Carlsen stays ahead of Anand after 20-move draw in Game 9

The shortest game of the match thus far finished in just over an hour, after a mere 20 moves.

With three rounds to go in the 12-game match, defending champions Magnus Carlsen leads Viswanathan Anand 5-4.

A well-prepared Viswanathan Anand registered the easiest of draws with black pieces in the ninth round against Magnus Carlsen on Thursday, but the Norwegian inched closer towards retaining his World Championship crown with his one-point lead over the Indian ace intact.

The match score reads 5-4 in favour of defending champion, who could seal it with another win in the next three rounds.

- Also see: The many moods of Anand and Carlsen

Anand desperately needs a victory to remain in contention.

The Indian, as expected, did not go for any risky venture with black pieces. While many expected Carlsen to press for victory, he was simply taken aback by the Anand's preparation in the Berlin defence.

The shortest game of the match thus far was over in just over an hour, after a mere 20 moves. The last five of those moves were just repetition.

The players again blitzed out the opening moves and Anand was on top during the initial phase of the game. Especially after he uncorked his 12th move that forced Carlsen ponder a lot over his next move.

The position was not a new one with a few games already being played, but Carlsen was unhappy when it was played on the board.

As it turned out, he played his next move after thinking for more than 13 minutes and after the next move by Anand – which was a new idea – again sank in to his chair for 26 minutes.

The 'new idea' was in fact a brilliant find by Anand and his team that probably changed the evaluation of the position at that time.

A game-changer it might have been, but Anand did not divulge further on it.

"It is something I would rather not discuss about," he said at the post-game conference.

Carlsen, on his part, quickly conceded that playing for a victory from this point was futile. He just made a routine pawn move, and then quickly gave repeated checks to the black king to sign the peace treaty.

With three games still to come, Anand will now play with white pieces in the 10th game on Friday. After that the players will have a day's rest before the penultimate game of this World Championship is played.

Compared to the match in Chennai last year, when he lost 6.5-3.5 in just 10 games, Anand has done quite well. His two whites in the last three games gives him a real chance to make a match of it.

Carlsen, on his part, was not disappointed as he still maintained the lead.

"If there's any disappointment with a short draw with Whites, it's easy to swallow if you're up in the match," he said after the game.

Anand also noted that he was satisfied with the outcome.

"You just got to play the positions you get," he said.