‘Unfortunate things happening’: Erigaisi explains Vishwanathan Anand’s poor GCL run
Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand is experiencing a difficult run at the 2026 Global Chess League (GCL), remaining winless with five defeats from seven games, despite his team, Alaskan Knights, winning a recent match. Fellow Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi attributes Anand's losses to 'unfortunate things' in final moments rather than being outplayed, emphasizing his continued high-level play at 56.
Why it matters
This article provides insight into the performance of a chess icon and the challenges faced by older athletes in highly competitive fields, offering a perspective on sportsmanship and resilience.
BENGALURU: It was a different day, a different set of fixtures and a different proposition for each team looking to seal a top-two berth. But what remained the same was Viswanathan Anand’s miserable run at the 2026 Global Chess League (GCL) on Wednesday at The Lalit Ashok Hotel. This time, the defeat came against veteran Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who had White pieces.Although Anand’s side, Alaskan Knights, ended up winning the match against MVL’s Mumba Masters, the Indian legend, still winless with five defeats from seven games, has endured a complicated outing despite producing competitive performances and showing glimpses of brilliance on the "Icon" board against some of the strongest players in the field.After the match, fellow Indian Grandmaster and Anand's teammate Arjun Erigaisi spoke to the media about the veteran's difficult run and why his results do not tell the whole story.Asked about Anand’s recent lack of form on the…
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