Anand on Gukesh's Crisis: 'It's Just Part of the Game, Not a Reflection of His Chess'

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Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world chess champion, believes that fellow Indian chess player D Gukesh's recent slump is a normal part of the game. Gukesh, the reigning world champion, has struggled to build on his momentum after winning the title last year. Anand, who has experienced his own share of slumps throughout his career, thinks that Gukesh's crisis is largely due to the pressures of social media. According to Anand, setbacks are an inevitable part of the game, and it's how players respond to them that matters. Anand has seen many Indian chess players, including the current crop of young stars, struggle with the same issues. He's confident that Gukesh will find his way back to the top, citing the 19-year-old's strong chess skills as a major factor. Anand also spoke about India's No.1 chess player, Arjun Erigaisi, who failed to qualify for the Candidates for the second consecutive time. Erigaisi, who is currently ranked world No.5, has never made it to the Candidates, a tournament that is a gateway to the World Championship match. Anand believes that Erigaisi has the potential to make it to the Candidates, but notes that the competition is fierce. Anand's own career has been marked by several slumps, including a severe crisis in 2011 and 2012. However, he's always managed to bounce back, and he's confident that Gukesh and Erigaisi will do the same. As he puts it, 'it's not a crisis as such, it's the nature of the game.' With time and experience, Anand believes that the young guns will find their moment of inspiration and return to their winning ways.