Pragyananand has potential to become world champion - Viswanathan Anand

New Delhi. Indian chess grandmaster and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has heaped praise on young grandmaster Rameshbabu Pragyan...

New Delhi. Indian chess grandmaster and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has heaped praise on young grandmaster Rameshbabu Pragyanandanand, who recently became popular overnight after defeating world champion Magnus Carlsen. He said that young chess genius Pragyanand has the potential to become a world champion.

Anand said that he is happy to see players like Pragyanandanand and other young chess players doing well at the international level. At the age of 16 Pragyanand became the youngest chess player to defeat Carlsen. Kishore became the third Indian after chess prodigies Anand and P Harikrishna to defeat Carlsen.

Anand, who became India's first Grandmaster in 1988, said that Pragyananand is a very talented player and if he keeps on improving his game, he can become a big name. Anand said, defeating a player like Magnus Carlsen is a big deal. Pragyananand has done this because he has talent. Many players like him have the potential to make India proud in the world.

52-year-old Anand, working in a chess academy, extended his hand to teach five of the country's most promising players, including Pragyananand.

- KTP Bureau