Anand fails to get past Gelfand

Title to be decided in tie-breaker

Defending champion Viswanathan Anand was stretched to the tie-breaker of the World Chess Championship by his Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand following a draw in the 12th and final game here on Monday.

The tenth draw in the 12-game match ensured that the Israeli stays in the match with honours even and now it will be a high-voltage drama in the rapid games to be played at the State Tretyakov Gallery on Wednesday.

Anand started as an overwhelming favourite in the match. But the Indian Grandmaster could only force one victory in 12 games and lost one. This is indication enough that the first round has been won by the Israeli.  

In the rapid chess, Anand will have to score 2.5 points in the four games scheduled on Wednesday. There will be 25 minutes to each player in this contest with a 10-second addition after every move is played. If the scores are still tied after these four games, there will be two more games with blitz chess rules. Should the tie persist, there are five such blitz matches to be played.  

If the deadlock still continues, there will be an Armageddon game with five minutes to white and four to black and black wins the title in case of a draw also.  The 12th game had anxious moments at the start. Anand showed better preparation as white this time in the Rossolimo Sicilian that he had also employed in the 10th game of the match.  In the middle game, Gelfand had the  Bishop pair to compensate for his material deficit and even as Anand tried to build on, there was little hope in the position. The world champion proposed the draw after his 22nd move and Gelfand had no reason to continue.

The moves: Anand vs Gelfand: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d3 Ne7 6. b3 d6 7. e5 Ng6 8. h4 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Nd2 c4 11. Nxc4 Ba6 12. Qf3 Qd5 13. Qxd5 cxd5 14. Nxe5 f6 15. Nf3 e5 16. O-O Kf7 17. c4 Be7 18. Be3 Bb7 19. cxd5 Bxd5 20. Rfc1 a5 21. Bc5 Rhd8 22. Bxe7. game drawn