Chess wizard Viswanathan Anand turns 50

Kolkata: Indian chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand during Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Blitz 2019 in Kolkata on Nov 22, 2019. (Photo: IANS)


India’s chess legend and winner of five world titles Viswanathan Anand turned 50 on Wednesday.

The Chennai-born chess ace is celebrating the day with his family.

He had posted a picture of himself and his son Akhil on Twitter and wrote: “Partners in crime! Yes there’s cake tomorrow!”

A book “Mind Master”, penned by Anand along with sports writer Susan Ninan is being released to coincide with his birthday.

Anand, India’s torchbearer in chess and the country’s first-ever Grand Master, has inspired a legion of players including the city-based R Praggnanandhaa.

Anand won the World Chess Championship for the first time in 2000. He won the World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017.