AlthoughĬomputers had the position near equal it was Carlsen who was setting the This was perhaps a final trap from Carlsen in a position that looked likely to finish in a quick draw.Īfter 53.Rxa3 the game entered its longest and eventually decisive phase. Winning position but 40.Nxe4 should have allowed Nepomniachtchiĥ2.Kh2 from Carlsen allowed Qe4 threatening Qxh4 but it turned out 52.Qe4 was an error. Led to equality again, 38.e4? was a bad error that gave Carlsen a

Might easily have been the player to go on to win) Overlooking 34.Qd7 left Carlsen in bad shape but 36.Qd5? (36.Bxb4! and Nepomniachtchi King - and in the press conference looked unconvinced when he was askedĪbout it, the other alternative 33.Rxb2 would almost certainly have led to a draw. Idea of sacrificing the entire queen side for a decisive attack on black's One that's probably losing - Carlsen never considered 33.Rcc2 with the Not in Carlsen's 'go to' style - 33.Rd1 turned a 'winning' position into Added to which both players had definite ambitions to try and win which ledģ1.Bb2? from Nepomniachtchi was definitely an error, but its refutation was hard to see and really Then Nepomniachtchi started using his time - pretty soon both players were in bad time trouble in a veryĭifficult position. Carlsen used more on his next move (down to 3 minutes 5 seconds). His prep after the excellent 11.b5 and black had at least equality.īy move 30 Carlsen was down to about six and a half minutes to reach move 40, NepomniachtchiĪround twenty seven and a half. Handled the problems set brilliantly - Carlsen admitted he couldn't remember

Nepomniachtchi'sįatal error came as late as move 130 by that stage his task was extremely hard - especially with the fatigue that must have set - and if he hadn't blunderedĪt that moment he still had a some way to go to establish a draw.Ĭarlsen with the white pieces switched openings to a Catalan with a delayed c4 and Nepomniachtchi Nepomniachtchi played well for long periods but mistakes on moves 31, 36, 38 and a particularly careless one on move 52 contributed to this loss. Carlsen deliberatelyĮxtended the game to put maximum pressure on his opponent when he truly On the run up to move 40 but after that it was a master class fromĬarlsen on how to make the most of your chances. Both players had winning chances in time trouble

Magnus Carlsen has taken the lead in the FIDE World Chess Championshipīy beating his challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi in a record breakingġ36 move victory.

Modern chess openings knight pawn