Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Anand-Gelfand 2012 - The Deciding Rapid Tiebreaker
The full deciding game of the 2012 World Chess Championship match between Defending Champion Viswanathan Anand and Challenger Boris Gelfand.
Second to none
| These (‘seconds') are nice men who get along well and have fun even while they put in long hours — sometimes even up to 16 to 18 hours — each day. Sleep is always at a premium. They do rest by turns but the mind is seldom at peace. By Rakesh Rao. |
Team Anand after the success.
For the third time in succession, the four-man army of Viswanathan Anand played its part to near-perfection. Peter Heine Nielsen, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Radoslav Wojtaszek and Surya Shekhar Ganguly again accomplished the job entrusted to them after helping Anand tame Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov in the two previous World Championship title-clashes.
Anand's back-up men, better known as ‘seconds' in chess parlance, were hailed for their contribution in the match against Kramnik in 2008. The Russian, known for his meticulous match-preparation, faltered when faced with some quality opening study done by Anand and his team in Bonn.
Two years later, against Topalov in Sofia, Anand retained the same team. It came as a bit of a surprise since Kramnik and Topalov possess completely different styles of play. Kramnik is respected for his positional understanding over the board. Topalov is feared for his unusually aggressive approach in search of tactical possibilities. But Team Anand did enough to help the champion get over the line.
This time, against Gelfand, Anand showed his trust in the same quartet. His trust paid off yet again. Anand has reasons to have immense faith in the abilities of these players. Here the abilities go beyond chess. It is obvious that these players bond well, know their roles well and more importantly, know exactly what Anand expects of them.
As Anand once said, “We work for long hours. So personal equations are important. Then comes chess.”
Clearly, these are nice men who get along well and have fun even while they put in long hours — sometimes even up to 16 to 18 hours — each day. Sleep is always at a premium. They do rest by turns but the mind is seldom at peace.
But what exactly is expected from these ‘seconds'?
In effect, ‘seconds' are employed by a player to study the hundreds of games of the opponent in question in great detail. Since the opening moves of a game set up the middle-game and the resultant endgames, the main focus of the ‘seconds' remains the study of opening choices opted by the opponent in the past. Since each opening has several variations that follow every move, it takes meticulous computer-aided study by the team of ‘seconds' to let their player know what options to choose from.
Anand, for one, spent up to 10 hours a day thinking about each of this last three challengers in the months leading to the matches. “I must remember that he is thinking about what I am thinking about him.” These words from the champion reflect what all goes through the minds of the players before and during the match.
Nielsen, who had a quiet 39th birthday during the course of the match, has been a constant companion for Anand for years. The Dane's organised ways and knowing what is best for a player like Anand helps the team immensely.
“Peter would say, ‘Vishy won't do it because I know him'.” These words from Anand truly reflect his faith in the ability of the man.
Former FIDE World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov, 32, is the problem finder of this team. Just when the other members appear relaxed about having cracked a puzzle, Kasimdzhanov takes over and comes up with questions that make the others start all over again. Anand feels the Uzbek keeps the rest on their toes.
Radoslav Wojtaszek, 25, contributes with his eye for sophistication and understanding of a given position. Anand was very impressed with his depth of preparation before he signed him up.
Finally, Surya Shekhar Ganguly, 29, had been on Anand's list even before the team was finalised. They had worked together through internet and Anand believed he would make a good ‘second'.
As Anand said, “There were others, too, who helped me but it won't be fair to name them but the team of ‘seconds' was unchanged.” And so did the result.
For all their hard work, what do they get? An agreed fee plus part of the million-dollar prize money!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
World champion Anand still eager to learn: Grandmaster Ganguly
KOLKATA: Notwithstanding five World Chess Championship triumphs, Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand continues to be flexible and is still eager to learn, says a member of his team in the recent successful battle for the crown.
Grandmaster Surya Sekhar Ganguly, the only Indian in Anand's quartet of seconds since 2008, also marvelled at the genius' calm and cool approach which complement his natural talent, dedication and discipline.
"He is ready to play a new move, always eager to learn. He really enjoys and loves the game," Ganguly said.
"Added to these, his exemplary dedication, discipline and natural talent make him a cut above the other great players of this era," the city-based player said, a day after returning home from Moscow where he assisted Anand prevail over Israeli Boris Gelfand 2.5-1.5 in a thrilling tie-break.
