"The moment I lost my title, it was a relief" - Viswanathan Anand recalls his loss to Magnus Carlsen at World Championship 2013
Viswanathan Anand's loss to Magnus Carlsen at the 2013 World Championship marked the end of an era in chess and the coronation of the game's new monarch. Carlsen would remain world champion till 2023 when he decided he didn't want to compete anymore.
Anand had held the title since 2007. Going into the match, even at the age of 44, he was the favorite for many. The contest was tight too, at least in the beginning. The first four games were draws. Yet, Anand was eventually dethroned with two rounds still to spare.
"Nobody enjoys a loss, but I acknowledged that I had let my chess fall behind," Anand said during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit.
The writing was pretty much on the wall after Game 9, where playing with white pieces, Viswanathan Anand had to resign after only 28 moves. Consequently, he needed to win all the remaining three rounds to force a tie-breaker. Alas, that did not happen.
"I think the moment I lost my title, it was a relief," Anand wrote. "But a few days back when I realised I'm going to lose it in a few days, then it felt awful. And afterwards, I realized that, well, these things happen. Initially, I did not look at a chess board for like two months. But after that...well, I continued to play."
The two titans faced off again at the World Chess Championship 2014. Once again, Carlsen came out on top.
Even today, many rally behind the romantic narrative of India's current generation of chess players being an 'army' of Anand's disciples, raised with the goal of dethroning Carlsen. Anand thinks it is 'too creative an interpretation.'
"No, they are following their dreams," Viswanathan Anand replied when asked about it. "Yes, they are playing several players I played and still (do) occasionally, but come on, (it is) too creative an interpretation."
"I was really scared" - Magnus Carlsen on how he felt going into the World Chess Championship 2013 against Viswanathan Anand
There was no shortage of drama in the build-up to the clash in 2013. Firstly, Viswanathan Anand's hometown Chennai was selected as the venue, which did not sit well with Carlsen and his team. Then, a coach had jumped ships a few months prior to the marquee encounter.
In a hilarious and fascinating pre-match press conference, when asked about his team, Anand was quick to reveal the names. However, when Carlsen was asked about his, he smirked and responded, saying (via Business Standard):
"I appreciate Mr. Anand's openness about his team, but I am not going to return the favor."
For a huge chunk of fans, Viswanathan Anand was still the favorite going into the match. Even the previous head-to-head record suggested so. In 29 matches of classical chess between the two, the Indian grandmaster had won six, while Carlsen had only managed to win three.
Recently, Carlsen said he was initially anxious about facing Anand. He said on a podcast (via SjakkSnakk on YouTube):
"Playing the first match against Anand, I was really scared, looking at the Anand that he used to be. And he was really impressive for the first few games. Then, after the 4th game when I saw a bit of a chink in his armour, I realised that I am not playing against a superman, but I am playing against an amazing strong player who is somewhat past his peak. That calmed me down."
The 2013 World Championship will always be etched in the chronicles of chess as a duel that redefined the saga of the sport, reminding us all of the inevitability of change.