World Chess Championship Seconds: Anand's fresh approach without Kasimdzhanov, Nielsen

World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand will go into the World Chess Championship 2013 without two of his main team members: Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan and Peter Heine Nielsen of Denmark.

Rustam Kasidzhanov was World Champion Viswanathan Anand’s second for the successful World Chess Championships of October 2008 against Vladimir Kramnik, April-May 2010 against Veselin Topalov and May 2012 against Boris Gelfand.

Peter Heine Nielsen worked with World Champion Viswanathan Anand from 2002-2012 which covered the World Championships in Mexico 2007, Bonn 2008, Sofia 2010 and Moscow 2012. Nielsen coached World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in 2013 and Carlsen won the Candidates in London to earn the right to challenge Vishy Anand for his forthcoming title match in Chennai this November. Nielsen also coached Carlsen in Khanty-Mansiysk 2005 when Carlsen became the youngest-ever chess player to qualify for the Candidate matches. Nielsen also worked with Carlsen in 2007 for Wijk aan Zee.

Here are all the quotes about how the situation has come about with Anand preparing for the upcoming World Chess Championship 2013 with a new team.

Rustam Kasimdzhanov on the sidelines of the Zug Grand Prix

– During my work with Anand our relations were kind of intense. But after the match we came to a decision to have a sort of rest from each other. Maybe Anand needed rest from my company even more than me.

– I think three World championship matches are enough for me. They were all very tough – one tougher than the other. At the end, I think I deserved some rest (smiles).

World No. 1 Carlsen’s manager Espen Agdestein to Norwegian journalists

– We cannot use Peter after he has worked so long with Anand. That would not be good, morally, even if there are no problems legally. Peter is therefore not going to work with us in preparation (for the World Chess Championship 2013 match) if Magnus qualifies as World Championship challenger.

– Magnus plays best when he has lots of energy and desire to gamble. Therefore, we do not want to change his routines too much.At the same time Magnus will improve his openings for the Candidates, and here Peter will help him.

– We are pleased to have Peter Heine on the team, he knows the Scandinavian mentality.

Peter Heine Nielsen quoted in Chessbase

– Its been ten fantastic years with Team Vishy, culminating in four consecutive World Championship titles.

Aruna, Anand’s wife and manager, quoted in Times of India

– He is preparing for the match with his team outside Chennai. You will come to know about it only when the match starts. It’s not that they left. Nielsen is working with a different person now and Kasim has moved on. They are still Anand’s close friends and well-wishers. Chess theory moves faster. And January’s ideas could become redundant in June. It’s constantly evolving. Having said that, it’s no secret that when you train together you share an intimate relationship. You get closer to the person and his mental make-up.