Norway’s Magnus Carlsen defends world chess crown in Sochi

The Norwegian wunderkind, Magnus Carlsen, has defended his World Chess Championship title after defeating Vishy Anand of India in 11th game of their match in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Sunday’s win gave Carlsen, 23, an unassailable lead in the match of 6 1/2 to 4 1/2, rendering the planned 12th and final game unnecessary.

The Norwegian has beaten Anand, 44, for the chess crown for the second year in a row, with his first success coming in Chennai, India in November 2013, by the score of 6 1/2 to 3 1/2.

Carlsen and Anand agreed to a draw in game 10 of the match in Sochi on Friday before going into Sunday’s battle.

Leading Anand 5 1/2 points to 4 1/2, Carlsen knew he had to make Sunday’s game count, or face a nerve-wracking final game with the black pieces.

Anand, rated 6th in the world, had good chances in Game 11, but faltered in a complicated queenless middlegame. A risky exchange sacrifice of rook for bishop was brutally refuted by Carlsen, who soon forced a technically winning endgame.


Anand beat seven of the world’s top grandmasters in the Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia in March, to qualify for the World Championship match in Sochi.

The Chess World Championship is the third major sporting event taking place in Sochi this year as the city successfully hosted the Winter Olympics in February and Russia’s maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix in October.