Anand much better prepared this time: Thipsay

CHENNAI: Chess, certainly, does not seem to be all that's consuming Sochi. At least it does not appear that way. While attempting slam dunks on court seems to be keeping defending world champion Magnus Carlsen on his toes through the larger part of the day, Vishy Anand has taken to the social media and how.
While the Nordic prodigy is just another 23-year old in many ways, with a love for tennis and basketball and a penchant for Donald Duck, his youthful swagger belies an aptitude for strong analysis and clever tactics.
The Indian chess fraternity though is united in backing its five-time world champion to take the battle to wire this time. "Certainly, Anand is better prepared this time. I met him around a month ago in Mumbai and we discussed certain aspects of the game, but not the match as such. Signs of fundamental improve ment in his game were evident from the Candidates tournament earlier this year. If Anand has to circumvent Carlsen's plans, he will have to steer clear of being lured into complicated and long endgames. Carlsen has a way with tiring out his opponents and it is more likely that if a match stretches beyond say 40 moves, Anand wouldn't be play ing with the same inten sity," feels Pravin Thipsay, the first Indian to win a Grandmaster norm.
Since 2010 (when Anand beat Carlsen in London), they have played each other 22 times with the Indian failing to win even on a single occasion.
"But this time, the preswill largely rest on Carlsen, sure will largely rest on Carlsen, while, away from home and with no crown to defend, Anand will be perform more freely. Obviously, how the first few matches play out will set the tone of the Championship. This will be anything but a one-sided contest, and it would be safe to assert that the stakes stack up equally," said Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua.