World Chess Championship 2014
Carlsen defends in Sochi against the same opponent — a closer match than 2013, decided in eleven games.
- Year
- 2014
- Format
- Best of 12 classical games
- Venue
- Olympic Media Centre
- Prize fund
- €1,000,000
- Cycle
- unified
Anand had won the 2014 Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk to earn an immediate rematch with Carlsen. The 2014 championship was held in Sochi, Russia — the Olympic Media Centre — from 7 to 23 November 2014.
The Match
Tighter than 2013. Anand won Game 3 (a Sicilian Sveshnikov, his first championship win since 2012) and led briefly. Carlsen levelled in Game 6 and took the lead with a win in Game 11. The match ended with Carlsen winning 6.5 to 4.5 in 11 games — closer than 2013 but still a clear victory.
The First Defence
Carlsen’s first successful title defence. Anand retired from championship contention after Sochi and shifted to elite tournament play, coaching, and the Anand–WestBridge Academy that produced the next generation of Indian grandmasters.