Quote

Nowadays, when you're not a grandmaster at 14, you can forget about it

Viswanathan Anand

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Viswanathan Anand
Age: 54
Born: 1969
Born: December 11
Chess Player
Writer
Madras
Vishwanathan Anand
Grandmaster
Youngsters
Nowadays
Chess
Forget

More quotes by Viswanathan Anand

Image
I have a love for astronomy Aruna, my wife, and I love travelling, so whenever we get an opportunity, we set off to explore places that have tickled our interest. We are also wildlife enthusiasts.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
I think an important lesson from the game is that once you have made a move, you cannot take it back. You really have to measure your decisions. You think a lot. You evaluate your choices very carefully. There's never any guarantee about what's going to follow once you have made a decision.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
In a way players at the top should try to promote the game in their own countries as that is the legacy that makes you feel proud. If you have not done that you have failed as a sportsperson.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
I'll take my five positions per second any day, thank you
Viswanathan Anand
Image
My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always made me feel very welcome I didn't feel guilty at all about pursuing chess with such fervour. They never, for instance, perceived sports as a rival to academics.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
It's important, according to me, to train in small doses so as to not lose the joy of playing chess. I personally think too many coaching and training classes may take away a child's interest in the game itself. The essential thing to do is practise often and, in case of a doubt, to consult a trainer.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
My job is to play chess, the game that I love. I achieve what I can in chess. That is what I focus on. Basically, I am always focused on playing the game, and this is important to me.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Just before a game, I try to keep a clear mind so that I can focus better. I'm the kind of person who plays fast and relies a lot on intuition, so being at peace with myself is vital. Saying my daily prayers helps me achieve this heightened state of mind.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
When you play with the best in the world, it is important that you not lose focus. You must be fully focused. Even a minor error could result in a massive defeat.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Chess as a sport requires a lot of mental stamina, and this is what that makes it different from a physical sport. Chess players have a unique ability of taking in a lot of information and remembering relevant bits. So, memory and mental stamina are the key attributes.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Preparedness for a game that usually lasts four-five hours requires good physical condition and also steady nerves.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Chess is like a language, the top players are very fluent at it. Talent can be developed scientifically but you have to find first what you are good at.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
We want more women players to take up chess. There are few participants at the national level and hope it will grow.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Each match I play is the most important one yet.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
India has lot of talent. What I am happy with is that the talent keeps on coming. Certainly it could be nice, though I am not terribly keen on seeing my successor yet.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
I think the draw quotient has always been high in world championship matches because the amount of effort people put into neutralizing each other's openings. It's just now with computers that it has reached a new level.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Grandmasters decline with age. That's a given. There is nothing special about the age of 40, but age eventually takes its toll. That much is clear. Beyond that it's about how long you can put off the effects and compensate for them. Mistakes will crop in but you try to compensate for them with experience and hard work.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
It is very difficult to play a single blitz game! You want to play for a long time. So I tend not to do that anymore.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Intuition in chess can be defined as the first move that comes to mind when you see a position.
Viswanathan Anand
Image
Parents, first and foremost, it is important to... understand and recognise the activities your child is naturally gravitating towards. It's important also to ensure that your child likes what he or she is doing. I believe in exposing children to as many hobbies and extracurricular activities as possible.
Viswanathan Anand