Moscow, May 30 (IANS) Defending champion Vishwanathan Anand of India clinched the World Chess Championship title for the fifth time here Wednesday defeating Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in a rapid-chess tie-breaker.
Anand sealed his fourth-consecutive world title beating Gelfand 2.5-1.5 in the four-match tie breaker at Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery.
The tournament went into the tie-breakers after Anand and Gelfand drew the 12th game, Monday. They were tied 6-6 after the final round.
Anand will receive $1.5 million, while challenger Gelfand bags $1 million.
Anand, 42, has held the undisputed World Chess Champion title since October 2008, when he defeated Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik in Bonn, Germany. He defended his title in 2009 by beating Bulgarian opponent Veselin Topalov 6.5-5.5 in Sofia.
Gelfand, 43, gained the right to be contender for the world title after a win last May against Russia’s Alexander Grischuk at a contenders’ tournament in Kazan, Russia.
Russian billionaire and Gelfand’s school friend Andrey Filatov paid $7 million from his own pocket to hold the event in one of the halls of the renowned State Tretyakov Gallery.
