Moscow: Defending champion Vishwanathan Anand of India retained his World Chess Championship after he defeated Boris Gelfand of Israel in the tie-breaker here Wednesday to clinch the World Chess Championship for the fifth time.

Anand won the second game and drew the other three to win the title at the State Tretyakov Gallery here. Luck played a major part in the final game, favouring the Indian chess wizard when it mattered the most.

After a 6-6 deadlock in the 12 Classical games, the rapid finale ended 2.5-1.5 in Anand's favour making him the world chess champion five times in all and four times in a row since 2007.

The victory also meant that the 'King of Chess' will keep the crown till 2014, when the next World Championship will be held.