TEHRAN, DECEMBER 28: Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand was formally crowned FIDE world chess champion and awarded the $660,000 first prize, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said on Thursday. Anand, who clinched his title in Tehran on Sunday with a convincing victory playing the White pieces, was feted late on Wednesday by international chess and Iranian sports officials, IRNA said. His opponent, Spain's Alexei Shirov, received $440,000 as runner-up. The Latvian-born Shirov resigned on the 41st move against Anand, the world chess federation, FIDE, announced on its website (fide.com). The victory gave Anand a lead of 3.5 points to 0.5, enough to clinch the six-game final and wrest the title from Russia's Anatoly Karpov, who did not take part in the event. It was the Indian's first victory in three world championship final appearances, and it was the first time the FIDE title had gone to a player from outside the former Soviet Union since the American Bobby Fischer beat Boris Spassky in 1972. Anand's mother, Susila Viswanathan, who taught him his first chess moves at age six, said the victory proved her son was now unbeatable. Top-level world chess is divided into rival competitions, the FIDE championship and the Brain Games championship, which was held in October and November in London. The latter is generally acknowledged as the ultimate chess showdown because it pitted the Azerbaijan-born Garry Kasparov, for many years undisputed as the greatest player in the world, against the eventual winner, Russia's Vladimir Kramnik. Kasparov held the FIDE title between 1985 and 1990 before breaking away to form a rival body, the Professional Chess Association. Anand who come from Madras, lost to Kasparov in the PCA's world final in 1995, and again to the multiple world champion Karpov in the FIDE final in 1997.Anand-Kramnik tie in July?Meanwhile, President of the world chess governing body (Fide), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has said a "World Prestige Match" between World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Braingames World Champion Vladimir Kramnik could be staged in July next year. "A World Prestige Match between the Fide champion and Kramnik is possible in July," Ilyumzhinov said after crowning Anand with 15th World Champion title at a glittering ceremony here last night. The Indian Grandmaster, however, declined to say whether he would play against the rival world supremo, Kramnik, who upstaged Garry Kasparov in a 16-game final in November. "Anand richly deserves the world champion title,"Ilyumzhinov said after handing over the coveted gold medal for the Indian's exploits at a glittering ceremony here last night. Anand was a picture of cheer as he received gifts with his usual politeness and panache. He was flooded with Persian carpets and art works at a packed gathering of Indian families and school children. Shirov received silver medal from the Fide President. Praising the triumphant Indian, Ilyumzhinov said "I think he (Anand) had a fancy for the number 15, that is why he didn't take it before." >
