Within the next few hours, the world’s highest rated player, Magnus Carlsen (Norway), will make his first move against five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand and the Battle Royale will begin. The players have been preparing for this moment for months and must have taken tremendous efforts in order to overcome their mighty opponent.

Intense pressure
The World Championship match is an energy draining exercise. It goes on for days and the players, their seconds (trainers) and relatives are under pressure throughout the duration. Someone not familiar with chess may think that this is equivalent to a busy day in office. But it is not so!

See what former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik, who played many world championships from 1948 to 1963, had to say. The legend said that he felt that each world championship match shortened his life by 10 years. But he added in the same breath, “Which player will not gladly give up 10 years for a chance to grab the World title?”