World chess champion Magnus Carslen gets Rs 9.9 crore prize money

World chess champion Magnus Carlsen got the winner's cheque for Rs 9.9 crore from Tamil Nadu Chief minister Jayalalithaa in Chennai on Monday. Carlsen had defeated Viswanathan Anand for the world crown last week. This was the 22-year-old Norwegian's maiden title. Anand got Rs 6.03 crore. Carlsen was also given a trophy and a gold medal. Anand, who held the world crown since 2007, received a silver plaque and medal.

The 12-game world championship was decided in the 10th game last Friday (November 22) when Carlsen was the first to reach 6.5 points. With three wins, Carlsen defeated Anand in a rather one-sided championship. Anand, 43, failed to win a single game and looked indecisive after losing the fifth and Carlsen said: "Anand cracked under pressure." Anand finished with 3.5 points.

For more than three years, Carlsen has been the uncrowned king of chess. The Norwegian has been the No. 1 player in the world almost continuously since January 2010. Carlsen feels his win will inspire people in Norway to play chess. "This win will be very good for chess in Norway. The matches were shown on TV. That's good," he said soon after winning the world crown in a five-star hotel in Chennai.

Anand is yet to decide on his future. Asked whether he will retire, Anand, who is an Indian hero, said he will "take stock of things after resting for a few days."