INTERVIEW WITH VISWANATHAN ANAND,
WORLD’S No. 2 CHESS PLAYER
Viswanathan Anand, the world’s No. 2 chess player, spoke with Art Fazakas, writer for the Kasparov vs. The World Web site. Mr. Anand is a two-time Chess Oscar winner (1997 and 1998) and the only Asian to win the Chess Oscar. Among the many honors and awards in Mr. Anand’s brilliant career are the following:

• Indian National Junior Champion, 1983-86.
• Asian Junior Champion, 1984-85.
• Youngest Asian to become an International Master (at age 15), 1985
• First Asian to become World Junior Chess Champion, 1987.
• Joint Champion, Triveni International Super Grandmasters Tournament, New Delhi, 1990.
• Gold Medal, Asian Zonal Chess Championship, 1990
• Champion, PCA Grand Prix, Moscow 1994
• Champion, World Championship Candidates Cycles, Linares, Spain (and New York event), 1994
• Finalist, World Championship, New York, NY, 1995
• Champion, Credit Swiss Rapid Chess Grand Prix, Geneva, 1996 (defeated Garry Kasparov)
• Runner-up, FIDE World Chess Championship, Lausanne, Switzerland, 1998
• British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award for his "My Best Games of Chess," 1998.
• Doctorate Honoris Causa, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University of Hyderabad, for his leadership role as India’s greatest chess player.

KvW: Mr. Anand, have you been following the Kasparov vs. The World event, and if so, what is your overall impression?
VA: Oh, yes, I am following it with great interest. It is a very good medium for the promotion of chess, it is very good publicity for the game.

KvW: Would you say something about the analysts’ commentary?
VA: Well, I do my own analysis of the game, so I am not studying the commentary closely, but it is an excellent way to level the playing field, since everyone can check the recommendations from four of the brightest young players.

KvW: Are you pleased with the way in which chess has grown over the past decade, given the prevalence of chess computers in the study and practice of most serious young players?
VA: Indeed, I am very happy with the way chess has grown, and I think computers and chess are an excellent match. Computers have raised the overall level of the game.

KvW: And the Internet?
VA: Chess and the Internet are a great combination. It is very good for chess.

KvW: How much time do you spend analyzing positions and practicing chess?
VA: That depends on how things are going; if I have some chess problems to solve, I can spend 8 to 10 hours a day with Fritz or with my associates. But if I have no particular difficulty at hand, I might spend very little time. It also depends on whether I am preparing for a tournament. [Ed. Note: Fritz 5.32, released in December, 1998, is a 32-bit chess program made by ChessBase of Hamburg, Germany. It offers a highly tactical playing style developed by the Dutch computer expert Frans Morsch.]

KvW: Did you think that The World Team would last over 50 moves against the World Champion?
VA: Absolutely! The World has done a great job, with the help of the analysts, and I think the Queen maneuver early on changed what was initially a slow game to a much faster-paced, more interesting one. I fully expected that it would go on this long.

KvW: Would you like to be featured in an event like Kasparov vs. The World?
VA: Yes, certainly, but I have not given it serious consideration. The subject has come up occasionally, but I have been too busy with other chess pursuits.

KvW: What are your plans for the rest of this year and the winter?
VA: The only event on my calendar at present is the annual Hoogovens Chess Tournament at Wijk aan Zee, Holland from January 13-31. It is known as "Wijk aan Zee" and it’s a very big event.

KvW: Garry Kasparov meets many talented young players at tournaments around the world and plays chess with some of them to measure their talent. For example, he met Bacrot after the recent French Open, and was instrumental in Elisabeth Pähtz’s winning a stipend from the German Federation last year. Do you also meet and encourage young players? Can you name a few of your favorites?
VA: Absolutely, all the time. I meet gifted young players everywhere, and I follow the careers of a number of very talented ones. Three of my favorite opponents under 20 years of age, all of whom are in the world’s top 20, are Peter Leko, Peter Svidler and Alexander Morozevich. I am especially interested in promoting young Indian players.

KvW: What city is home for you?
VA: Madras, now called Chennai. I spend considerable time there, of course.

KvW: Any final comments about the event?
VA: Fantastic job by the producers. This will be a big boost for chess, thanks to Garry and the World Team.

KvW: Thank you very much for your time. It was a pleasure talking with you.
VA: My pleasure as well.

---Art Fazakas