The victory came for the Indian maestro after three straight draws in rounds 10, 11 and 12
Indian chess icon Viswanathan Anand placed with nine points from seven rounds of Rapid (involving two mini-matches) and 14 rounds of Blitz.
The former World champion lost two games - one to Fabiano Caruana (USA) and the other to Richard Rapport (Hungary) while drawing with five others.
The Gashimov Memorial tournament this year is being played as a rapid and blitz chess tournament.
Viswanathan Anand trumped former World champion Garry Kasparov in the much-awaited contest of the Croatia Grand Chess Tour in Zagreb on Saturday.
Anand had endured losses at the hands of Rauf Mamedov (Azerbaijan) in the opening round before suffering defeats to Rapport and David Navara (Czech Republic) in the second and third round respectively.
In the second round, Anand lost the first of the two-game mini-match to Rapport with black pieces. The second game ended in a draw with the Indian playing with white pieces.
Top-seed Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) led the field at the end of the Rapid with 11 points. He is followed by Giri, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France), Duda and Saric on 10 points.
The Indian Grandmaster beat Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan in the seventh round, in the Mtel Masters chess tournament.
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