I'm becoming my worst enemy: Vishwanathan Anand

Struggling for consistency, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on Tuesday said he is becoming "my own worst enemy". Anand missed Grand Chess Tour Finals by just 1.5 points, getting eliminated after managing just one point in last five games of Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz tournament that concluded here on Tuesday. "I've words to describe. I would give myself a chance and n I would become my own worst enemy. That probably bugs me. If I had chance n it would have been nice actually," Anand said after tournament.

biggest heartbreak came in round 15 when former Blitz king lost to Dutch number one, Anish Giri, from a winning position and saw his flag fall in front of crestfallen spectators at National Library Auditorium. Such was despair that Anand remembered veteran John Cleese's dialogue from 1986 movie Clockwise where British actor says: "It's t despair, Laura. I can take despair. It's hope I can't stand."

"I'm okay with failure but it's hope that's killing me. This is what I was doing today. I kept giving myself a chance and n I destroyed myself. "It ( game against Anish) was probably final straw. I was just winning. I forgot about clock. If I won game, I was back in contention. I was my worst enemy," he rued.

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" joy of being a far is most important"

In such troubled times, Indian wizard found solace from his son Akhil's dance performances at school. "Almost whole year, I've been struggling to put up any kind of stability and consistency. good news is my son got second prize in school dance competition so that's most important thing right w. joy of being a far. "I was at home when he was practicing for his competition. He took it very seriously, putting soundtrack and would steps. It paid off."

Anand, who had finished third in penultimate leg in Bucharest, concluded with a seventh-place finish. Anand had earlier missed ticket for next year's Candidates. "This year has been tough. nice thing when you come to end of year you tend to forget everything and kind of wipe slate. Hopefully, I can look forward to next year," Anand, who turns 50 next month, said.

READ: Anand Has Ar Mixed Day, Carlsen Extends Lead

"Number one is where I belong"

"Right w I've to think about why things are going so wrong. Try to be better next year," he said. Reigning world champions Magnus Carlsen finished tournament with a whopping 27 points and broke his own record in Grand chess tour, bettering his 26.5 points scored at Abidjan, Ivory Coast earlier this year. "I knew before today that I needed to score points to regain world number one spot in Blitz. I think I'm second w -- that's a bit less disastrous than being fifth. But in long run, being number one is what it counts where I feel like I belong," rwegian said.