Other than Ganguly, Peter Heine-Nielsen of Denmark, Polish GM Radoslav Wojtasek and former World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan constitute Anand's team. They have been with him since 2008 when Anand became the champion for the third time, beating Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. Two years later, they helped him get the better of Bulgarian Veselin Topalov in the World championship contest.
"We have excellent teamwork, we are almost like a family," said the 28-year-old Ganguly, who had created a sensation at the age of 11 by becoming the youngest player to beat a grandmaster.
"Overall, there was a lot of pressure. All through the night we worked. A day before Anand had his games against Gelfand, we would work from morning to night, taking small breaks for lunch and dinner."
As Anand would rest after a game, the seconds would get down to analysing his and Gelfand's game, trying to find loopholes in the Israeli's defence to zero in on a move that could be the killer.
"Daily we decided the strategy, trying to detect flaws in Gelfand's preparations. It was non-stop work," said Ganguly, who became an international master at the age of 16 and a grandmaster at 19.
"And in chess, the entire thing is a tough process. For every new move, we have to analyse 50,000-100,000 moves that could follow or the opponent could play."
Ganguly rated Anand's defeat in the seventh game of the classical format that preceded the tie-breaker as the toughest moment.
"It was very tough throughout the championship, more so when Anand lost. It's good that he immediately came back by winning the next game."
The two players finished 6-6 in the 12-game classical contest, and things moved to the tie-break, where Anand won the second game to clinch it 2.5-1.5.
"Gelfand played really well. He played the games on lines which he had never attempted before. His game always had the surprise element. It was only when Anand won the second game of the tie-break that we started thinking he will scrape through."
What did Ganguly gain from his close involvement in the battle? "I learnt a lot -- new moves, Anand's attitude, and strategies I can now use in my game."
Grandmaster Surya Sekhar Ganguly, the only Indian in Anand's quartet of seconds since 2008, also marvelled at the genius' calm and cool approach which complement his natural talent, dedication and discipline.
"He is ready to play a new move, always eager to learn. He really enjoys and loves the game," Ganguly said.
"Added to these, his exemplary dedication, discipline and natural talent make him a cut above the other great players of this era," the city-based player said, a day after returning home from Moscow where he assisted Anand prevail over Israeli Boris Gelfand 2.5-1.5 in a thrilling tie-break.
Other than Ganguly, Peter Heine-Nielsen of Denmark, Polish GM Radoslav Wojtasek and former World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan constitute Anand's team. They have been with him since 2008 when Anand became the champion for the third time, beating Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. Two years later, they helped him get the better of Bulgarian Veselin Topalov in the World championship contest.
"We have excellent teamwork, we are almost like a family," said the 28-year-old Ganguly, who had created a sensation at the age of 11 by becoming the youngest player to beat a grandmaster.
"Overall, there was a lot of pressure. All through the night we worked. A day before Anand had his games against Gelfand, we would work from morning to night, taking small breaks for lunch and dinner."
As Anand would rest after a game, the seconds would get down to analysing his and Gelfand's game, trying to find loopholes in the Israeli's defence to zero in on a move that could be the killer.
"Daily we decided the strategy, trying to detect flaws in Gelfand's preparations. It was non-stop work," said Ganguly, who became an international master at the age of 16 and a grandmaster at 19.
"And in chess, the entire thing is a tough process. For every new move, we have to analyse 50,000-100,000 moves that could follow or the opponent could play."
Ganguly rated Anand's defeat in the seventh game of the classical format that preceded the tie-breaker as the toughest moment.
"It was very tough throughout the championship, more so when Anand lost. It's good that he immediately came back by winning the next game."
The two players finished 6-6 in the 12-game classical contest, and things moved to the tie-break, where Anand won the second game to clinch it 2.5-1.5.
"Gelfand played really well. He played the games on lines which he had never attempted before. His game always had the surprise element. It was only when Anand won the second game of the tie-break that we started thinking he will scrape through."
What did Ganguly gain from his close involvement in the battle? "I learnt a lot -- new moves, Anand's attitude, and strategies I can now use in my game."
Though Anand has high respect for Kasparov as a chess player and had sought the former World champion's help in preparing against Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the last match in 2010, the Russian Grandmaster's comments have not gone down well with the World champion. And not the bullying type, Anand for a change unleashed a counter-attack, like he did on the chessboard against Gelfand after losing the seventh game, against Kasparov.
"I think, Kasparov regrets his decision to retire," said Anand at a press conference organized by his sponsors NIIT on Sunday when asked about what he thought of the former World champion's remark that the Indian's game had gone down in quality and he should retire. "Kasparov lost his match in 2000 (to Kramnik) and retired in 2005. Then since 2011, he has been trying to make me retire too. He is perhaps missing the attention he used to get as the World champion," the current World champion retorted, still keeping his poise and almost to the point of laughter.
