India's defending champion Viswanathan Anand drew with Israel's Boris Gelfand for the third consecutive game for the world chess Crown at Moscow's State Tretyakov Gallery on Monday.
Playing as white, Anand offered a draw after the 38th move at a rook endgame, to make the score 1.5-1.5.
The 42 year-old Anand has held the undisputed World Chess Champion title since October 2008, when he defeated Russia's Vladimir Kramnik in Bonn, Germany. He defended his title in 2009 by beating the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov 6.5–5.5 in his home capital Sofia.
Gelfand, 43, gained the right to become the world title contender after a win last May over the Russian Alexander Grischuk at a contenders' tournament in Kazan, Russia. The fourth game will take place on Tuesday.
After a total of 12 games over three weeks winner will receive $1.5 million, while the loser will earn $1 million.
Russian billionaire and Gelfand’s school friend Andrey Filatov paid $7 million from his own pocket to hold the event in one of the halls of the renowned State Tretyakov Gallery before the eyes of some 400 spectators.
Many others follow the matches on the huge electronic board hanging outside.