Chess legend Viswanathan Anand provides insights into R. Praggnanandhaa’s preparation and probabilities on the FIDE Candidates Event, whereas additionally addressing safety considerations surrounding the occasion in Cyprus.
{Photograph}: FIDE/Michal Walusza
Key Factors
- Viswanathan Anand believes R. Praggnanandhaa is mentally making ready for the FIDE Candidates Event regardless of a latest slowdown.
- Anand identifies Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura as sturdy contenders within the FIDE Candidates Event.
- The FIDE Candidates Event winner will problem D. Gukesh for the world chess title.
- Koneru Humpy is contemplating withdrawing from the FIDE Girls’s Candidates match attributable to safety considerations.
- Anand highlights Cyprus as a high-quality venue for the FIDE Candidates Event.
Legendary chess participant Viswanathan Anand has mentioned that younger Indian grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa “could have slowed down a bit” within the lead-up to the FIDE Candidates match however shall be mentally tuned for the problem.
Eight main gamers within the Open class will vie for high honours when the Candidates match begins in Cyprus on March 28, with the winner incomes the suitable to problem reigning world champion D. Gukesh for the world title later this yr.
Anand, who can be the vice-president of FIDE, indicated that Praggnanandhaa — the one Indian within the males’s part — will face stiff competitors from the likes of Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, including that predicting the eventual winner can be tough.
Requested who his private favorite was, Anand mentioned that a number of gamers intrigued him.
“He is (Praggnanandhaa) skilled, however on the identical time he appears very motivated. He has slowed down a bit of bit in the previous couple of months, however possibly mentally he’s already peaking and preparing for the Candidates,” Anand mentioned on FIDE’s YouTube channel.
He felt that one among the many likes of Caruana, Nakamura and Anish Giri had a powerful likelihood of successful the Candidates and incomes the suitable to problem Gukesh.
“I feel Fabi (Fabiano), Hikaru (Nakamura), Anish (Giri)… you already know that is bought to be their time, so they are going to have that feeling going into it that it is a likelihood to seize… and numerous wildcards. However I am unable to for the lifetime of me get round to predicting somebody,” mentioned Anand, the five-time former world champion.
Considerations Over Cyprus as Event Venue
Cyprus because the venue has been within the information attributable to its proximity to the evolving Gulf battle. Three Indian gamers are set to compete within the girls’s part of the FIDE Girls’s Candidates match to problem reigning champion Ju Wenjun for the world crown.
Indian stalwart Koneru Humpy is reportedly contemplating withdrawing from the occasion attributable to safety considerations arising because of the Gulf battle.
Within the context of the competitors, Anand mentioned FIDE at all times tries to search out the very best venues for its marquee occasions, including that Cyprus would supply an incredible backdrop for such a high-level match.
“FIDE tries to first discover a good high-quality venue (and) I feel we have succeeded in that. Cyprus shall be an excellent venue and I feel the situation goes to be wonderful and we attempt to maintain the gamers knowledgeable.
“It is only a match in the long run, when you’re advised when to go, the place to go you block that in your head… I feel every part’s been setted 4 months upfront and searching ahead to it,” mentioned Anand.
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