HistoryData
sports2013

World Chess Championship 2013 — chess championship held in Chennai

January 1, 2013

Magnus Carlsen defeated Viswanathan Anand in Chennai to become World Chess Champion, ending Anand's reign and beginning a new competitive era.

Quick Facts

Year
2013
Category
sports

Key Facts

Match dates
7–25 November 2013
Final score
Carlsen 6½ – Anand 3½
Games played
10 of 12 scheduled
Governing body
FIDE (World Chess Federation)
Champion's age
22 (Magnus Carlsen)

By the Numbers

7
Match dates
6
Final score
10
Games played
22
Champion's age

Location

Map of Chennai, IndiaMap of Chennai, IndiaChennai, India

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Viswanathan Anand, the reigning World Chess Champion, was challenged by Magnus Carlsen, the top-ranked player in the world, under the auspices of FIDE. The match was scheduled for up to twelve games in Chennai, India, Anand's home country.

Event

The World Chess Championship 2013 was contested between Anand and Carlsen from 7 to 25 November 2013. Carlsen dominated the match, winning it decisively with a score of 6½–3½ after only ten games, claiming the world championship title.

Consequence

Carlsen's victory was widely described by figures including Garry Kasparov as marking the start of a new era in chess. Carlsen became the first world champion whose game was shaped in the age of super-strong chess computers, signalling a generational shift in elite chess.

Result

Magnus Carlsen
6½–3½
Viswanathan Anand

at Chennai, India

Timeline Context

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