The Asian continental champion thanks Anand

Last month the Indian GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly won the Asian continental chess championship in the Philippines and qualified for the World Cup 2009 in Khanty Mansiysk. In a very difficult field GM Ganguly proved why the World Champion Vishwanathan Anand chose him for his second for the match against Vladimir Kramnik.

Ganguly referred exactly to this fact in a recent interview for The Hindu. “I gained the insight and confidence of winning in a big stage by seeing Anand’s games from close,” said the Indian GM. “Being Anand’s second gave me the chance to see how champions play and prepare at the highest level. That helped in reshaping my approach to chess.”

Ganguly said he faced the biggest challenge in the penultimate round of the tournament when The Philippines’ GM Antonio Rogelio Jr. offered to play a draw before the match. “I was focused on the title and so did not accept Antonio’s offer. I went for a straight win against him and succeeded in doing that,” he said.

Ganguly, who received a congratulation letter from Aruna Anand on behalf of Vishy Anand (who is busy with his match against Leko), said that the next events for him are in Canada in July and in Spain in September. Then he will take some time off to prepare for the World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk.