Anatoly Karpov Retains FIDE World Title in 1998

The 1998 FIDE World Chess Championship was a head-to-head match between reigning champion Anatoly Karpov and challenger Viswanathan Anand. It was played in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 2 January to 9 January 1998. Anand earned the right to challenge by winning the qualifying tournament held in Groningen, Netherlands, from 9 December to 30 December 1997. After six tense classical games, the match finished 3–3, sending the contest to rapid tiebreaks. There, Karpov prevailed 2–0, securing the title and remaining FIDE World Champion. The format—seeding Karpov directly into the final while the challenger fought through a grueling December event—sparked debate, but the result highlighted Karpov’s experience and strength in faster time controls. His victory kept the FIDE crown in his hands while the chess world remained divided between the FIDE and Classical titles.