14 July,2011 09:52 AM IST | | IANS
Viswanathan Anand is obviously excited at the prospects of playing a World Championship title match in his home town here next year when he faces challenger Boris Gelfand, Grandmaster from Israel who is currently 12 in World rankings.
Viswanathan Anand
"I have been looking to play the match in Chennai. It is nice that Chennai is hosting a World Championship match," said Grandmaster Anand yesterday after Tamil Nadu government offered support for the 12-match series in April-May next year.
"Obviously, it is an individual's responsibility and once I start planning and training, I need to be focused to play Boris Gelfand," said Anand, who last played a World Championship match here in 1991 when he defeated Alexey Dreev 5-4 in a Candidates tournament quarter-final.
Anand, who beat Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria in 2010 to claim the World title, said he would soon begin his preparations for the next year's match.
"Once the FIDE (World Chess Federation) announces the schedule and timing of matches, I will start planning. As I said, I am really thrilled to be playing in Chennai. I will have to work extremely hard," he said.
