Veni, vidi, Vishy

by Nagesh Havanur
12/19/2023 – This month marks the birth anniversary of Viswanathan Anand. The phenomenal rise of the Indian super talent created a chess wave in his own land that shows no sign of diminishing. Vishy has been an inspiration for many young players, and today he is an ambassador for the game. Here our columnist recalls the early career of the former world champion.
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Part 1: Vishy’s imagination takes wing

Vishy AnandTal Chess Club 1976. A tiny tot has just entered the tournament hall and is eagerly looking around, eyes full of curiosity. No, he has not come to watch, he has come to play.

Now what are the seniors supposed to do with the little fellow? They can hardly offer him a point when their own results are at stake. So game after game he ends up with a naught. But that does not matter. He just loves to play. Then comes the fourth round and his opponent does not turn up. After the mandatory wait, he is awarded the point by the arbiter. Thrilled, he runs home and announces, “I won!” – “Who was your opponent?” – “I don’t know. He ran away!” At home they smile even as they hear the story over and over again. He has won by default, but too young to know the difference. He didn’t score many points in that tournament. But he is awarded a special prize for perseverance.

That’s it. He is fascinated. Day after day he visits Tal Chess Club and his imagination takes wing as he watches others play.

The kid is now in love with those pieces on the board. They in turn love him and fly from his hands like little angels towards the sky. When he moves on 64 squares, he feels, the board turns into a magic carpet for him.

Five years later…

31st August, 1981. The tournament hall in Madras is abuzz with excitement. The first round of the traditional Kasturi Cup Tournament is about to commence. The event has attracted 80 entries from all over India. The Premier section is made up of well-known masters, T.N. Parameswaran and Raja Ravisekhar, among others. There is also a Reserve section with 40 players. Among them is an 11-year-old from Don Bosco Matriculation School. No, he has not been allowed to play in the Premier section. He is too young for the big league. He looks askance at the seniors and wonders how he can catch up with them. The boy’s name is Viswanathan Anand. He wins the Reserve event with a tally of 7½ points out of 8. He also wins the Open Blitz tournament. A star is born.

Vishy Anand

Anand is the one on the left, just about to sneeze...

Anand’s formative years marked the progress of a precocious chess talent. Success alternated with failure. In December 1981 he participated in the Tamil Nadu State Junior Championship. Arvind Aaron, the reigning champion, retained the title, scoring 6 points in a 7-round Swiss for 24 players. Anand shared 2nd-4th place with Ebenezer Joseph and K. Nallasivam with 5 points. In their individual encounter, Arvind Aaron beat Anand in a remarkable game.

