In some years, Indian players may be playing each other for world title: Viswanathan Anand

THE RAPID strides made by Indian prodigies on the battlefield of the 64 squares makes five-time world champion believe that there may soon be a situation where two Indians are playing against each other for the world champion’s crown.

“They could easily be each other’s rivals (at the World Chess Championship) in some years,” Anand predicted at the Express Adda in Chennai on Tuesday, where he was the guest of honour with wife, Aruna, and India’s top-ranked chess player, Arjun Erigaisi. The trio was in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, and Amit Kamath, Assistant Editor, The Indian Express.

“This current Indian generation of chess players is so close to the top that they’re sniffing most things. Obviously, playing with the highest stakes (at the world championship) is an experience you have to encounter in a very raw fashion to figure (out what the pressure there is like),” he said.

Anand, the country’s first grandmaster, spearheaded a chess revolution in the country that has seen three Indians — Arjun Erigaisi (World No 4), D Gukesh (World No 7) and R Praggnanandhaa (World No 8) — find a spot in the current top 10 ranks. Gukesh will challenge Ding Liren for the world champion’s crown later this year. If he manages to wrest the title from the Chinese grandmaster, he will become the youngest world champion.

India’s imprint in chess is also growing, with an India-powered Global Chess League providing a team-based twist to what was an individualistic sport.

“Indians are enjoying lots of sports now. But we like imposing our own business model on it. We want something new. That’s why we had the Global Chess League last year, which was this new Indian way of organising sport,” Anand said. “Overall, I would say that it’s much easier to be a sportsperson in India today than it was 20 years ago. Now you get so much support, for training, for equipment and from the audience.”

Asked if he sees a reflection of himself and his “nice guy” image reflected in the next generation of Indian players, Anand replied: “They have seen me growing up and maybe that played a part. But to be honest, they came pre-heated like that. The age difference is so much that they would call me ‘sir’ all the time. Sometimes, it’s seven times in the same sentence. It feels awkward. I tried to get them to stop once, and they asked, ‘would you like to be called uncle?’ They’re just very well brought up.”

“I have not played them a lot recently. I played Pragg in a match six years ago. I played Gukesh last year. It’s occasional. Even at events, they’re very polite, but not on the board. They’re very competitive on the board. I like that they can separate the aggression there. They come to the board wanting to really beat you, whoever you are. After the game, they go back to being incredibly polite,” Anand said.

Aruna, who has been Anand’s manager for decades, also spoke about the change in mindset that is now apparent in the sport. As Anand’s manager, she would find herself constantly in a battle of wits with FIDE, the global governing body of chess, and the entourage of other top grandmasters.

“The world is now more accepting of a woman taking on a role. When I started, I would constantly be questioned: ‘as a woman, do you know this?’ or ‘you’re just the wife’. But now, nobody really questions your gender anymore. But in 2010 and 2011, most of the times, I would be the only woman in the room with 50 men. Anand used to make fun of me and say, ‘Have you seen these big Hollywood type guys? They’ll have huge bodyguards and then a little looking man. And you have to be scared of the little man, because that man bites! That’s why I married you! You’re that little man’.”

Asked about the secret to working with one’s spouse in a professional setting, Aruna said: “It’s based on trust really. Anand travels a lot, so I have to do a lot of heavy hand-holding at home. Our son is just entering his teenage years. So Anand knows that when he gets back home, he has to step up because, more than me, our son Akhil has missed him. Being aware of these things is very important. And mostly, it works on trust. It doesn’t work on gender-specific roles. It’s just that when we take a decision, we understand that it’s a common decision that works for both of us. Truth be told, in our relationship, I’m the only one who loses her temper. Anand loses his temper but it disappears in a second. I lose my temper and it’s a three-day thing. He has to work very hard after that.”

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Arjun, meanwhile, spoke about the healthy rivalry in the Indian chess circuit between him, Gukesh, Pragg and others like Vidit Gujrathi. “There is some rivalry between us, but it’s very healthy. It only motivates the others to work harder and do better. It’s not about feeling jealous (of the other’s achievements). What we have right now is very good and it’s best for everyone if it remains the same because it helps everyone,” he said.

Talking about how the mindset of top players has changed while facing the Indian prodigies, Arjun said: “Back in 2020, we didn’t get too many chances to play against the likes of Magnus Carlsen or others. But if we had played them, they would have probably taken more risks against us. But they would not take the same risks playing us now, because they know we are capable of punishing them. So there is a certain element of respect we get now.”

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