An interesting interview with Viswanathan Anand
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I loved his reply about Kramnik

You can't help but like Viswanathan Anand. He's just an all-around nice guy.

By the way, it's a wonder that he doesn't have more endorsements. He's definitely a loyal spokesperson... in every picture I've seen him in, he's always wearing a shirt with the NIIT Technologies logo.

To paraphrase Anand:

"It doesn't matter that Kramnik received the special status he didn't deserve, it doesn't matter that he is arrogant and still behaves like world champion or at least as co-champion, it doesn't matter that for the first time in history the reigning world champion won't automatically keep the title in case of a tie, it doesn't matter that I think Kramnik is an @ss - let's just play and win this! And if I'll lose, I'll lose."



I can guarantee you that if it was the other way around Kramnik would have found 1001 reasons why he shouldn't play the match like he found 1001 reason why Kasparov isn't qualified for a rematch after he "cought him on the wrong foot" and took the title from him.

Thats what I like about Anand. "Let's just play! Everything else is irrelevant."

"On the chessboard lies and hypocrisy do not survive long" Lasker was right I guess
Evrytime I read these childish quarrels I ask myself if they really are so smart and if we are dealing with mature chessplayers!

In case someone hadn't heard the news yet, Anand won the 2007 Chess Oscar for the best chess player...

http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4613