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Many a moves at crucial times "huge leapt to unknown": Anand

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Anand said that he has to do "informed guesswork" based on his intuition in many crucial situations and those moves turn out to be the winners.

"Many a times, some moves are just a huge leapt to the unknown. My intuition and informed guesswork turned out to be right in many situations. But it depends on the constant training of psychological functions and it is more likely that I am right in the places I know and am more used to," Anand said at his felicitation function by the NIIT here.

Referring to a match in 2000 against Alexander Khalifman here, Anand said, "Sometimes even in tournaments in which you were playing your best chess, you need some divine help. You need a little bit of luck.

 

"At times you need something to happen in your favour. During these times you feel only talent does not work though it is not something which happens often," he added.

NIIT felicitated Anand for winning the fifth world crown this year while also celebrating the 10th year of the setting up of Mind Champions Academy in 2002 under the guidance of the chess champion, which now boasts of 1.5 million school kids being involved in the sport.

Anand first turned Grandmaster in 1987 and has won many a tournaments, including the five world titles, but he said he has not thought of retirement yet.

"Lot of people ask what next and how long I will play. I said I will play as long as I am enjoying my game. And about targets and winning titles, I don't have any structured target that I want to win these many world titles and all.

"People asked am I thinking about sixth title but I said I think of the next title and not the sixth," he said, while also ruling out joining politics later in his life.

  

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First Published: Jul 20 2012 | 5:06 PM IST

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