After two-plus weeks of nail-bitingly close play, the World Chess Championship came down to its 12th and final regulation game on Monday, with the two talented young grandmasters, Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen, in a dead heat.

But those expecting fireworks at the venue in Manhattan were disappointed. Within 20 minutes of the opening move, the game was headed for a near-certain draw. Both players seemed content to let their fate rest in a round of tiebreakers, which are scheduled for Wednesday.

After 30 moves and 36 minutes, it was over, with the players agreeing to a draw.

The game was the shortest ever in a world championship match, said Ilya Merenzon, who runs the company that organized the match.

The game began at near lightning speed, with both players making well-tested moves with little deliberation. Mr. Carlsen, playing white, began with a popular opening known as the Ruy Lopez, and Mr. Karjakin responded with the Berlin defense — both strategies unlikely to lead to errors. Within the first few moves they exchanged almost all their major pieces, making it difficult for either player to put pressure on the other.