Anand On Top Of The World
By Arvind Aaron

Viswanathan Anand won the World Chess Championship to become the Unified World Chess Champion for the first time on September 29 when he drew the final round against Peter Leko of Hungary at Mexico City.

Earlier, in December 2000 at Tehran, Anand had won the FIDE World Title when there was a division in the chess world. This new title is certainly more creditable.

In the 8-player double all-play-all Anand scored four wins and drew ten games to remain the only undefeated player. Anand totalled nine points from 14 games to win by a clear one point margin. At best at one stage of the event he even enjoyed a 1.5-point lead.

Anand's triumph is also fitting for the system run by FIDE that the best player in ranking is also the World Champion. The Chennai-born, NIIT sponsored legend, has made the Indian chess tick in World Chess and he is leading the way for all Indians in the field of sport.

At Mexico City, Anand is accompanied by his wife Aruna Anand, trainer Nielsen and scores of fans from Mexico itself and other places. The World Title will be awarded on September 30 at Mexico.

Needing a draw for the title, Anand offered a draw on the 20th turn with the white pieces which Leko accepted. Leko, a former trainer of Anand (in 1998) was the first to congratulate Anand at the board itself.

Anand will receive 390,000 dollars (about Rs.1.50 Crores) in prize money. The championship had a prize fund of Rs.1.30 million dollars.

The results (round 14): Viswanathan Anand (Ind) drew Peter Leko (Hun), Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) bt Levon Aronian (Arm), Peter Svidler (Rus) bt Alexander Grischuk (Rus), Alexander Morozevich (Rus) drew Boris Gelfand (Isr).

The final placings: 1 Anand 9/14, 2-3 Kramnik, Gelfand 8 each, 4 Leko 7, 5 Svidler 6.5, 6-7 Morozevich, Aronian 6 each, 8 Grischuk 5.5.

click on the link and watch Anand in action and his emotional outbrust on his coming the world champion  http://www.blip.tv/file/402853 - Thank You Mr.Vijayakumar