New Delhi (PTI): Viswanathan Anand, who has been awarded the chess Oscar for the fifth time, said the honour is a nice reminder of the year which was spent "beautifully".

"It's a bit delayed feeling because you get it a bit later than other recognitions. I didn't dwell much on it but it is a good feeling to remember the beautiful year which is already over six months ago," Anand said.

"It is actually icing on the cake," said Anand, who had a spectacular 2007 becoming the undisputed World Champion, the world number one besides reclaiming the ELO 2800 mark.

Anand had also received the Chess Oscar award in 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2004.

The award is given to the best chess player every year and the winner is decided by a poll of chess experts, including Grandmasters, across the world. It is coordinated by the Russian chess magazine 64.

Anand also disclosed how he had almost given up on becoming world number one last year.

"For a moment I had given up on reaching number one last year. I had to be 30 points ahead of Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria which not only meant I had to earn but that he had to lose. There was a difference of 5 to 35 points.

"But things started falling in place unexpectedly. so it was a very special year," he said.

He also shared his feelings on his first loss after all the glory.

"There was a cold shower when I lost my first game in the Wijk Aan Zee and then I drew some 5-6 games after a gap of couple of months. So it is very important to have memories and experience and the feel of the tension of the big chess events," he said.