NEW DELHI: Eventually, Veselin Topalov has become the new World chess champion. Armed with an unsurpassable tally of 9.5 points, including an unbeatable 1.5-point lead over Viswanathan Anand and Peter Svidler after the 13th and penultimate round of the World chess championship at San Luis, this brilliant Bulgarian made sure of the title that brings $300,000 with it.

Topalov, who drew with the outgoing World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov on Thursday to move beyond the reach of the second-placed duo, managed to live up to the expectations he raised after his phenomenal run of 6.5 points from the first seven rounds. Thereafter, Topalov drew all his games and comfortably stayed ahead of the field. He now plays white against tail-ender Judit Polgar in the final round.

After the matches involving Anand and Peter Svidler ended in draws, Topalov was in a spot of bother against Kasimdzhanov in their Ruy Lopez game when the Uzbek won a pawn after the early exchange of queens and a few minor pieces. Topalov tried to exchange the rooks but Kasimdzhanov wisely refused to trade his rook that looked menacing on the seventh rank.

Effective counter-attack

But the brave Bulgarian soon found an effective counter-attack. He offered his rook on the 34th move to force draw by perpetual checks. Kasimdzhanov refused the bait. A move later, Topalov sacrificed a rook for bishop and soon won a kingside pawn to worry Kasimdzhanov. Sensing danger, the Uzbek traded a rook for the hyperactive bishop and accepted a draw in an ending involving a rook each and pawns after 42 moves.

Earlier, Anand provided some excitement by sacrificing piece after piece against Alexander Morozevich before perpetual checks brought an end to this French Defence game in 27 moves. After opting to castle on the queen's side, Anand exposed Morozevich's castled king by sacrificing a bishop on the 19th move.

While bringing the rooks into action, Anand gave up the other bishop on the 23rd move. When Morozevich's defence looked in place, Anand wasted no time in giving up his queen for a rook with an idea to force a draw through perpetual checks. At this point, the players agreed for a draw.

Anand now plays black against Svidler in the crucial final round game, which could well, be worth $60,000, the amount that separates the runner-up from the third-placed contender.

The results (13th round): Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzb, 5.5) drew with Veselin Topalov (Bul, 9.5); Viswanathan Anand (Ind, 8) drew with Alexander Morozevich (Rus, 6.5); Judit Polgar (Hun, 4) drew with Peter Svidler (Rus, 8); Michael Adams (Eng, 5) drew with Peter Leko (Hun, 5.5).

14th and final round pairings: Topalov-Judit; Svidler-Anand; Morozevich-Adams; Leko-Kasimdzhanov.

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