Surya Shekhar Ganguly worked with Viswanathan Anand on three victorious World Championship contests — against Vladimir Kramnik (2008), Veselin Topalov (2010) and Boris Gelfand (2012) — as a part of his four-member team of assistants. The former Asian champion sheds light on aspects that make Anand one of his kind — an evergreen chess star...
Never give up
Most of the players Anand beat in the World Championship duels or competed against in those days have either retired or are not so active. Despite losing his place at the top, the Indian is ranked 15th in the world, and is anything but giving up. He vowed to come back stronger after ending 2019 on a sorry note in rapid and blitz.
Ganguly’s take
Gary Kasparov retired at 42. Bobby Fischer too didn’t remain active for long after becoming world champion. Very few have stayed there for over 20 years like Anand has. He played as a challenger against a defending champion, and as a defending champion against challengers. That’s because he enjoys the journey, not just the performance. Days after beating Kramnik, in the middle of celebrations in Chennai and VIPs calling him, he called me over for training. He is always absorbed in his research and keeps evolving. Even now, he is open to new ideas and methods. That’s the secret of his longevity, other than his genius. Self-imposed discipline and continuity in work are some of the other traits. He is so engrossed in the process and preparation, that I wonder what he will do after he retires.
Age is just a number
Anand is the oldest among the regular players in the top 50. At a time when everybody in the top 10 is under 40 and the average age of strong players is decreasing, he remains a constant between generations. Remaining a force at 50 in this onslaught of youth makes him special.
Ganguly’s take
With age, powers of calculation in complicated situations become weaker. It’s seen that the younger the player, the more confident is he in making the right moves in these situations. Not just Anand, even Kasparov suffered from this. But the advantage of age is that you know your game better. The understanding of what works for you gets clearer. When you have handled these situations so many times, your intuition becomes stronger. You know what the best move will be. Plus in Anand’s case, he has kept updating himself with changes around him.
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As grounded as they get
Anand is a simple person, with no air whatsoever of a celebrity. This makes him an even rarer phenomenon — a polite and humble champion who is immersed in his work and somewhat oblivious of the perks his stature may entail.
Ganguly’s take
When I invited him for my wedding in Kolkata, Aruna (Anand’s wife) was pregnant. She told me that Anand isn’t particular about clothes for specific occasions and may just turn up in a shirt. That’s how he arrived, in a simple shirt. He even tried telling me there was no need to send a car to the airport and that he would manage with a taxi. I tried arranging a room for him at the reception so that he didn’t get mobbed, but he insisted on being at the place where everybody else was. That makes him special. A genius who thinks he is no different from the common man. I didn’t know what to expect when asked to join his team the first time. His down to earth attitude immediately made me feel at ease.