Chess helps children improve at academics, says World Champion Vishy Anand

Hi Everyone,

World Champion Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand says chess helps children improve at academics. The World Champion also said chess must be introduced at the junior level in schools. Anand added, chess helps build concentration and helps students strategise more.

Meanwhile, Anand is taking a break from chess, after defending the world title. He's watching the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup on the television every day! And, he's rooting for Spain because it's his "second home". You can read the full interview with Anand here.

And, speaking of Anand, here is the last and final game from Anand and Topalov's World Championship Match just a few weeks ago. Do you remember it? Possibly, the 34. ... Qe8 will go down as the most well-known Queen retreat in modern chess history!

You can run it in our pgnplayer or watch it in the flash below.

PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Be2 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O b6 14. Bd3 c5 15. Be4 Rb8 16. Qc2 Nf6 17. dxc5 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 bxc5 19. Qc2 Bb7 20. Nd2 Rfd8 21. f3 Ba6 22. Rf2 Rd7 23. g3 Rbd8 24. Kg2 Bd3 25. Qc1 Ba6 26. Ra3 Bb7 27. Nb3 Rc7 28. Na5 Ba8 29. Nc4 e5 30. e4 f5 31. exf5 e4 32. fxe4 Qxe4+ 33. Kh3 Rd4 34. Ne3 Qe8 35. g4 h5 36. Kh4 g5+ 37. fxg6 Qxg6 38. Qf1 Rxg4+ 39. Kh3 Re7 40. Rf8+ Kg7 41. Nf5+ Kh7 42. Rg3 Rxg3+ 43. hxg3 Qg4+ 44. Kh2 Re2+ 45. Kg1 Rg2+ 46. Qxg2 Bxg2 47. Kxg2 Qe2+ 48. Kh3 c4 49. a4 a5 50. Rf6 Kg8 51. Nh6+ Kg7 52. Rb6 Qe4 53. Kh2 Kh7 54. Rd6 Qe5 55. Nf7 Qxb2+ 56. Kh3 Qg7 0-1

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com