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Indian Grandmaster
Pentyala Harikrishna and Rajebov of Baku in Armenia are the two potential World champions in the years to come, according to World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand. Speaking at a felicitation function of the young grandmaster here today at Hydrabad, Anand said, "These are the two players who have the potential to challenge the Russian chess dominance."
Anand also condoled the death of five chess players from Andhra Pradesh in a road accident in Orissa yesterday, and the meeting observed two minutes’ silence.
Expressing hope that chess was becoming a main-time sport with more and more players and sponsors turning towards it, Anand said it would take more time for India to emerge as a champion nation “as the gap between us and Russia is very wide. Things could but improve in the coming ten years”. World Junior Champion Koneru Humpy, who was also to be felicitated on the occasion, however, did not turn-up, as she was shocked to hear the news of the death of Abhinav, the Under-10 Asian Champion who was closely associated with her during a recent championship in Spain.
 Handing over the memento to Harikrishna, Anand said, “I am the first Indian World Champion and hope I would not be the last. Now I think Hari knows what he is supposed to do”. Congratulating the parents and coaches of Harikrishna and Humpy for their encouragement, devotion and dedication, Anand said that he planned to start a Chess Academy in the coming ten years to groom young talent. World Champion Viswanathan Anand today instructed P Harikrishna as to which direction his career should be moving as he exhorted the young Grandmaster to follow him in winning the world title.
Harikrishna replaced Anand as the youngest Indian GM when he earned his third norm after winning the Asian Chess Championship in Kolkata last month. Humpy emulated Anand when she triumphed at the world junior championships earlier this month. On play styles of two great champions - Kasprov and Karpov, Anand said, “They are distinctly different. While the former prefers an offensive game with direct openings, the latter is radically different as he opts for a closed and defensive game”.
On computers, Anand said, “He loved to play with them and the new information technology revolution has made things easier to the young players who can learn, play and improve their game on Internet. When asked if he played the American World Champion Bobby Fisher on Internet, Anand said, “I am not sure. We only know that Fisher is playing on net but nobody knows under what name he plays”, Anand added. Refusing to answer any questions on alleged FIDE rivalry, Anand said he was not interested in taking sides or trying to patch up differences.
Photo Courtesy:
NIIT
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