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World Chess Championship 2013 – Games List with ECO Codes (Carlsen vs Anand)

The 2013 World Championship marked a changing of the guard in chess history. This reference guide catalogs the games of the Carlsen vs. Anand match by ECO code, allowing you to study the specific opening choices that defined this pivotal clash of generations.

🔥 Precision insight: Analyzing World Championship games reveals the truth about modern chess: accuracy wins. It's not about cheap tricks; it's about punishing subtle errors. Learn to spot the mistakes your opponents make.
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Match Carlsen (22) vs Anand (43)
Location / Date Chennai, India (Nov 2013)
Final Result Carlsen won 6½–3½

Introduction

The 2013 World Chess Championship was fought between 43-year-old defending champion Viswanathan Anand of India and 22-year-old challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

Qualifications

After Anand defended his title in 2012, a Candidates tournament was held in 2013. It was a tough double-round robin where Carlsen edged out Vladimir Kramnik on tiebreaks (both finished 8.5/14) to earn the right to challenge the throne.

Conditions

The match took place in Chennai, India, giving Anand home-field advantage. It was scheduled as a best of 12 games; the first to 6½ points would be the winner.

Games & ECO Codes

A detailed list of the games played, including the opening codes for reference.

# Date White Black Res ECO Opening Moves Notes PGN
1 Nov 9 Carlsen Anand ½–½ A07 King's Indian Attack 16 Match tied ½-½. View
2 Nov 10 Anand Carlsen ½–½ B18 Caro-Kann, Classical 25 Match tied 1-1. View
3 Nov 12 Carlsen Anand ½–½ A07 King's Indian Attack 51 Match tied 1½-1½. View
4 Nov 13 Anand Carlsen ½–½ C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 64 Match tied 2-2. View
5 Nov 15 Carlsen Anand 1–0 D31 Queen's Gambit Declined 58 First blood. Carlsen takes the lead 3-2. View
6 Nov 16 Anand Carlsen 0–1 C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 67 Carlsen wins with Black. Lead extends to 4-2. View
7 Nov 18 Anand Carlsen ½–½ C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 32 Carlsen leads 4½-2½. View
8 Nov 19 Carlsen Anand ½–½ C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 33 Carlsen leads 5-3. View
9 Nov 21 Anand Carlsen 0–1 E25 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch 28 Decisive moment. Carlsen extends lead to 6-3. View
10 Nov 22 Carlsen Anand ½–½ B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) 65 Title Clinched. Carlsen wins 6½-3½. View
Games 11 and 12 were not played as Carlsen reached 6½ points.

The Final Game: Game 10

Played: November 22nd, 2013
Situation: Carlsen led 6-3 and needed just a draw to become World Champion.

Carlsen maintained a slight advantage throughout the game. In the endgame, White's a-pawn and Black's f-pawn had a footrace to promotion, but the game resolved into a draw due to insufficient material after the Queens were exchanged.

PGN (Carlsen vs Anand, 2013):

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.O-O Bc6 11.Qd3 O-O 12.Nd4 Rc8 13.b3 Qc7 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Rac1 h6 16.Be3 Nd7 17.Bd4 Rfd8 18.h3 Qc7 19.Rfd1 Qa5 20.Qd2 Kf8 21.Qb2 Kg8 22.a4 Qh5 23.Ne2 Bf6 24.Rc3 Bxd4 25.Rxd4 Qe5 26.Qd2 Nf6 27.Re3 Rd7 28.a5 Qg5 29.e5 Ne8 30.exd6 Rc6 31.f4 Qd8 32.Red3 Rcxd6 33.Rxd6 Rxd6 34.Rxd6 Qxd6 35.Qxd6 Nxd6 36.Kf2 Kf8 37.Ke3 Ke7 38.Kd4 Kd7 39.Kc5 Kc7 40.Nc3 Nf5 41.Ne4 Ne3 42.g3 f5 43.Nd6 g5 44.Ne8+ Kd7 45.Nf6+ Ke7 46.Ng8+ Kf8 47.Nxh6 gxf4 48.gxf4 Kg7 49.Nxf5+ exf5 50.Kb6 Ng2 51.Kxb7 Nxf4 52.Kxa6 Ne6 53.Kb6 f4 54.a6 f3 55.a7 f2 56.a8=Q f1=Q 57.Qd5 Qe1 58.Qd6 Qe3+ 59.Ka6 Nc5+ 60.Kb5 Nxb3 61.Qc7+ Kh6 62.Qb6+ Qxb6+ 63.Kxb6 Kh5 64.h4 Kxh4 65.c5 Nxc5 1/2-1/2

With this draw, Magnus Carlsen became the 16th Undisputed World Chess Champion.

Score Progression

Carlsen: ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ (6.5) (3 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses) <65.0% score>

Anand:   ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ (3.5) (0 wins, 7 draws, 3 losses) <35.0% score>

Related Links:
Match story & key moments Magnus Carlsen guide Viswanathan Anand guide

FAQ

🧭 Part of a Larger Guide

This page is part of the Magnus Carlsen Guide — a structured hub covering his biography, playing style, best games, world championship matches, openings, and practical lessons from his career.