New Delhi, March 16 Legendary chess player Viswanathan Anand has said that young Indian grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa "may have slowed down a bit" in the lead-up to the FIDE Candidates tournament, but will be mentally prepared for the challenge.
Eight leading players in the Open category will compete for top honors when the Candidates tournament begins in Cyprus on March 28, with the winner earning the right to challenge reigning world champion D. Gukesh for the world title later this year.
Anand, who is also the vice-president of FIDE, indicated that Praggnanandhaa – the only Indian in the men's section – will face stiff competition from the likes of Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, adding that predicting the eventual winner would be difficult.
Asked who his personal favorite was, Anand said that several players intrigued him.
"He's (Praggnanandhaa) experienced, but at the same time, he looks very motivated. He has slowed down a little bit in the last few months, but maybe mentally, he is already peaking and getting ready for the Candidates," Anand said on FIDE's YouTube channel.
He felt that one among the likes of Caruana, Nakamura, and Anish Giri had a strong chance of winning the Candidates and earning the right to challenge Gukesh.
"I think Fabi (Fabiano), Hikaru (Nakamura), Anish (Giri)... you know, this is their time, so they will have that feeling going into it that this is a chance to grab... and there will also be some wildcard entries. But I can't for the life of me get around to predicting someone," said Anand, the five-time former world champion.
Cyprus as the venue has been in the news due to its proximity to the evolving Gulf conflict. Three Indian players are set to compete in the women's section of the FIDE Women's Candidates tournament to challenge reigning champion Ju Wenjun for the world crown.
Indian stalwart Koneru Humpy is reportedly considering withdrawing from the event due to security concerns arising due to the Gulf conflict.
In the context of the competition, Anand said FIDE always tries to find the best possible venues for its marquee events, adding that Cyprus would provide an amazing backdrop for such a high-level tournament.
"FIDE tries to first find a good, high-quality venue, and I think we've succeeded in that. Cyprus will be a very good venue, and I think the location is going to be amazing. We also try to keep the players informed," said Anand.
"It's just a tournament in the end. Once you're told when to go and where to go, you block that in your mind... I think everything has been settled four months in advance, and I'm looking forward to it," said Anand.