The Garry Kasparov albatross has been hanging around his neck ever since he lost to the Russian in 1995 and it revisited him last month in Moscow when the first few games were drawn. Kasparov had adopted intimidatory tactics of banging the clock and trooping out of the playing hall while beating Anand in the 10th game of their World Championship match in New York in 1995. This was after he lost the ninth game to Anand. And when he became World champion in 2000, a section of chess fraternity felt Anand's title got not because he did not beat Kasparov to win it.
The Indian was chased to respond to Kasparov's comments on the same day the Russian visited the venue. Kasparov had earlier made a comment when he retired in 2005 that World champions would not be able to play top-level chess after 40 and should ideally retire around that time. Perhaps, Anand was tired of reacting to the Kasparov comments from Moscow that he had his repartee ready on Sunday.
Anand also used the forum to make it clear that he won't be retiring from chess in the near future."I am enjoying the game and I have just defended the title, so why should I retire," quipped the 42-year-old who added that perhaps Kasparov could not digest that both the World championship contestants were over 40 years in age.
Anand thanked chief minister Jayalalithaa for her decision to include chess in schools and also her role in promoting the game. The TN CM has awarded Anand Rs two crore on Friday for winning the World title. Anand gave a demonstration of the game he won on the display board.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியனாக மீண்டும் விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த்!
உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியனாக மீண்டும் விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த்!
இந்தியாவின் விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த் உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியன் பட்டத்தை தக்க வைத்துக் கொண்டுள்ளார்.மாஸ்கோவில் புதனன்று (30.05.12) முடிவடைந்த இப் போட்டியில் டை பிரேக்கர் முறையில் இஸ்ரேலின் போரிஸ் கெல்ஃபாண்டை 2.5-1.5 என்கிற கணக்கில் வென்றார்
உலகப் பட்டத்தை நிர்ணயிக்க நடைபெற்ற 12 போட்டிகள் மாஸ்கோவின் ட்ரெட்யகோவ் அரங்கில் இருவருக்கும் வெற்றி தோல்வியின்றி முடிவடைந்த நிலையில், யார் உலகப் பட்டத்தை வெல்வார்கள் என்பது டை பிரேக்கர் முறையில் தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்டது.
மிக விரைவாக குறிப்பிட்ட நேரத்துக்குள் காய்களை நகர்த்தும் நான்கு டை-பிரேக்கர் போட்டிகளின் இரண்டாவது ஆட்டத்தில் ஆனந்த் வெற்றி பெற்றதன் மூலம் உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியன் பட்டத்தை தக்க வைத்துக் கொண்டார். இதர மூன்று போட்டிகளும் சமநிலையில் முடிவடைந்தன.
தமிழரான விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த் ஐந்தாவது முறையாக உலக சதுரங்கப் பட்டத்தை வென்றுள்ளார். அதிலும் குறிப்பாக நான்கு முறை தொடர்ச்சியாக வென்றுள்ளார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தகுந்தது.
நான்கு ஆட்டங்களை கொண்ட டை பிரேக்கரின் முதல் ஆட்டத்தில் 33 நகர்வுகள் இடம்பெற்ற பிறகு இருவரும் அந்த ஆட்டத்தை முடித்துக் கொள்வதாக அறிவித்தனர்.
அடுத்து நடைபெற்ற இரண்டாவது ஆட்டத்தில் மொத்தமாக 77 நகர்வுகள் இடம்பெற்றன. இதில் ஆனந்த் வெற்றி பெற்று முன்னிலை வகித்தார். அதன் பிறகு இடம்பெற்ற மற்ற இரண்டு ஆட்டங்களும் சமநிலையில் முடிவடைந்த காரணத்தால் ஆனந்த் வெற்றி பெறும் வாய்ப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.
விஸ்வநாதன் முதல் முறையாக 2000 ஆம் ஆண்டு உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியன் பட்டத்தை வென்றார். அதன் பிறகு தொடர்ச்சியாக 2007, 2008 மற்றும் 2010 ஆண்டுகளிலும் இந்தப் பட்டத்தை வென்றிருந்தார்.
அடுத்த உலக சதுரங்க சாம்பியன் பட்டப் போட்டி 2014 ஆம் ஆண்டு நடைபெறவுள்ளது.
http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/
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