Anand to add surprises to his war-room team

Chennai, April 2 (IANS) Five-time World chess champion Viswanathan Anand Wednesday promised a couple of surprises in his team of seconds when he faces defending champion Magnus Carlsen in the World Chess Championship later this year.

Anand at a press briefing here after arriving from Russia, where he won the Candidates Tournament, said he might re-jig his team of seconds, or players who help a champion player prepare for the World Championship.

“I would chalk a new path for a new result. I won’t get a new result if I travel in the old path,” said Anand.

Asked if he was planning to re-jig his team of seconds, Anand said: “I have some ideas. There would be a couple of surprises. Ideas are being thought about. Everything cannot be discussed in open.”

Four-time women’s World champion Susan Polgar of Hungary had told IANS that Anand can perhaps add another strategist to his war-room team.

Anand’s team during last year’s failed title defence here in his home town against Carlsen were his compatriots Sandipan Chanda, K. Sasikiran, Hungarian Grandmaster Peter Leko and Poland’s Radoslaw Wojtaszek. Chanda was also a second in Russia during the Candidates Tournament.

Queried about Polgar’s views Anand said: “Ideas are there but they cannot be discussed here.”

Anand was full of praise for Chanda for his creative style. Recalling an incident, Anand said in Norway he had given his notes to Chanda to work on it and next day Chanda had given him different lines.

“He showed lot of initiative. I realised he had taken lot of load off me,” Anand said.

Referring to his latest success Anand said good result is like oxygen. “A person’s outlook changes with that and emotions turn positive,” he said.

He said the one motivating factor for his forthcoming title clash is not talking about his loss to Carlsen here last year.

Anand said he was much relieved person when he went to Russia to play in the Candidates tournament.

“Initially I thought even if I finished among the top four it would be satisifactory,” he said.

According to him other players must have felt enormous pressure for their mixed resultes.

“I won same number of games like three others. But I was the only player undefeated at Candidates,” he said.

Anand is a long time brand ambassador for NIIT Ltd.

“Our association with Anand has been very long-for 15 years. The current contract is expiring in two years. Normally the contract is for three years,” Rajendra S Pawar, chairman of the company told IANS on the sidelines.