Anand belittles victory

Onkar Singh

Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand was disappointed with his performance despite making it to the semi-finals of the FIDE World chess championship on Monday. Though he managed to defeat Alexander Khalifman of Russia in the third of four tie-breaker games in the quarter-finals, the Indian grandmaster, who celebrated his 31st birthday, belittled his victory.

Speaking to newsmen after cutting his birthday cake, Anand said he did not play as well as he should have.

"Khalifman has always been giving me a bit of tough time but today was decidedly tougher," Anand said.

Asked if he was tired, as he had to play four games in a row, Anand said he was more tired on Sunday after drawing the second game.

"I came yesterday in my school uniform and as the headmaster would tell the children that you can go back home at the end of the half day, I merrily went back after playing one game. Believe me, I was more tired yesterday than I feel today, because yesterday I kept on thinking about the games ahead. I kept saying to myself 'Oh God, I have to play four tie-break games today!'

"Yes, it is a bit tiring to play four games in a row. But you do not feel bad as long as you manage to keep going to the next round. When I came here in the morning I said that today is my chance. I have played with Khalifman many a times before but today's games were a bit special," said Anand.

Talking about the second game, Anand said he could give hundred explanations why he did not do well. "There was lot of pressure on me in the first two games. The fact that I was able to save the games was like living a second life," he explained.

"Tomorrow would be another day and one would have to start from scratch," he added.

Anand plays Micheal Adams in the next round.

Khalifman did not speak to the media at the end of the fourth tie-break game and walked out of the hall.

Seventeen-year-old Alexander Girschuk of Russia defeated Topalov Veselin of Bulgaria.

A member of the Russian team at the Chess Olympiad, Girschuk jokingly said he was disappointed with his victory because it prevented him from going back to Moscow tonight itself. "I would have gone back to Moscow today, but because of my win I have to stay back for four more days and play chess," he told the newsmen at the end of his game.

Grandmaster and former world No. 4 four Valery Salov opined that Anand made some tactical moves in the first two games. "Anand should have won the first game. But he made some errors. In the second game he was lucky to draw. He was in a weak position but at the end of the game he managed to draw it. The standard of the tournament I must say is very high and I expect that in next four days we would see some keen chess amongst the top contestants," said Salov.