Anand – Carlsen World Championship Match 2013

dates: 9–22 November 2013
location: Hyatt Regency, Chennai, India
score: 3½–6½ (Anand–Carlsen)
winner: Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen in January 2013, before his championship challenge in Chennai. This portrait is not from the match. Photo: Stefan64.

Viswanathan Anand defended his world title against Magnus Carlsen in Chennai, India, from 9 to 22 November 2013. Carlsen had qualified by winning the Candidates Tournament in London on tiebreak ahead of Vladimir Kramnik. The 22-year-old challenger faced the reigning champion in Anand’s home city.

The match was scheduled for twelve classical games. After two short opening draws, games 3 and 4 produced longer struggles without changing the score. Carlsen then won games 5 and 6 in succession, taking a two-point lead that Anand could not erase.

Anand attacked with White in game 9, but Carlsen’s queenside counterplay and Anand’s mistaken defensive choice brought the challenger a third victory. A draw in game 10 completed a 6½–3½ win. Carlsen became world champion without losing a game, and the last two scheduled encounters were unnecessary.

The complete ten-game sequence shows how pressure can accumulate even when the opening does not produce an immediate advantage. Study the long defensive tasks in the middle of the match alongside the short draws at its beginning. Either player can be selected, including Anand in the decisive games and Carlsen in the positions he had to defend.

Viswanathan Anand's Profile Magnus Carlsen's Profile

Match results

Anand – Carlsen World Championship Match 2013 final standings and game-by-game scores
Player	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Game 9	Game 10	Points
Magnus Carlsen	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	½	6½
Viswanathan Anand	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	½	3½

Each game column shows the score earned by that player. 1 = win, ½ = draw, 0 = loss. Points are out of 10.

Completed 0 / 10

Game 1: A short Réti opening draw

Carlsen began with a quiet fianchetto setup. Anand’s active knights helped bring about a repetition. The first game was drawn after 16 moves.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	16	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 2: Carlsen surprises with the Caro-Kann

Anand opened with a king’s pawn and Carlsen chose the Caro-Kann. Anand exchanged queens rather than continue the sharper middlegame. Repeated rook maneuvers brought a 25-move draw.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen 1/2-1/2	WCh 2013	2013	25	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 3: Anand tests Carlsen’s defence

Carlsen again began with a fianchetto system. Anand created problems, but the challenger held the longer struggle. The third draw kept the match level while offering a much fuller contest than the opening games.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	51	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 4: A long Berlin struggle

Anand met Carlsen’s Berlin Defence in the Ruy Lopez. The game continued into an ending before Anand secured the draw. Four shared results left the championship at 2–2.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	64	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 5: Carlsen takes the lead

Carlsen pressed with White in a queen’s-pawn opening. Anand’s defence eventually gave way in the ending. The challenger’s first victory made the score 3–2.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1-0	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	58	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 6: A second endgame victory

Anand played White against Carlsen’s Ruy Lopez defence. Carlsen won another long game, this time with Black. Back-to-back victories gave the challenger a two-point lead at the halfway stage.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen 0-1	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	67	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 7: Anand returns to the Berlin

Anand had White again after the color order reversed. The Berlin encounter ended in a draw after 32 moves. Carlsen kept his two-point advantage with five scheduled games remaining.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	32	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 8: Carlsen simplifies with White

Carlsen opened with a king’s pawn and the players entered the Berlin. A short draw left Anand without a chance to reduce the gap in this game. The challenger moved to five points against Anand’s three.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	33	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 9: Anand’s attack meets a passed pawn

Anand switched to a queen’s-pawn opening and built a kingside attack. Carlsen’s queenside pawn advanced to promotion while the champion searched for a finish. Anand’s error allowed Carlsen to win and move within half a point of the title.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen 0-1	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	28	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 10: A draw crowns a new champion

Carlsen tested Anand’s Sicilian in the tenth game. The game lasted 65 moves before ending in a draw. The challenger reached 6½ points and became world champion with three wins and no defeats.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1/2-1/2	Anand - Carlsen World Championship Match	2013	65	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Sources and image credits

By IgniteChess Editorial Published 2026-10-08

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