2012 World Championship - Anand wins

Viswanathan  Anand has retained his World Championship title after beating Boris Gelfand in the first round of tie-break matches today. After the main match was tied at 6-6, the players returned to play an additional 4 games of rapidplay (G25m+10s). After the first game game was drawn, Anand managed to win with his extra pawn in game 2, although Gelfand missed a draw towards the end. Game 3 was the most dramatic (and the one that is currently missing from the official web site), as Gelfand built up a winning position, but then failed to convert as he ran short of time. Anand needed only to draw the final game to win the match, and despite being slightly worse out of the opening, managed to keep the Gelfand at bay for the entire game.
Overall the match didn't deliver the excitement that people had hoped for. While Gelfand probably surprised most people with his play, it is also fair to say that is was a match he lost, rather than Anand won. Game 8 in the main match helped Anand quickly recover from his loss in the previous game, while Game 3 in the rapidplay was obviously the final nail in the coffin for Gelfand.
As for my pre-match prediction I was way off, as I thought Anand would just be too good. However once the draws started to pile up, it became clear that neither player was willing to risk too much, and it became a match of 'nerves'. In the end Anand's nerves held out longer than Gelfand's, which was all it took.

Anand, Viswanathan - Gelfand, Boris
2012 World Championship Rapid Game 2, Moscow, 30.5.2012

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. b3 e5 6. Nxe5 Qe7 7. d4 d6 8. Nxc6 Qxe4+ 9. Qe2 Qxe2+ 10. Kxe2 Bb7 11. Na5 Bxg2 12. Rg1 Bh3 13. dxc5 dxc5 14. Nc3 O-O-O 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Rxd6 17. Rg5 Nf6 18. Rxc5+ Kb8 19. Nc4 Re8+ 20. Ne3 Ng4 21. Ncd5 Nxe3 22. Nxe3 Bg4+ 23. f3 Bc8 24. Re1 Rh6 25. Rh1 Rhe6 26. Rc3 f5 27. Kd2 f4 28. Nd5 g5 29. Rd3 Re2+ 30. Kc1 Rf2 31. h4 Ree2 32. Rc3 Bb7 33. Rd1 gxh4 34. Nxf4 Re8 35. Rh1 Rc8 36. Rxc8+ Bxc8 37. Rxh4 Bf5 38. Rh5 Bxc2 39. Rb5+ Ka8 40. Nd5 a6 41. Ra5 Kb7 42. Nb4 Bg6 43. Nxa6 Rxf3 44. Nc5+ Kb6 45. b4 Rf4 46. a3 Rg4 47. Kd2 h5 48. Nd7+ Kb7 49. Ne5 Rg2+ 50. Kc3 Be8 51. Nd3 h4 52. Re5 Bg6 53. Nf4 Rg3+ 54. Kd4 Bc2 55. Rh5 Rxa3 56. Rxh4 Rg3 57. Nd5 Rg5 58. b5 Bf5 59. Rh6 Bg4 60. Rf6 Rf5 61. Rb6+ Ka7 62. Rg6 Bf3 63. Rg7+ Kb8 64. Nc3 Bb7 65. Kc4 Bf3 66. Kb4 Bd5 67. Na4 Rf7 68. Rg5 Bf3 69. Nc5 Kc7 70. Rg6 Kd8 71. Ka5 Rf5 72. Ne6+ Kc8 73. Nd4 Rf8 74. Nxf3 Rxf3 75. Kb6 Rb3 76. Rg8+ Kd7 77. Rb8 1-0