Legendary Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov defeated India’s Viswanathan Anand 13–11 in the Clutch Chess Legends exhibition match, rekindling memories of their iconic 1995 World Championship battle.
Kasparov clinched the victory with two games to spare after winning the 10th game of the series, sealing the contest before Anand fought back to claim the final two blitz games. The scoreline ended 13–11 in Kasparov’s favor, earning him USD 78,000, while Anand took home USD 66,000 from the USD 144,000 prize pool.
Kasparov Relives Familiar Rivalry
Exactly 30 years after their 1995 showdown in New York, where Anand conceded the Classical World Championship to Kasparov on October 10, history repeated itself. Then, too, Anand pulled back two consolation wins after Kasparov had already sealed the title.
Leading this time by five points, Kasparov entered the final day knowing Anand could still mount a comeback, with 12 points at stake — each win worth three. Anand began the day with a gritty draw and took the initiative in the second game, but a miscalculated exchange in a queen-and-minor-piece endgame allowed Kasparov to secure the match.
Though Anand won both remaining blitz games, it wasn’t enough to overturn Kasparov’s commanding lead.
‘I Treated It as a Show’: Kasparov
Speaking after his victory, the 62-year-old Kasparov said he hadn’t expected to win but was pleased with the excitement the match generated among fans.
“I wouldn’t say it’s very important — I’m treating it as a show,” Kasparov said. “I’m pleased that so many people followed it. I didn’t expect to end this match as the winner. I totally relaxed after the second game; all my systems went blank.”
He admitted his competitive intensity isn’t what it once was but said he was happy to be back in Saint Louis, the hub of American chess.
Kasparov added that his resilience may have surprised Anand and suggested that “the ghosts of the past” might have played a psychological role in the Indian grandmaster’s performance.
“His score against me historically is bad, and I think that probably bothered him,” Kasparov remarked. “But it’s my sacred duty to entertain people, even if my chess abilities are just a pale shadow of what they were before.”
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