--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was very lucky that while I was a chess…" description: "\"I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a country where chess was not a big deal, I happened to be in the one city where there was a sprout..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg" --- # I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a… ![“I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a country where chess was not a big deal, I happened to be in the one city where there was a sprouting chess team: Chennai.” quote by Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg) > “I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a country where chess was not a big deal, I happened to be in the one city where there was a sprouting chess team: Chennai.” [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opportunity and environment shape talent development; being in the right place can spark growth. **In simple terms:** Being in a supportive environment helps talent flourish. Key Takeaway Seek supportive communities. Themes talent environment opportunity growth Mood optimistic inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - joining clubs - finding mentors - relocating for better training - networking Key Concepts psychology social influence skill development Questions to Reflect On - How does your environment affect your growth? - What steps can you take to improve it? A Different Perspective Talent can also thrive despite adverse environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Chess Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess-team-393724/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Lucky Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky-chess-4486013/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Sprouting Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sprouting-chess-4486012/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Team Chennai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team-chennai-4486014/) ## Related quotes > [In high school, my sister went out with the captain of the chess team. My parents loved him... They figured that any guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kiley/in-high-school-my-sister-went-out-with-the-captain-of-the-chess-team/) [Brian Kiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kiley/) > [I failed to make the chess team because of my height.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-failed-to-make-the-chess-team-because-of-my-height/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I don't know if people know this but I am pretty good at chess. I was always on the chess team at school when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-don-t-know-if-people-know-this-but-i-am-pretty-good-at-chess-i-was/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [The correct way to play chess is to develop each and every piece (chess is a team game!), get your King safely castled, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-silman/the-correct-way-to-play-chess-is-to-develop-each-and-every-piece/) [Jeremy Silman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-silman/) > [In Gujarat, we had the world record of largest number of chess games in a single venue - 20,500 - and in Tamil Nadu,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/in-gujarat-we-had-the-world-record-of-largest-number-of-chess-games/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I think the draw quotient has always been high in world championship matches because the amount of effort people put into neutralizing each other's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-think-the-draw-quotient-has-always-been-high-in-world-championship/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Intuition in chess can be defined as the first move that comes to mind when you see a position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/intuition-in-chess-can-be-defined-as-the-first-move-that-comes-to/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Chess has given me a lot more than I could ask for. I have been able to feel special, travel the world and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/chess-has-given-me-a-lot-more-than-i-could-ask-for-i-have-been-able/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I was reasonably interested in mathematics in school. Typically what happens is... when you start playing chess, it takes up a lot of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-reasonably-interested-in-mathematics-in-school-typically-what/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Confidence is very important - even pretending to be Confident. If you make a Mistake but do not let your Opponent see what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/confidence-is-very-important-even-pretending-to-be-confident-if-you/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [For me, chess is not a profession, it is a way of life, a passion. People may feel that I have conquered the peak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/for-me-chess-is-not-a-profession-it-is-a-way-of-life-a-passion-people/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I would never suggest to anyone that they drop school for chess. First of all even if you can make it in chess, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-would-never-suggest-to-anyone-that-they-drop-school-for-chess-first/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/my-parents-were-very-supportive-of-my-chess-when-i-got-home-after-a/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) ## More by Viswanathan Anand > [My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/my-parents-were-very-supportive-of-my-chess-when-i-got-home-after-a/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Preparedness for a game that usually lasts four-five hours requires good physical condition and also steady nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/preparedness-for-a-game-that-usually-lasts-four-five-hours-requires/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I would never suggest to anyone that they drop school for chess. First of all even if you can make it in chess, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-would-never-suggest-to-anyone-that-they-drop-school-for-chess-first/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Just before a game, I try to keep a clear mind so that I can focus better. I'm the kind of person who plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/just-before-a-game-i-try-to-keep-a-clear-mind-so-that-i-can-focus/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [You need to motivate yourself, no matter what-definitely when things are bad, but also when things are good. Or else, you risk becoming complacent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/you-need-to-motivate-yourself-no-matter-what-definitely-when-things/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Each match I approach like a new one. The work is so immense that you don't have time to sit and ponder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/each-match-i-approach-like-a-new-one-the-work-is-so-immense-that-you/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [For me, chess is not a profession, it is a way of life, a passion. People may feel that I have conquered the peak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/for-me-chess-is-not-a-profession-it-is-a-way-of-life-a-passion-people/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Before a game, I avoid having a heavy meal so that I don't feel sleepy at the board. You eat to be healthy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/before-a-game-i-avoid-having-a-heavy-meal-so-that-i-don-t-feel-sleepy/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I personally prefer long-distance walking, but we are talking about pre-tournament preparation. During a tournament I make do with walking, mainly to concentrate before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-personally-prefer-long-distance-walking-but-we-are-talking-about/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Confidence is very important - even pretending to be Confident. If you make a Mistake but do not let your Opponent see what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/confidence-is-very-important-even-pretending-to-be-confident-if-you/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I feel that schools and corporates should help the government in popularising sports in the country. Blaming the government for every sporting debacle will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-feel-that-schools-and-corporates-should-help-the-government-in/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [I was reasonably interested in mathematics in school. Typically what happens is... when you start playing chess, it takes up a lot of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-reasonably-interested-in-mathematics-in-school-typically-what/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Chess has given me a lot more than I could ask for. I have been able to feel special, travel the world and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/chess-has-given-me-a-lot-more-than-i-could-ask-for-i-have-been-able/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Parents, first and foremost, it is important to... understand and recognise the activities your child is naturally gravitating towards. It's important also to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/parents-first-and-foremost-it-is-important-to-understand-and/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Intuition in chess can be defined as the first move that comes to mind when you see a position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/intuition-in-chess-can-be-defined-as-the-first-move-that-comes-to/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) [Explore all 74 Viswanathan Anand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) [Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a country where chess was not a big deal, I happened to be in the one city where there was a sprouting chess team: Chennai.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Viswanathan Anand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-chess-player-in-a-country-where/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-chess-player-in-a-country-where/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/viswanathan-anand-9268_big_i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-ches_2957276.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was very lucky that while I was a chess player in a country where chess was not a big deal, I happened to…” — Viswanathan Anand", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Viswanathan Anand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was very lucky that while...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-chess-player-in-a-country-where/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-was-very-lucky-that-while-i-was-a-chess-player-in-a-country-where/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```