Chennai: Five-time title-holder Viswanathan Anand’s reign as the world champion came to a heart-breaking end on Friday with Norway’s Magnus Carlsen taking the crown after a hard-fought draw in the 10th game of the World Chess Championship match.
Carlsen, who will be 23 years old on November 30, closed the championship with two games to spare by taking his tally to the required 6.5 points out of a possible ten, winning three and drawing seven games.
In what could be marked as the dawn of a new era in the chess world, Carlsen showed stellar effort yet again by not going for a tame draw when one was enough for him to take the title home.
Instead, the Norwegian made Anand suffer for a long and gruelling four hours and forty five minutes before the Indian could heave a sigh of relief in what was the most one-sided world championship match in modern history.
Anand had won the world championship title five times – 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 – but was dethroned in his home town of Chennai.
In a dubious first, this was the only time that Anand failed to win a single game in a world championship match.
Starting with his journey in 1991, Anand had always scored at least one victory in each of the match that he played in the last 22 years.
Carlsen was in his element right through the 10th game, getting what he wanted out of the opening and then pursuing on his favourite mission of grinding out an opponent.
Anand this time did not collapse and came up with fantastic defensive play that he is known for to steer the game to a draw.
“The fifth game was a heady blow,” said Anand of one of the games he lost.
“I had really hoped not to be afraid of him in the long games and simply to try and match him. It was not to be. After that it got worse and worse. Yesterday at least it was a nice game and today again…I guess when it rains it pours,” a disappointed Anand said at the post-match press conference.
Asked about his future plans and his comeback, Anand said he would think about it later.
The new champion said Anand crumbled under pressure.
“I would like to take some responsibility for his mistakes that’s for sure. People crack under pressure even in the World Championship,” Carlsen said.
“That’s what the history shows. The blunders that he made are not the mistakes he usually makes. This is what I really wanted to do, make him sit at the board and play for a long time.” (PTI)
