Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand start their World Chess Championship 2012 match in a few days. In order to have their mind only on chess after the opening ceremony, they visited the playing hall to make sure everything is in order.
During the World Championship two years ago in Sofia Anand and Topalov inspected mostly the light and the chairs. At the time the two inspections were kept separate. This time Anand and Gelfand visited the Moscow venue together, performed the usual checks, and even sat behind the board(!) to get a taste of what is coming up in the next days.
First large photo report from the venue follows, enjoy! (find more photos in the Anand – Gelfand photo gallery)
Information: Anand Gelfand 2012 / World Chess Championship all news / Anand Gelfand live
Ананд – Гельфанд (руский) / Anand – Gelfand (Español)
Newsletter: Anand Gelfand 2012 newsletter
We officially present you the first close up photo of the chess set for the World Chess Championship 2012. Nothing fancy, a standard chess set letting the players concentrate on the moves.
This is the playing hall in the Tretyakov Gallery. The construction in the playing hall is in the final stages.
The last details being adjusted, note in the background the fine art that will meet the players and the audience
The scene is ready for WCC 2012 action, and Ilya Levitov is making sure everything is in order
Here comes the current World Champion Vishy Anand for the inspection of the playing hall
... with his wife and manager Aruna accompanying him as usual
Testing of the chair in action... a little up, a little down....
Levitov making sure Anand is comfortable
There comes Gelfand as well, greeting the organizers and his opponent's team
The chair is not that important for Gelfand, what matters is testing the chess set!
"Are we starting the match now?" an eager for the crown Gelfand asks
Anand says "Why not?" and the players try out how it would feel in just a few days
This is the press conference hall, from where we will be hearing daily from Anand and Gelfand their thoughts on the game
Anand tries out his first interview in Moscow, at the official TV and media place
And so does Gelfand, enjoying the last day before the official opening ceremony
All photos by E. Kublashvili
