Norwegian chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen, dubbed the Harry Potter of chess, has won the world championship crown.
The 22-year-old defeated Indian title holder Viswanathan Anand to win the World Chess Championship in Chennai, India.
He secured a draw take the campionship with two matches left to play. Carlsen won the match with a score of 6.5-3.5 and has now achieved the highest rating of all time.
The chess champion misses out on being the youngest player to win the title. He is just a few weeks younger than Russian Garry Kasparov was when he gained that honour.
Kasparov has dubbed the young Norwegian as the Harry Potter of chess while others have compared him to Mozart.
A part-time model who has appeared on the front cover of GQ magazine, he is likely to change the perception of the game, analysts say.
Chess champion Susan Polgar commentated on the game and described him as having a different style and a very good sense of humour. He will be a "good boost for chess", she said.
Speaking at a press conference after the victory, Carlsen said he was "very very happy to have won" and to have completed the match.
Anand needed a straight three-game win to keep his title but entering the competition on Friday he conceded that it would take a miraculous turnaround to keep his chances alive.
Anand, also known as Vishy, was world champion since 2007 but ranked number eight in the world.
The 43-year-old's role in promoting chess in India, a country obsessed with cricket, is without parallel.
