When there’s an important tournament going on, I try and stay in a bubble. It’s easy that way because then you don’t have to worry about anything else. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote
You bring to chess facets of your personality and what you are. I have interests other than chess, like music and world and current affairs. I also have many friends around the world with whom I like to keep in touch. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote
I like to keep myself physically and mentally fit before any important match. I usually take a short nap just before the game and do not practice immediately before the tournament. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote
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 Read Quote
I don’t bench press, but I use machines to work 10-12 muscle groups. Biceps, triceps, a few things for the back, calves, shoulders and so on – and then I’ll go on the running machine, cross-trainer or mountain climber. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote
Sometimes an opponent stops breathing, and you realise something drastic has happened and they are trying not to let on. Or they go quiet, or they get fidgety. After a while you pick these things up and become more alert to them. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote
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 Read Quote
In Gujarat, we had the world record of largest number of chess games in a single venue – 20,500 – and in Tamil Nadu, I have been emphasizing on the positives of chess to the authorities. Viswanathan Anand Read Quote