World Champion #15
2007–2013
India
Viswanathan Anand
India's first World Champion, and one of the fastest calculators the game has seen.
Photo: Wolfgang Jekel · CC BY 2.0
Biography
Anand beat Kramnik in 2007 to become undisputed champion, then successfully defended the title against Kramnik again (2008), Veselin Topalov (2010), and Boris Gelfand (2012).
He finally lost the title to a young Magnus Carlsen in 2013, but remained a top world contender for years afterward.
Playing Style
Renowned for exceptional speed of calculation and broad opening versatility — nicknamed "the Lightning Kid" early in his career for playing classical games at what felt like blitz speed.
Notable Games
Anand vs. Topalov
A hard-fought title defense against one of the era's sharpest attacking players.
Fun Facts
- He was the first World Champion from Asia.
- He's widely credited with sparking the current wave of elite young Indian grandmasters, including later champion Gukesh Dommaraju.