TEL AVIV, May 21 (Itar-Tass) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Israeli chess Grandmaster Boris Gelfand on his first victory in a match for the World Chess Title, the Israeli prime minister’s press service reported on Monday.

“Netanyahu wished Gelfand success in the next matches of the tournament, stressing that the entire people of Israel was supporting him,” the report said.

Gelfand defeated the Indian chess player Vishvanatan Anand on the 38th move of the seventh game. The total score is 4:3 in Gelfand’s favor. The eighth game is scheduled for Monday.

The local press says that over the past 19 years Gelfand has never managed to defeat Anand in classical chess. It will be enough for the Israeli grandmaster to draw the five remaining games to win the world chess title.