Vini, Vidi, Vishy!

Congratulations to Anand!

This morning, 40-year old Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand successfully defended his world chess title by defeating challenger Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. The 12 game title match ended in a narrow 6.5-5.5 score after Anand won today's final game as black. This was the only game that the player of the black pieces won; white had already won four games--two by each participant. This title defense solidified Anand's status as the unified 15th World Champion, following a direct line from Fischer to Karpov to Kasparov to Kramnik and finally to Anand.

The final game seemed typical of the entire match. Playing white, Topalov achieved a pleasant middlegame out of the Queen's Gambit Declined opening. Knowing Anand's reputation in rapid and blitz games, Topalov couldn't afford to play a tiebreaker and had to find a way to win today, even risking defeat. Anand, defending patiently, saw his opportunity on move 30 and struck with a dangerous pawn sacrifice f7-f5! After 33... Rd4 and 34... Qe8, white's monarch was in grave danger, a complete reversal of how this match began in game 1. While Topalov escaped the mating web today, the attack cost him the queen. Game! Set! Match!

Final Standings: Anand 6.5 - Topalov 5.5

1. Topalov 1-0 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
2. Anand 1-0 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
3. Topalov 1/2 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
4. Anand 1-0 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
5. Topalov 1/2 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
6. Anand 1/2 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
7. Anand 1/2 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
8. Topalov 1-0 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
9. Anand 1/2 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
10. Topalov 1/2 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
11. Anand 1/2 Topalov -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
12. Topalov 0-1 Anand -- replay -- Chessbase report -- ICC video
    

What is next? According to the World Chess Federation FIDE, eight players will complete a series of knockout matches for the right to challenge Anand in a title match. The players are Topalov, Carlsen, Kramnik, Kamsky, Aronian, Gelfand and two more. These candidates matches are currently penciled in for December 2010 in Azerbaijan, while the next World Championship could be held as soon as the end of 2011. Unfortunately, FIDE has a reputation of not following through on its official commitments, so we will need to wait and see what actually transpires.