Former world chess champion V Anand wins Leon Masters for 10th time

Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand  of India has won the Leon Master chess championship for the 10th time . He defeated Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain in the final 3-1 played on 30 June 2024 at Leon in Spain to win the 2024 Leon Masters .

Five time world champion Viswanathan Anand has previously won the Leon Masters in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2024. 

Leon Master Chess Tournament 

The Leon Masters chess tournament is held in the Leon city of Spain. The tournament features four players. 

Apart from Viswanathan Anand, other players participating in the tournament were world number  four ranked Arjun Erigaise of India, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain.

In the semifinal Anand defeated Veselin Topalov while Arjun lost to Jaime Santos Latasa.

The 54 year old Viswanathan Anand  during his professional chess career lived in Spain for a number of years before shifting back to Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

About Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on 11 December 1969. He is considered to be the best chess player India has ever produced.

He was introduced to chess by his mother who was a housewife. 

Soon Anand developed expertise in the sport and became the National Sub-Junior Chess Champion at the age of 14. 

• At the age of 15 years he became the youngest Indian to earn the International Masters (IM) norms. 
• Anand became India’s first chess Grand Master in 1988.
• He has been world chess champion five times. From 2000 to 2002 , Anand was the  FIDE World Chess Champion. 
• In 2007 he became the undisputed World Champion in 2007 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in 2008.
• He again successfully defended his world title by beating Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in 2010 and again  by beating Boris Gelfand of Israel in 2012.
• He lost to Norway’s Magnus Carlsen in the world chess championship in 2013 and 2014.
• Anand, in April 2006 became the fourth player after Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov, to pass the 2800 Elo rating marks..
• He has been a world number ranked player for 21 months.

Award and Honours for Viswanathan Anand

• Vishwanathan Anand was the first recipient of India’s highest sports award instituted by the government of India - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna . He was conferred the award in 1991-92 . The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna has been renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by the government of India.
• He was awarded India’s second highest civilian award, Padama Vibhushan in 2007. He is the first sports person to achieve the Padma Vibhushan award.