HYDERABAD: An a world where flashy takes over understated, and gimmicks take over honest discourse, chess legend Viswanathan ‘Vishy’ Anand cuts an unusual figure. India’s first grandmaster and five-time world champion speaks about his achievements and failures in a detached manner, taking you through the thought process behind every move in his illustrious life with surprising frankness. Sometimes, he takes a moment to pause and consider the question, but ensures that he answers precisely, while throwing in some anecdotes.
Anand was in Hyderabad on Sunday to launch his book Mind Master, which he describes as a mix of life events and the lessons he learnt from them. It has been co-authored by Susan Ninan. Before he was caught in the whirlwind of the book launch, he spoke exclusively to Hyderabad Express about how he unwinds and keeps those neurons sparking.
On keeping calm
There were times when I would want to break out of my calm demeanour and thump the chess board, but I would always rationalise out of bad behaviour. However, being the larger person always might send out signals that you can be pushed over. A short temper might be a useful quality to have in some cases, especially if you want to keep a distance from things that get you riled up.
On journaling
I used to write accounts of all my chess games when I was young. This was a habit that my mother had inculcated in me, and it helped me analyse the reasons behind my victory or defeat. I would try to jot down the details immediately after the game because that’s when it would all be fresh in my mind. A Serbian grandmaster had once told me: “Vishy boy, you must write as much as you can. Only streams have interesting stories to tell at the beginning, but once they reach the ocean, they have nothing left to say.”
On ageing and focus
Chess is getting faster and younger. We are playing more tournaments. The first half of my junior career was in the pre-computer era, and now am in the post-computer one. I am learning new things and unlearning a few. As long as you are open to new ideas, you will be able to compete reasonably. Having said that, there is no getting away from the fact that at 50, it’s harder. As you age, you have other responsibilities, and your perspective changes.
On the importance of sleep
The most magical thing you can give yourself is sleep. But after a tough game, it is difficult to fall asleep as you keep analysing the game in your head. In order to counter that, I take a long walk or go to the gym so that I sleep out of exhaustion. It’s funny how this cycle works. You need to sleep to reduce the tension, but in order to do the latter, you need to sleep. I try anything that will take my mind off chess. Both winning and losing can affect you. That is why, you need to forget what happened yesterday and focus on tomorrow.
On perseverance
There was a phase in my life when I was winning all tournaments. Before that, there had been a period of lull, and this winning streak got me thinking. I realised that the victories were the result of my perseverance during the time I was not winning. Sometimes, when you are working hard, you do not see the results and get frustrated. But you must realise that though you are unable to see it, you are making progress.
On making children play chess
It’s a good idea if parents suggest something new to their children. If I would want my son to try out something, I would keep it in front of him in the hope that he will be curious. I think if my parents had forced me to take up anything, it would not have lasted very long. I took up chess because I like playing it.
On Advanced Chess and Karpov
Advanced Chess is a form of playing where you can take the help of a computer. However, it is not a very widely-played format. There was an Advanced Chess tournament in Spain, and once, I got to play against Anatoly Karpov, who is 19 years older than me. Though that game was supposed to show two players using computers, it ironically became a demonstration on what happens when one player does not understand them, since Karpov could not use the computer well. His attitude is understandable as he might resist using new technology due to his age.
On beating his phone
Computers are far ahead of us now. Earlier, I could beat a computer once in a while, but now I don’t think I can beat my phone ever, especially if it was made in the last five years. If we have matches with computers in this era, we have to justify why the human is sitting there.
— Kakoli Mukherjee
kakoli_mukherjee@newindianexpress.com
@KakoliMukherje2