user2429: First of all, congratulations to Viswanathan Anand for winning the Candidates 2014 tournament and qualifying for a rematch with Magnus Carlsen later this year! 
I saw this interesting gesture made by Anand towards Karjakin after their game in the Candidates 2014 tournament (video here at 5:42:54). Anand just needed a draw to win the tournament and qualify for the World Championship, but Karjakin dragged the game for a whole 90 moves, making Anand patiently work and wait for the result. After Karjakin finally accepted the draw, Anand made a joking gesture as though he was going to attack Karjakin. 

It seems to me that chess players can be often thought of as "too serious", but World Champions like Anand have helped change the outlook on that. 
Which other World Champions in chess history had a jolly personality like Anand? Or is Anand unique in that regard?   

user3007: Magnus Carlsen looks jolly to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY27lgnPKWI

user3357: OK, the only World Champion I can name for being jolly besides already mentioned Mikhail Tal is probably Vladimir Kramnik, who is always a pleasure to listen to in interviews, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCURWc4tlYQ
If your counting the FIDE world champions then Ruslan Ponomariov springs to mind, 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSirU4aJbKU
NOT world champions, but some top Grandmaster's who are very jolly
Levon Aronian is known for being an exceptionally nice fellow, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoAfCInRTqY
Boris Gelfand is also very jolly, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glHKPCYfxus
Vassily Ivanchuk also known for being jolly, if a little eccentric, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prsnlyfv4kQ, here he is dancing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_R1lUsiFdg

user749: Ah. I somehow missed that during live relay. Thanks for sharing.
Mikhail Tal comes to mind based on his Life and Games. He mentioned about 'forgetting' to stop his clock during tournament games for the sake of his time troubled opponents. 
I don't know how many of us mere mortals could consider doing that. He must have been a jolly good fellow.

2429: <p>First of all, congratulations to Viswanathan Anand for winning the Candidates 2014 tournament and qualifying for a rematch with Magnus Carlsen later this year! </p>

<p>I saw this interesting gesture made by Anand towards Karjakin after their game in the Candidates 2014 tournament (video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab2trGXekwc&amp;list=PLuSxF13JFumcREcww69-6ChtNjLepmQ79" rel="noreferrer">here</a> at 5:42:54). Anand just needed a draw to win the tournament and qualify for the World Championship, but Karjakin dragged the game for a whole 90 moves, making Anand patiently work and wait for the result. After Karjakin finally accepted the draw, Anand made a joking gesture as though he was going to attack Karjakin. </p>

<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/OXZUJ.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>It seems to me that chess players can be often thought of as "<strong>too serious</strong>", but World Champions like Anand have helped change the outlook on that. </p>

<p>Which other World Champions in chess history had a jolly personality like Anand? Or is Anand unique in that regard?   </p>
 3007: <p>Magnus Carlsen looks jolly to me.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY27lgnPKWI" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY27lgnPKWI</a></p>
 3357: <p>OK, the only World Champion I can name for being jolly besides already mentioned Mikhail Tal is probably Vladimir Kramnik, who is always a pleasure to listen to in interviews, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCURWc4tlYQ" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCURWc4tlYQ</a></p>

<p>If your counting the FIDE world champions then Ruslan Ponomariov springs to mind, 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSirU4aJbKU" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSirU4aJbKU</a></p>

<p>NOT world champions, but some top Grandmaster's who are very jolly</p>

<p>Levon Aronian is known for being an exceptionally nice fellow, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoAfCInRTqY" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoAfCInRTqY</a></p>

<p>Boris Gelfand is also very jolly, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glHKPCYfxus" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glHKPCYfxus</a></p>

<p>Vassily Ivanchuk also known for being jolly, if a little eccentric, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prsnlyfv4kQ" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prsnlyfv4kQ</a>, here he is dancing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_R1lUsiFdg" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_R1lUsiFdg</a></p>
 749: <p>Ah. I somehow missed that during live relay. Thanks for sharing.</p>

<p>Mikhail Tal comes to mind based on his <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13674.Life_Games_of_Mikhail_Tal">Life and Games</a>. He mentioned about 'forgetting' to stop his clock during tournament games for the sake of his time troubled opponents. </p>

<p>I don't know how many of us mere mortals could consider doing that. He must have been a jolly good fellow.</p>