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 6...Nc6 is currently the Main Line that Anand himself came to prefer in later years. 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 9.Nc3 This is not bad. However, 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bg4 12.Rb1 is the critical line. 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 dxc4! Not giving White an opportunity to exchange pawns on d5 and bring his rook to b1. The position in the previous variation is again reached after 10...Bg4 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Rb1 when the pressure on b7 is still an issue. For this reason the move in the game 10....dxc4 is preferable. 11.Bxc4 Bg4 Subsequently 11...Bf5 came to be preferred. It prevents Rb1 and also any attack developng on the diagonal b1-h7. 12.Bd3 The bishop returns to the post as White wants to target h7 now that there is no Black knight on f6. 12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bg6 14.Ne5 has been suggested here. I am a little uneasy about it as it opens up White's kingside. A reasonable alternative is 12.Qd3 avoiding the pin on f3. A number of games have been played in the line, Nd7 13.Ng5 Nf6 12...Nd7 13.h3 Here 13.Rb1 b6 14.h3 Bh5 deserves attention. 13...Bh5 14.Re1 The line, 14.Rb1 b6 is still possible. 14...h6 Black prevents the annoying pin with Bg5 before playing ...Nf6. Later on the more active 14...Qa5 came to be played here. 15.Bd2 15.a4 followed by 16.Rb1 with pressure on the b-file looks better. 15...Nf6 16.Rb1 b6 17.c4? This move gains control of d5, deying the Black knight access to the important square. In addition it vacates c3 for the White bishop. Yet the idea is flawed. First, he had to get a strong outpost for his bishop with 17.Bf5! It would have prevented the Black queen from occupying the diagonal h3-c8. 17...Qd7! With latent pressure on the h3 pawn 18.Bc3? White places the bishop on a more "active" diagonal and prepares d4-d5 and Bxf6 at a suitable moment. However, he underestimates the pressure on the e-file. He had to try 18.Rb3 followed by19.Bc2 so that the queen would be freed from the duty of guarding the knight on f3. 18...Rae8 The queen is tied to the defence of the knight on f3 and after the exchange of rooks on the e-file, the Black knight would occupy e4. 19.Rb2? White prepares Qb1 followed by c4-c5 opening up the b-file. In adition he also has the move, Re2 in reserve to neutralize the pressure on the e-file. The first plan never materializes and the second is only half successful. 19.Rb3 Bc7 20.Bf1 Rxe1 21.Bxe1 Re8 22.Bd2 Ne4 was the lssser evil. 19...Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 Re8 21.Kf1 Qe6? Targeting c4 and e1 not allowing the White queen and the bishop on d3 to leave their posts. Yet it is a hasty move that allows White to exchange rooks and ease his position. Instead 21...Ne4! with the threat of ...Ng5 was strong. 22.Be2 Qe6 22.Re2 Qd7 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 Now the position is level again. 24.Qe2 Qd7 Avoiding the exchange of queens.When you are young you only dream of checkmate! Besides, 24...Qxe2+ 25.Kxe2 is only good for White. 25.g4 A sharp move inviting a sacrifice on g4 from the kid who can get carried away. Arvind has calculated well and knows it's unsound. 25.Bc3 Bg6 26.Bxg6 fxg6= is safer, but offers no chance of winning. 25...Bg6 No, he does not fall for the sactifice on g4. If 25...Bxg4 26.hxg4 Qxg4 27.Ne5 Qh3+ 28.Kg1+- Or 25...Nxg4 26.hxg4 Bxg4 27.Qe4 Bh3+ 28.Ke2+- Black has insufficient compensation for the piece. His own king is insecure and the game is lost once White's bishop on e1 enters the battle. 26.Bxg6 fxg6 27.Ne5 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Ne8 29.Bc3! Not allowing the Black queen to enter via d4. If 29.Qe4 Qe6= Or 29.e6 Qd4 30.f3 Nd6 31.Bg3 Kf8 32.Bxd6+ Qxd6= Finally, 29.f4 Qd4 30.Bg3 Nc7 31.f5 gxf5 32.gxf5 Qa1+ 33.Kg2 Qb1! Black has sufficient counterplay to stop White's advancing pawns. 29...Nc7 30.Qe4 If 30.f4 Ne6 31.f5 gxf5 32.gxf5 Qf7 33.Qe4 Nc5 34.Qg4 h5 35.Qf4 g6 36.f6 Qd7= As in the previous line, the Black queen and knight create counterplay on light squares to draw level. 30...Ne6! A move of imagination and daring. 30...Qe6= stops everything. But young Vishy wants more! 31.Qxg6?! Arvind takes up the gauntlet with youthful disdain, "A pawn is a pawn!" But this gives Black counterplay. Instead he could have played 31.Ke2! preventing the entry of the Black queen on d1. It allows Black to save the g-pawn. g5 32.Bd2 Nc5 33.Qe3 Ne6= All very safe. But with little chance of making a breakthrough. 31...Qd1+ 32.Be1 32.Kg2?? loses to Nf4+-+ 32...Nf4? Again eager for an attack. It's tempting, but wrong. 32...Nd4! was strong. If 33.e6 Qe2+ 34.Kg2 Qxc4! 35.e7 Qd5+ 36.f3 Qxf3+ 37.Kg1 Qe3+ 38.Bf2 Ne2+ 39.Kf1 Qxe7 40.Qxc6 Nf4= 33.Qe4 Nd3 34.e6! Arvind refuses to be intimidated and goes ahead with his own plan. Not 34.f4? Nxe1 35.Qxe1 Qf3+ 36.Kg1 Qxf4 37.e6 Qd4+ 38.Kg2 Kf8 39.e7+ Ke8 40.Qe6 Qb2+= 34...Nxe1? 34...Kf8 was more circumspect. Now 35.e7+ Ke8 36.Qg6+ Kxe7 37.Qxg7+ Ke8= The White queen either gives perpetual check or returns to the e-file to guard the bishop on e1. 35.e7? Returning the compliment. In rushing to promote the pawn to queen he overlooks the counterplay by the Black knight. He would have eliminated the knight and won with 35.Qxe1! Qxe1+ 36.Kxe1 g5 37.f4! gxf4 38.h4 a5 39.g5 hxg5 40.h5+- White pawns queen first. 35...Nf3+ 36.Kg2 Nh4+? Young Vishy is looking for a king hunt soon to find that it is not there! Instead he could have drawn with 36...Qg1+! 37.Kxf3 Qh1+ 38.Kf4 Qxe4+ 39.Kxe4 Kf7 40.e8Q+ Kxe8 41.Ke5 Ke7 42.f4 a6= 37.Kh2!+- Arvind Keeps a cool head under the onslaught even as he approaches time control. 37.Kg3? Qg1+ 38.Kxh4 Qxf2+ 39.Kh5 Qf7+ 40.Kh4 Qf2+= only draws. 37...Qd6+? Vishy misses his chance. He could have taken his opponent to the edge of precipice with 37...Nf3+!? 38.Kg3 Qg1+ 39.Kf4 39.Kxf3 Qh1+ 40.Kf4 Qxe4+ 41.Kxe4 Kf7 42.e8Q+ Kxe8 43.Ke5 Ke7 44.f4 a6= 39...Qc1+ 40.Kf5 g6+ 41.Ke6 Of course not 41.Kxg6?? Qg5# 41...Ng5+ 42.Kd7 Qd2+ 43.Kxc6 Nxe4 44.e8Q+ Kg7 45.Qe7+ Kg8 46.Qxe4+- 38.f4 Qd2+ 39.Kg3 Nf5+ 40.gxf5 Qc3+ 41.Kg4 h5+ 42.Kh4 Not 42.Kxh5?? Qxh3+= The whiz kid is dangerous to the last. 42...Qf6+ 43.Kxh5 Qf7+ 44.Kg5 Qe8 45.Qe6+ Kh8 46.f6 An exciting battle! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Aaron,A-Anand,V-1–01981

Arvind AaronAaron (pictured), better known as a chess journalist today, modestly denies his success, maintaining that Anand was too young at that time.

To be continued

Note: I have used a little imagination in recounting Anand’s first point scored off the board. In the main the story is true.

Young Anand’s photos:
Courtesy, IA V. Kameswaran

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Prof. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.
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