Devil's Advocate: Viswanathan Anand on mind games

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY: Anand believes "cricket is a fact of life" in India but the country has not ignored him.

          

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• Cricket is a fact of life in India: Viswanathan Anand
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Keywords: Vladimir Kramnik, Chess

I think I was right in working with the Soviets very early. Round about 1991 when I was going to play Karpov I just said ‘okay, somehow you have to learn from these guys.’ I think I learnt a lot of their techniques and over the years interacting with them I no longer feel that they are a mystery.

Karan Thapar: You are 38 today and chess world is getting younger and younger. You have grandmasters at 12 and 13. How do you get the motivation to keep carrying on?

Viswanathan Anand: It is basically I would say I enjoy chess. I enjoy the tournament circuit, the challenges of going to a tournament but also because I am just curious. I am curious to know how long it can go on.

Chess is getting more and more interesting. In the last few years we have had lots of young players coming along and that sort of livens it up.

Karan Thapar: Are you curious to know how long you can keep playing at this rate? Are you testing yourself?

Viswanathan Anand: Yes. Once you have won the World Championship; once you have won many events but I want to see how long I can go on like this. It is a challenge when you can keep competing at the highest level and keep the No. 1 ranking. It is an obligation as well, you have to work hard.

Karan Thapar: You have got a big challenge in October, when you have to defend your World Championship title. If you succeed, will the motivation slightly diminish because even that target would have been achieved?

Viswanathan Anand: It is possible. I think there could be a short-term dip. It is entirely possible that you go off for a month or so and that has happened frequently in my career. The important thing is to recognise it, at some point, stop it and start again.

Karan Thapar: And what happens if you lose in October? Will that fire you with the determination to come back and win it again?

Viswanathan Anand: I think we will deal with it when we get there. Before a match you shouldn’t prepare for those kinds of scenarios. If it happens it happens but I am going to give it my best shot and make sure it doesn’t happen.

Karan Thapar: But one day competitive chess wouldn’t hold the same appeal to you as it does today. Then what?

Viswanathan Anand: I don’t know. There are a lot of interesting things. I could find more time for my hobbies and I could find more time for the academy I mentioned. But I don’t think I will ever disconnect from chess completely.

Karan Thapar: Kasparov went into politics. Might you consider politics yourself?

Viswanathan Anand: No. Politics, I think, you can count me out of right now.

Karan Thapar: Writing books?

Viswanathan Anand: Perhaps. I think it is very difficult to imagine these things. I cannot see my life without chess being a very, very big part of it. What would I do the whole year without being able to prepare for the next tournament? I really don’t know how to deal with that.

Karan Thapar: Viswanathan Anand, good luck for October.