The first Grandmaster from India (born in 1969), and one of the most talented players of his generation, Viswanathan Anand, began his quest for the chess crown during the 1990-1993 championship cycle but lost the semifinal against Karpov. Ten years later, he entered the FIDE World Championship 2000 as the main favorite. He delivered on his promise by winning seven straight matches, including the final against Alexei Shirov (3½-½), and taking the title.
The World Chess Championship 2007 was held in a double round-robin format with the undisputed World Champion Vladimir Kramnik participating. Viswanathan Anand won the event, becoming the only undefeated player in the competition.
Viswanathan Anand crowned World Chess Champion (2000) by FIDE archiveInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
In the following years, he successfully defended his title by defeating Kramnik 6½-4½ (Bonn, 2008), Topalov 6½-5½ (Sofia, 2010), and prevailing over Gelfand in a tiebreaker (Moscow, 2012).
In November 2013, Vishy Anand lost the match for the crown to Magnus Carlsen, but made a valiant effort to reclaim it. He brilliantly played at the Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk and secured first place with one round before to spare. In September 2014, the second world championship match between Carlsen and Anand was intense, but Carlsen won again.
In 2014, Magnus Carlsen defended his World Chess Championship title against Viswanathan Anand in Sochi, Russia. The event featured a distinctive poster, marking the beginning of World Chess's bold and innovative design approach for championship events.
Anand is an astronomy enthusiast. The minor planet (4538) Vishyanand was named after him because of his exceptional achievements in chess and his passion for astronomy.
Autograph of Viswanathan Anand by Viswanathan AnandInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Anand's autograph
Anand's signature chess combination
Anand – Gelfand. Moscow 2012
15. gh! Qxf3+ 16. Kc2 Qxh1 17. Qf2!, and Black resigned because of 17… Na6 18. Bh3 or 17…Nc6 18. dxc6
The chess world speaks: opinions on Anand
"Anand is absolutely great... maybe also a little bit underestimated. In terms of pure talent, I consider him the most talented player in the last, maybe, 50 years." - Vladimir Kramnik
"Vishy Anand always tricks you." - Levon Aronian
“Anand is a fantastic chessplayer who brings honor to the sport and to his nation with his skill and his boundless good nature.” – Garry Kasparov
A Grandmaster's Touch: Anand's Handwriting
The scoresheet from the 2014 World Championship match showcases Anand's neat handwriting, a testament to his clear thinking.
Timeless chess wisdom from Anand
You need to motivate yourself, no matter what—definitely when things are bad, but also when things are good. Otherwise, you risk becoming complacent.
Confidence is very important—even pretending to be confident. If you make a mistake but do not let your opponent see what you are thinking, then they may overlook the mistake.
Chess as a sport requires a lot of mental stamina, and this is what makes it different from a physical sport.
Chess teaches you to avoid making hasty decisions when you’re tense, and also about self-control and being objective.
Dive deeper: explore Anand's legacy through these videos
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