11 Interesting Facts About The Greatest Chess Player In The World, Viswanathan Anand

December 24, 2000.

Viswananthan Anand became the first Asian to be crowned World Champion in chess, as India celebrated the birth of a new hero and a new era.

Starting off as a shy child prodigy who liked to play fast, the ‘Lightning Kid from Madras’ became the ‘World Champion’ for the first time.

His love affair with the 64 squares started some 40 years ago. In his lifetime, he has gone up against some absolute greats of the chess world and defeated most. Over time, he has matured into a methodical player and his game has only sharpened. In the last few years he has been virtually unbeatable.

Viswananthan Anand is the most versatile world chess champion. He has won World Championships in classical matches, knockouts, rapids and blitz and dominated the advanced chess in which players are able to consult the computers. In this respect, no other world champion comes even close.

Here are some interesting facts about Vishy that will make you respect him even more:

1. Year: 1984

At the age of 15, Anand became the youngest Indian to win the title of International Master (IM).

In chess, IM is the level players normally attain before they become GMs.

 

2. Year: 1986

Anand won his first National Chess Championship.

He has won this title from 1986 to 1988.

 

3. Year: 1988

The title of Grandmaster was awarded to ‘Vishy’.

As a result, he became India’s first ever Grandmaster.

 

4. Year: 2000

He won the FIDE World Chess Championship held at Tehran.

Anand thus became the first Indian to win the title.

 

5. Padma Shri at the age of 18.

Anand was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 1988 when he was just 18.

 

6. Year: 2007-2012:

Anand has won the reunified World Chess Championship (which has been taking place since 2006) four times.

He has triumped in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

 

7. He is a planet now.

4538 Vishyanand is a minor planet in the universe.

Only the third chess player after Alexander Alekhine and Anatoly Karpov to have a minor planet named after him.

 

8. The first Indian sportsperson to receive Padma Vibhushan.

He was awarded India’s second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan in 2007.

 

9. Won the Chess Oscar six times.

1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008.

 

10. Ironically, he doesn’t feature in his own list of the top 10 chess players of all time.

He rates Bobby Fischer as the best of all time.

 

11. And despite all this, Anand remains fundamentally a simple guy, opening the door to visitors and helping his wife in laundry.

Vishy is the first player in present-day India to show the world that citizens belonging to the country of the Vedas can be the best in a global sport. With around 50 titles, he is nothing short of a genius who has managed to bring laurels to the country obsessed with cricket.

Conquering the chess board, he has ensured that the tiranga perennially fluttered on all shores.
You inspire us.

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