In an era dominated by powerful chess engines and an overwhelming flow of computer-generated analysis, five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand believes that deep understanding — not mere access to data — is the defining factor in modern chess excellence.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a three-day chess workshop on Thursday, Anand reflected on how the game has evolved alongside technology. “Funnily enough, the more that is available for you to know, the less you can know. If every day you're subjected to 20 or 30 new conclusions, how do you make sense of it? I believe that the only thing that separates chess players today is deep understanding,” he said.

Drawing parallels to his own experience adapting to computer preparation many years ago, Anand noted that while openness to new ideas is important, it is the ability to grasp fine details that elevates a player’s performance. He emphasised that mastery in chess is rooted more in pattern recognition than in rote memorisation of moves or opening theory.

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Having played between 6,000 and 7,000 competitive games over his career, Anand explained that the human brain subconsciously absorbs and connects patterns from countless encounters — including games played by others. “Our brain puts together a lot more patterns than we are able to explain,” he said, adding that new ideas often surface weeks later without a player realising they are drawing from something previously seen.

Comparing chess to learning a language, Anand argued that theoretical knowledge alone is insufficient. “You have to develop that feeling, just like a language you cannot learn only from dictionaries; you learn it by speaking it,” he remarked. He described theoretical ideas as “material ingredients”, with the real creativity unfolding during the actual “cooking” of a game.

The event also marked the launch of Anand’s book, Lightning Kid, published in association with the Velammal Education Trust, which is organising the masterclass from February 12 to 14. Anand also supported efforts to expand chess beyond Chennai to cities such as Madurai, Salem and Coimbatore. Several prominent players, including Praggnanandhaa R, Vaishali R, Gukesh Dommaraju, Varshini S and Murali Karthikeyan — all Velammal alumni — highlight the region’s growing prominence in Indian chess.

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