Viswanathan Anand, the five-time world chess champion, has dodged the retirement trap like a master dodging checkmate. At an age when most players hang up their boots, the Madras Tiger still feels that competitive fire burning bright. And no, it’s not just nostalgia, it’s that unbreakable urge to play that keeps him in the game.
Vishy Anand Reveals Why He Never Retires
Vishy Anand is standing on the sidelines at tournaments, watching young guns like D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa battle it out. For years, he called himself “semi-retired,” dipping into just a handful of events while taking on big roles. He’s FIDE’s deputy president, mentors India’s top talents through his WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, and even breaks down epic matches on FIDE’s YouTube stream. Sounds fulfilling, right?
But last year in Kolkata, a nagging voice hit him hard: “How many years can I just stand there and watch?” Watching turned tougher than playing, and the itch to compete roared back.
It all boiled down to that raw sportsperson’s instinct. Anand admitted at the Tata Steel India Rapid and Blitz presser that he’d hit his limit. “It’s funny,” he told old rival Dibyendu Barua. “First year, you enjoy watching and leaving. But last year, I got fed up.” Invites to Kolkata and Jerusalem followed, and he jumped in. Sure, after months off, those opening choices and mid-game decisions feel rusty, like muscle memory waking from a long nap. But his moves? Still sharp enough to nearly snag the Rapid title. This is a man whose mental engine never stalls.
Flashback to 2005 Linares, where Garry Kasparov stunned everyone by retiring at 41 after winning big. Anand grilled him: “Don’t you think six months from now, you’ll be sorry? Lost without playing?” Kasparov brushed it off, diving into books, speeches, and activism instead. Anand? He never cut the cord, always wondering if retirement would leave him regretting it in half a year.
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Vishy Anand’s story flips the script. He fills voids with coaching and analysis, but the board calls him back. No dramatic drought or fading edge for this Tiger, his stripes stay fierce. As he nears another Tata Steel outing, one thing’s clear: Vishy Anand retires when chess says so, not the calendar. Fans, brace yourselves, this legend’s far from checkmated. Stay tuned for his next move!
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