Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand [Tamil: விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த் ] (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian chess Grandmaster and a five-time World Chess Champion. He is considered to be one of the best chess players of all time.

Viswanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988. He held the FIDE World Chess Championship from 2000 to 2002. He became the undisputed World Champion in 2007 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008. He then defended his title in the World Chess Championship 2010 against Veselin Topalov and in the World Chess Championship 2012 against Boris Gelfand. In the World Chess Championship 2013 he lost to challenger Magnus Carlsen and he lost again to Carlsen in the World Chess Championship 2014.

In April 2006 Anand became the fourth player in history to pass the 2800 Elo mark on the FIDE rating list, after Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov. He occupied the number one position for 21 months, the 6th longest on record.

He was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991–92, India's highest sporting honour. In 2007, he was awarded India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, making him the first sports person to receive the award.

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Famous quotes by Viswanathan Anand:

"Each game will be very closely fought. All of us are at the cutting edge of theory and I am sure you will face top class preparation in each game. I just expect a very tough event."
"He conducted the attack quite well and I had an unpleasant position despite the extra pawn. Alexander just played better than me today."
"My aim is also to increase my physical stamina and have been doing cardio vascular regimens. Now I will try to relax and get to Argentina well rested and ready to play."
"The team is a good amalgam of style, people and geography. Clearly, all the members of the team have been showing good progress in the last year."
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Latest News for: Viswanathan Anand

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Vishy Anand meets young chess talents in Cyprus

Philenews 25 Mar 2025
Legendary chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, five-time World Champion and FIDE Deputy President, held a simultaneous exhibition game in Nicosia with 19 children and teenagers living in Cyprus.
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Chess grandmaster plays 19 youngsters at same time, one holds him to a draw

CyprusMail 24 Mar 2025
Highlighting the appeal of chess for all, visiting Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand last week played against 19 children at the same time during an exhibition event in Nicosia. “Chess is like a language,” Anand said.
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Watch: World champion D Gukesh plays chess with Ashwin at CSK's den

The Times of India 21 Mar 2025
... Ding Liren, has taken the chess world by storm.Not only did he break Garry Kasparov’s long-standing record, but he also became only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to claim the world title.
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Bengaluru set to celebrate the convergence of Earth Hour and UN World Water Day on ...

The Hindu 19 Mar 2025
This year, Dia Mirza, Viswanathan Anand, Ranveer Brar, Sudarsan Pattnaik, Shantanu Moitra, Taba Chake and Ricky Kej are voicing their support for celebrating the Biggest Hour for Earth ....
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FIDE CEO roasts Vaishali, Judit Polgar’s ‘women’s chess’ views: ‘Important to rely on real data ...

Hindustan Times 18 Mar 2025
Polgar, one of the greatest chess GMs in history, stopped taking part in women-only events during her career due to a lack of competition ... Also Read. Viswanathan Anand drops ‘chess in Olympics’ update, blames Garry Kasparov for delay ... FIDE CEO ... ....
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Viswanathan Anand drops ‘chess in Olympics’ update, blames Garry Kasparov for delay: ‘When we had ...

Hindustan Times 17 Mar 2025
Speaking to TV9 Telugu, in a video published on Monday, India legend Viswanathan Anand gave a massive update on the introduction of chess in the Olympics. Viswanathan Anand blamed chess' continued Olympics delay on Garry Kasparov.(Twitter (FIDE)).
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Viswanathan Anand dissects D Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun in bombshell verdict: ‘Not dominant like Soviet Union, but…’

Hindustan Times 17 Mar 2025
World Chess Champion D Gukesh, left, with former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand during a press conference.(PTI) ... Meanwhile, India legend Viswanathan Anand has fallen to 15th. Viswanathan Anand on India's young GMs.
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Arjun Erigaisi credits Magnus Carlsen for ESports World Cup inclusion, dissects online cheating in chess

Hindustan Times 15 Mar 2025
2025 is turning out to be an exciting year for Arjun Erigaisi ... Magnus Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi during a game.(Twitter (FIDE/Anna Shtourman)) ... Also Read. D Gukesh snubbed as world-famous Indian chess coach names next ‘Viswanathan Anand’ in huge claim.
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D Gukesh snubbed as world-famous Indian chess coach names next ‘Viswanathan Anand’ in huge claim: ...

Hindustan Times 14 Mar 2025
India leading chess coach names India's next Viswanathan Anand, and it wasn't D Gukesh.(Instagram/AP) ... 14, ahead of India legend Viswanathan Anand, who is 15th ... ‘Most talented after five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand’.
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Tamil Nadu: CM MK Stalin felicitates Pranav Venkatesh for his memorable FIDE World Junior Championship 2025

Beijing News 13 Mar 2025
Following his triumph, India's first world junior chess champion, Viswanathan Anand, extended his wishes to the young chess sensation.
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D Gukesh opens up on early financial struggles, maintains cautious approach on Freestyle Chess: ‘It ...

Hindustan Times 09 Mar 2025
D Gukesh’s winning mentality analysed by chess legend Viswanathan Anand in massive claim ... Gukesh’s victory last year also saw him become the youngest-ever world champion in history and India’s second, after Viswanathan Anand.
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First Gukesh and now Pranav Venkatesh: Anand lauds World Junior Champ as 2nd student makes ...

Hindustan Times 08 Mar 2025
Viswanathan Anand congratulated India's World Junior Chess Champion Pranav Venkatesh.(Twitter (FIDE/Mitar Djukanovic)/PTI) ... Trained by Viswanathan Anand ... He was selected by the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, where he was mentored by Viswanathan Anand.
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Another world champion from India: Pranav Venkatesh becomes World Junior Chess Champion

Financial Express 08 Mar 2025
Viswanathan Anand was India\u2019s first world junior chess champion, winning the crown in 1987 ... You join a very prestigious line of\u2026 \u2014 Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) March 7, 2025 That ...
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Bengaluru's Pranav is the new world junior chess champion

The Times of India 08 Mar 2025
In the 11th and final round, Pranav played out a quick 18-move draw against Lavrencic Matic of Slovenia to emerge as the new world junior champion.Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, who in ...
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Calculation whiz, cricket nut: The making of world junior chess champ Pranav

Hindustan Times 08 Mar 2025
Bengaluru ... (FIDE). Once they returned home, Pranav badgered his father for a similar chess set ... Pranav, who is part of five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand’s Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, began training with GM Shyam Sundar early last year ... ....
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