The World Chess Championship may conclude on Saturday or Sunday and the new champion will earn US$390,000, the organizing committee told on Friday.

 

Chess Grand Master (GM) Viswanathan Anand of India continues to lead the event with 8.5 points after Friday's 13th round games and his nearest and only real rival now is still Boris Gelfand from Israel with 7.5 points.

 

If Anand loses his game on Saturday against Hungarian GM Peter Leko and Gelfand defeats GM Alexander Morozevich (Russia) on Saturday they will have to face each other in a three 10-minute games on Sunday, the organizing committee said on Friday.

 

However, Anand is very close to being the new champion because he only needs to draw his 14th round game to be FIDE world chess champion.

 

The organizing committee announced on Friday that the US$1.3 million award will be divided among the eight players.

 

The champion will receive 30 percent of the fund and the runner-up will receive 25 percent, which is US$325,000.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2007)