MOSCOW: Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen retained his title as World Chess Champion on Sunday, defeating rival Viswanathan Anand for the second year in a row.
The 23-year-old world No. 1 beat India's Anand, title-holder of the championship from 2007 to 2013 when he was dethroned by Carlsen, in two of 11 games of the competition, with the others ending in draws.
"I am very happy," Carlsen was quoted as saying by Russian press agency TASS. "It was a very difficult match, much more difficult than last year."
"Anand is a very strong chess player, but he had practically no chance of winning."
Carlsen had been playing since Nov. 8 against Anand, who is nearly 20 years his senior, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
The victory, secured with a difference of just two points, will mean one million euros ($1.2 million) in prize money for Carlsen just a week before his 24th birthday.
"Overall, throughout the match, Carlsen played better than I did," Anand was quoted as saying by TASS.
"I tried, but the risk didn't work out. Carlsen didn't make a mistake. I had nothing left to do but take risks."
Carlsen turned grandmaster at 13 and in 2010, aged only 19, became the youngest player in history to be ranked world No. 1. He won the Candidates Tournament in 2013 to earn the right to challenge Anand.
His breakthrough in chess came in 2004, when as a 13-year-old he defeated Russian former world champion Anatoly Karpov, forced Russian legend Garry Kasparov to a draw, and became a grandmaster.
Before Carlsen captured the championship crown in 2013, the last Westerner to hold the title was American legend Bobby Fischer who relinquished it in 1975.
Carlsen missed by a few weeks becoming the youngest world champion, a record set by his one-time coach Kasparov in 1985.
Introduced to chess by his father, Carlsen showed signs of genius as a toddler.
At the age of two, Carlsen knew by heart all the major car brands and later memorised the long list of Norway's municipalities, with their flags and administrative centres.
Sibling rivalry with one of his older sisters sparked his interest in chess, which soon led to his first competition at the age of eight.
Carlsen has been hailed by Kasparov as a Harry Potter-type "super-talent".
A fashion model in his spare time, he made it to the Time magazine list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
Anand, who remains one of the most popular sports figures in cricket-mad India, and his opponent enjoyed a remarkably similar rise in their careers since they were talented teenagers.
Anand, 44, became an international master at 15, was crowned Indian champion at 16, won the world junior title at 17 and became the country's first grandmaster at 18.
His longevity and perseverance — he won his first world title in 2000 — has often been compared with that of cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, the world's batting record-holder.
The soft-spoken family man, who lives in Spain with wife Aruna and three-year-old son Akhil, is far removed from his temperamental predecessors like Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky, Anatoly Karpov and Kasparov.
Norwegian prodigy Carlsen retains World Chess championship
Norwegian prodigy Carlsen retains World Chess championship
San Antonio Spurs extend domination of NBA-best Thunder
- After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs
- Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96
- At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124
NEW YORK: Reigning champion Oklahoma City have the NBA’s best record, but they cannot beat San Antonio, with superstar Victor Wembanyama coming off the bench Thursday to help lift the Spurs to an emphatic 117-102 victory.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points while Wembanyama had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes and guard Stephon Castle added 19 points for the Spurs, who stretched their win streak to eight games.
“My first Christmas game,” Fox said. “It feels great getting another victory.”
After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs.
“When you play a team of this caliber, the details are much more magnified,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We did a phenomenal job as the game progressed adhering to those nuances.”
Wembanyama wouldn’t call it a statement win for the season but he says the Spurs have learned from beating the Thunder.
“I’m not really sure it’s smart to think so far into the future,” said Wembanyama.
“This is like a playoff series. We played them three times in 10 days so we learned a lot on the technical side.”
Oklahoma City lost for the first time in 15 home games this season despite 22 points by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder sank their first seven shots to take an 18-12 lead but the Spurs closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run for a 41-36 edge and never looked back.
“The guys were working their butts off,” Johnson said.
The Spurs improved to 23-7, second in the Western Conference behind the Thunder at 26-5.
Fox made 12-of-19 shots from the floor, 3-of-4 from three-point range.
“He was carrying us a little bit,” Wembanyama said. “He’s a guy who can make things happen.”
The Spurs have not reached the playoffs since 2019 and have not won a playoff series since 2017.
In other games, Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96.
Kevin Durant added 25 points and Alperen Sengun had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Houston.
“We wanted to come out here and play with a sense of urgency for 48 minutes,” Durant said. “The basketball world is watching you tonight.”
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 25 points while four-time NBA MVP LeBron James added 18 points.
James, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, played in his 20th NBA Christmas contest, his holiday record falling to 11-9.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves had 12 points in 15 minutes before leaving with left calf soreness.
Knicks outlast Cavs
At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124.
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 34 points, grabbed a 103-86 lead with 10:25 remaining but New York closed on a 40-21 run to seize the victory.
Benson, who hit 6-of-12 from three-point range, lifted the Knicks ahead for good at 121-119 on a three-pointer with 65 seconds remaining.
It was Benson’s 90th 30-point game as a Knick, a total eclipsed only by Patrick Ewing and Carmelo Anthony.
Jordan Clarkson added 25 points off the New York bench.
At San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 23 points despite shooting 6-of-18 overall and 2-of-10 from three-point range to lead Golden State over Dallas 126-116.
“Didn’t shoot it well but we got a great win,” Curry said. “Just focused on the details of what this team can do to win.”
Seven Warriors scored in double figures with Jimmy Butler contributing 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Mavericks’ 19-year-old forward Cooper Flagg, the second-youngest NBA Christmas starter after 18-year-old James in 2003, scored a game-high 27 points.
Dallas star Anthony Davis exited after playing only 11 minutes with what appeared to be a groin injury.
Dallas guard Klay Thompson scored seven points in a return to the Bay Area, where he helped Golden State capture four NBA titles.
