Anand not satisfied with his 2001 performance

World chess champion Viswanathan Anand said on Tuesday he was not as satisfied with his performance this year which he said was not as good as that in 2000.

"Though my results have been good, this year I didn't play as well as in 2000. So, I am not that satisfied with my performance," Anand told newspersons in Calcutta.

Anand had a dream run last year becoming the first Asian and first non-Russian since American Bobby Fischer to become World Champion by winning the crown in Tehran.

Anand, who arrived here last night on a day's visit, said he hoped to play an improved game once he returned to competitive chess after his present holiday.

On the new four-hour format introduced by FIDE, he said it was basically a longer version of 25-minute rapid chess.

"I have never played in the new format. However, the chess world will need some time to adjust to it," Anand said on the sidelines of a function organised by computer training major NIIT.

Anand, brand ambassador of NIIT, also distributed prizes to toppers in each of its 17 centres in the city.

Earlier, at an interactive session with the audience, Anand said though the game had grown by leaps and bounds in the country, Russia still had a 80-year head start over India. "But, surely, as years go by, we will come further up."

On the repeated derogatory comments made by Vladimir Kramnik and Gary Kasparov about the standard of FIDE World Championship, Anand said "They have their own axes to grind. But I don't take it seriously."

The bespectacled GM, who smilingly answered a wide range of questions during the 30-minute session, described his outing against Alexei Shirov in the final of the World championship in December last as the 'most crucial game' of his career.

Stressing the importance of physical fitness in Chess, he said it was advisable to do exercises which help in retaining stamina.

Asked whether it was possible for a woman to become overall world champion, Anand said "Lot of women are taking to the game nowadays. I don't see why it can't be."