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COLORADO CHESS: World champ keeps his title

By Todd Bardwick, Special to the Rocky

Published November 30, 2008 at 3 p.m.

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Chess 12/01

Chess 12/01

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India's Viswanathan Anand defended his world chess title by defeating former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.

The 12-game match, which Anand won 6.5 to 4.5, took place Oct. 11-29 in Bonn, Germany.

Anand coasted to victory by winning games 3, 5 and 6. Well known for his incredible match play, Kramnik, who defeated Garry Kasparov for the world title in 2000, got his only win in game 10; the others were drawn.

Anand won the 2007 World Championship Tournament to claim the title a year ago. Winning the world-champion crown in a tournament is unusual, as historically it is acquired by defeating the standing champion in a head-to-head match.

The World Chess Championship title has been confusing in recent years. Kramnik has the right to challenge Anand to a match to regain his title due to complications in reunifying the world title in 2006.

Anand and Kramnik have been top players in the world for 15 years.

Here is the conclusion of Anand's victory in Game 6:

GM Vladimir Kramnik

GM Viswanathan Anand

Position after 31 . . . e4

32.fxe4 Nxe4 Black has more active piece play, but this won't make up for the two-pawn deficit. Anand successfully defends and creates his own counterplay. 33.Bd2 a4 34.Nf2 Nd6 35.Rg4 Nc4 36.e4 Nf6 37.Rg3 Nxb2 38.e5 Nd5 If 38 . . . Re8, White plays 39.Bc3 Nc4 40.e6 Nd6 41.Ng4 with an advantage. 39.f6 Kf7 40.Ne4 Nc4 41.fxg7 Kg8 Also losing is 41 . . . Rg8 42.Nd6+ Nxd6 43.exd6 Ke6 44.Bh6 Kxd6 45.Rf3 Ne7 46.Rf8 42.Rd3 Ndb6 43.Bh6 Nxe5 44.Nf6+ Kf7 45.Rc3 Rxc3 46.g8=Q+ Kxf6 47.Bg7+ Resigns

Todd Bardwick is a National Chess Master and runs the Chess Academy of Denver. He can be reached through ColoradoMasterChess. com.