Viswanathan Anand Retains World Chess Title in 2012

The 2012 World Chess Championship took place from May 10 to 30 in Moscow, Russia, between reigning champion Viswanathan Anand of India and challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel. The match consisted of 12 classical games, with each player scoring 6 points—one win each and ten draws. This deadlock pushed the championship into rapid tiebreaks. Anand, known for his speed and precision in faster formats, prevailed by winning one game and drawing the other three, securing a 2½–1½ victory in the tiebreaks. With this triumph, Anand successfully defended his title for the fifth time, solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest champions of the modern era. The match highlighted Gelfand’s resilience and Anand’s ability to deliver under pressure on the world stage.