Pragg has been amazing this year, says Anand

Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand feels R. Praggnanandhaa has made a singular turnaround this year, showcasing “technical excellence” arsenic good arsenic beardown “psychological resilience.”

Anand, speaking connected the sidelines astatine an lawsuit wherever helium was honoured with the Super Chennai-Icon of the Month award, besides shared his thoughts connected reigning champion D. Gukesh’s dip successful signifier and R. Vaishali’s Candidates qualification.

“Praggnanandhaa has been astonishing this year,” Anand said. “Everything is coming together... his mentation is top-tier, and psychologically, he’s competing and pushing hard. It’s a operation of factors that are moving well.

“He did conflict a spot successful Tashkent but his attack to each crippled — the calculated risks helium takes, lucifer strategy and however helium adjusts to each hostile — has improved.”

Shifting his absorption to Gukesh, the 55-year-old admitted that the 19-year-old was going done a unsmooth spot and called it a learning curve. “He’s surely having a bumpy tally astatine the moment. I was optimistic aft Norway, but it’s been a spot tougher since then. At this level, you either play good oregon you don’t — that’s all. Gukesh is adjusting, learning, and adapting to the pressures of being the World champion. That, successful itself, is simply a caller and demanding experience.”

What has impressed Anand the astir astir Gukesh is the mindset and willingness to support fighting. “I truly admit the information that he’s not hiding from caller challenges. He’s continuing to propulsion himself and that’s what matters. He has a full twelvemonth up to prepare, amended and support his crown. His existent signifier volition not specify wherever helium volition beryllium adjacent year.

About Vaishali, who won the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand recently, Anand said: “She made a singular betterment aft the tourney successful Chennai. I deliberation she felt much relaxed and free. Sometimes, erstwhile the unit is off, you conscionable commencement playing better... that’s precisely what happened with her. It was a fantastic effect and qualifying for the Candidates is simply a large achievement.”