus, plenty of obnoxious thrusters waiting in the wings - ICC had a
photo of the ultimate victor (what a moronic looking prat) arrogance
seemed to exude... yuk !

I'd like to see Topo win the upcoming match, maybe a stylistic thing, or
a firm belief that a lamb-kebab *is* superior to a plate of tofu.....

m.

On Feb 8, 3:15*pm, micky wrote:

I'd like to see Topo win the upcoming match, maybe a stylistic thing, or
a firm belief that a lamb-kebab *is* superior to a plate of tofu.....

So you enjoy watching somebody win (Topo) who gets his moves from a
computer relayed by his trainer? So you enjoy man-machine matches
then? To each their own I guess.

RL

raylopez99 wrote:

On Feb 8, 3:15 pm, micky wrote:

I'd like to see Topo win the upcoming match, maybe a stylistic thing, or
a firm belief that a lamb-kebab *is* superior to a plate of tofu.....

So you enjoy watching somebody win (Topo) who gets his moves from a
computer relayed by his trainer? So you enjoy man-machine matches
then? To each their own I guess.

Ah ! I forgot Topalov had the reverse/lobotomy/rybka/implant procedure,
which I'm led to believe is quite a fashion statement in Eastern Europe,
so no, I'm not into cyborgs - but it's well to remember; one man's cheat
is another's game-plan.

How do you know he was cheating ?
Where is your proof ?

By the way i am pulling for Anand ...

But i think Top will be very hard to beat because he has lost one WCC
match already and i do not think he will want to lose two..
I do not think Top will have the drive to get back to the WCC again
if he loses ...