It has been a long wait to be the World Number One. From 1995 onwards, I was either number two or three. In 2005 and 2006, I was very close on many occasions to becoming the number one. Turin was a disaster last year which cost me a lot of points.
When this year started after Wijk Aan Zee, I was 15 points behind Topalov. So I didn't even think about the number one slot. And it happened when I was least expecting it. All the times when I was one or two points behind him, it did not happen. I didn't go to Linares expecting a great result. I was actually looking forward to playing later in Mexico, one of my favourite countries. We like the place, food and people.
At Linares, it was only in the 10th round I took the lead from Carlsson. Then there were only four rounds left and I kept going from round to round. It worked well. In fact, I was the most stable participant.
Finally the world number one happened in a funny way. The previous day, Topalov lost to Morosovich. I would have become number one even if I had lost on the last day, or Carlsson won on the last day. But I would not have won Linares. Quite a complicated number game! So the main thing for me then was Linares because world number one was not something that happened on the chess board.
It is the sum of a lot of points. So, the previous day, we did not even mention the World Number One title.
Part 1: Vishy Anand, as never before!
The next day, I was going to play Ivanchuk and that was the main thing. I drew with Ivanchuk and I knew I had won Linares at least on tie-break. But I became the sole winner.
Though I had become the World Number One the previous night, we pretended that it had not happened.
When I received the trophy in the closing ceremony at Linares, I really enjoyed the moment because I had also become the World Number One.
Part 2: From Chennai chess player to Grandmaster
All the players came and congratulated me. Leko said something very sweet. He asked, 'So you are number one?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Okay, it was a long time coming. I am glad it happened.'
For many, many years, if I look back, I will remember Linares 2007 with fondness. It is nice to stay at number one for a long time but I cannot do it again. That moment is special.
I cannot become a GM again for the first time. I cannot become a world junior champion for the first time. Those first moments are always special for a player.
Maybe it is time for me to enjoy the game. After being at the top for so long, it is satisfying to keep up your results and enjoy the game without feeling the pressure.
Within a week, I had to go and play at Monaco. So, only in April, could I sit back, reflect and enjoy the World Number One position. It was again funny. On April 1, all that tamasha happened. Suddenly Linares was not rated and Topalov still remained number one. I had this uneasy feeling earlier that something of that sort would happen, a kind of premonition. Anyway, I played my game at Monaco without thinking about it.
By then, FIDE agreed to rate Linares under pressure and I became the World Number One officially. So I had no time to feel disappointed.
It is very satisfying and that day you are on air but then life goes on.
There is no question about it; it is nice to be number one. When you see your name again and again on the top and when everyday somebody reminds you, it is a nice feeling. I am enjoying it!
My dream was always to become a world champion, but I was not sure then whether it was possible or not. But the dream has become a reality now.
Image: Anand with the Padma Bhushan. Photograph: Sreeram Selvaraj
My son, the world champion
Advertisement
