Karpov begins world chess title defence

The Russian Anatoly Karpov has opened his defence of his World Chess Federation title with a win over the twenty-eight-year-old Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand.

Playing in the Swiss city of Lausanne, Karpov took six hours to beat the challenger in a game lasting one-hundred-and-eight moves.

Karpov is ranked two places below Anand, the world number three; they're to play six games over the next five days.

If they're tied at the end, then the outcome will be decided in quickplay games that could last as little as ten minutes.

Commentators say that will give the quicker-thinking Anand a clear advantage.

The world Number One, Garry Kasparov, broke away from the Federation in 1993 to form the rival Professional Chess Association.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service