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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

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Viswanathan Anand
Age: 54
Born: 1969
Born: December 11
Chess Player
Writer
Madras
Vishwanathan Anand
Better
Games
Daily
Relies
Play
State
Fast
Heightened
Trying
Peace
Achieve
Prayers
Kind
Helping
Game
Vital
Mind
Keep
Focus
Intuition
States
Saying
Plays
Persons
Prayer
Rely
Person
Clear
Helps

More quotes by Viswanathan Anand

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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
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I don't know how many calories an average chess player burns per game, but it often exceeds that of a player in ball games. It is not only the chess as such: You need to be fit and undergo complicated preparation.
Viswanathan Anand
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If revenge motivates you, go for it! But the main thing is to set your game in order.
Viswanathan Anand
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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
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In chess, knowledge is a very transient thing. It changes so fast that even a single mouse-slip sometimes changes the evaluation.
Viswanathan Anand
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For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion.
Viswanathan Anand
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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
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There is always the risk of being over-confident when you are preparing to face a weaker player.
Viswanathan Anand
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Each match I approach like a new one. The work is so immense that you don't have time to sit and ponder.
Viswanathan Anand
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There are two aspects to being competitive one is to do with sports, and the other is about technical skills. Being able to recollect the moves and apply them when necessary is a critical aspect.
Viswanathan Anand
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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
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For every door the computers have closed they have opened a new one.
Viswanathan Anand
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Psychology plays a big part but I always say psychology will only be a differentiator when the players are of equal technical strength.
Viswanathan Anand
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I attend to my fitness. I go the gym every day and try to maintain my physical fitness without that, it is tough to take challenges on the chess board.
Viswanathan Anand
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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
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The broader the chess player you are, the easier it is to be competitive, and the same seems to be true of mathematics - if you can find links between different branches of mathematics, it can help you resolve problems. In both mathematics and chess, you study existing theory and use that to go forward.
Viswanathan Anand
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I love travelling and going on wildlife safaris. I have an interest in astronomy. I like reading on current affairs, business and science. I love doing nothing if I can help it.
Viswanathan Anand
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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
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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
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Preparedness for a game that usually lasts four-five hours requires good physical condition and also steady nerves.
Viswanathan Anand