World chess title to be decided in tie-breaker

Moscow - The World Chess Championship title will go to a tie-break after defending champion Viswanathan Anand drew with Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in the 12th game at Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery here on Monday.

The players shook hands after the 22nd move by Anand, who playing as white. Tied 6-6 after the best-of-twelve series, the Grandmasters are to hold the tie-breaker on Wednesday, playing four matches with a shortened time limit of 60 minutes per player.

If that fails to determine a winner, the next stage is Armageddon, whereby the white gets five minutes while black gets just four but is named the winner in the event of a draw.

Regardless of how the result is decided, the winner will receive $1.5 million, while the loser will earn $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 become the world title contender 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 before the eyes of some 400 spectators.

Many others follow the matches on the huge electronic board hanging outside.