Narendra Modi wishes Viswanathan Anand ahead of World Chess Championship re-match

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will start as the underdog but has the backing of the chess world this time to put up a better show in the re-match for the World Chess Championship against Magnus Carlsen that starts in Sochi, Russia on Friday.

New Delhi: Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will start as the underdog but has the backing of the chess world this time to put up a better show in the re-match for the World Chess Championship against Magnus Carlsen that starts in Sochi, Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too conveyed his best wishes to Anand ahead of his re-match through his official account on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Good Luck Vishy! Conveying my best wishes to our pride, Viswanathan Anand for the World Chess Championship in Sochi. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2014

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of FIDE had in fact even invited Mr. Modi, for the opening ceremony and the "first move" of World Championship when the announcement of this re-match was made. Other invitees include Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway and all World Champions.

The World Championship Match will take place between 7th and 27th of November.

The Nordic prodigy beat then World Champion Anand 6.5 to 3.5 after ten of the twelve scheduled games in Chennai to be crowned the new champion in 2013.

Anand became the challenger after he won the 2014 Candidates Tournament that was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, from 13 March to 31 March.