Knights Chess Academy
  • Home
  • About
  • The Rook
  • The Pawn
  • Chessboard
  • Contact

Knights Chess Academy

  • Home
  • About
  • The Rook
  • The Pawn
  • Chessboard
  • Contact
World Chess Championship

World Chess Championship 2018 After 2 Rounds

by John Chibvuri November 11, 2018November 15, 2018
written by John Chibvuri November 11, 2018November 15, 2018
World Chess Championship 2018 After 2 Rounds

*Round 1: Caruana Struggles But Holds Draw Against Carlsen*

Luckily, London is a major city and you can still get dinner delivered at any hour. Today (**Friday 9 Nov) the world’s top two grandmasters played right through dinner.

It wasn’t the longest world championship game ever, but to Magnus Carlsen, it felt like it. After 115 moves in the opening round of his fourth title match, he couldn’t break through against challenger Fabiano Caruana. The two drew their opening game at the 2018 world chess championship, but this is one case where the result masks the tension of the battle.

In some ways, their nearly seven-hour clash resembled their recent encounters from earlier this year. Just like in August at the Sinquefield Cup, Carlsen built up a sizable edge, but couldn’t convert (there was no finger-to-lips moment shushing time around). The champ agreed with the comparison to that game when asked by Chess.com, but likened it even more to their 2018 game at the Grenke Chess Classic since it was also a rook-and-pawn ending, like today.

The 115 moves was 10 short of breaking the record for longest in title history (1978 Karpov-Korchnoi, game five, still stands). But it did set a record for their personal series. In nearly three dozen head-to-head classical battles, they had never before played a 100-move game.

It’s hard to say who won the psychological battle. On one hand, Carlsen had no trouble equalizing as Black in the Sicilian, and was the aggressor shortly after the theoretical stage, for the final 100 moves or so. On the other hand, Caruana got right into the match and weathered the typical relentlessness of Carlsen, who might have felt like Karjakin-redux came to challenge him.

*Carlsen vs Caruana: Game 2 Ends in a Draw After 49 Moves* (Sat 10 Nov)

Game 2 of the 12-game championship ends in a draw between Carlsen and Caruana after just 49 moves. The game was fast paced and the final sequence veered into the known theoretical draw territory (43. fxe4 fxe4 44. h3 Ra5 45. Rb7 Rg5+ 46. Kf1 Rg6 47. Rb4 Rg5 48. Rb7 Rg6 49. Rb4 48. Rb7 Rg6 49. Rb4) and ended in a draw in roughly three and a quarter hours.

“This was not very good,” Carlsen said. “I was surprised in the opening. I thought I had chances to a small advantages. I mis-calculated something. Then I had to beg for a draw, but that went without problems.”

He added: “I am not happy about this, but it’s better than losing.”

Carlsen further added: “He played a completely new move that actually doesn’t look natural to me. I have to look at it later. We’ll see if it was a surprise in this game or if he found something new.”

Game 3 will take place on November 12.

Fabiano CaruanaMagnus Carlsen
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterWhatsappEmail
John Chibvuri

previous post
*RESULTS OF THE KNIGHTS CHESS NOVEMBER PRACTICE MINI TOURNAMENT (ADULTS & SCHOLARS)*
next post
World Chess Championship 2018 Game 1

Related Posts

*World Chess Championship Game 5: Caruana’s Surprise Gambit...

November 17, 2018

World Chess Championship Game 11: A 55-move Draw

November 24, 2018

World Chess Championship 2018 Game 1

November 11, 2018

World Chess Championship Game 4: Draw Again Despite...

November 15, 2018

Magnus Carlsen Rues Game 9 Draw with Fabiano...

November 22, 2018

World Chess Championship 2018 Game 2

November 11, 2018

Magnus Carlsen Retains World Chess Championship

November 29, 2018

World Championship 2018 Carlsen vs Caruana: Game 3...

November 13, 2018

World Chess Championship Game 12: Shocking Draw After...

November 27, 2018

World Championship Game 10..Another Draw!

November 23, 2018

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Hooray!

Follow us

Facebook Twitter

Recent Posts

  • CHESS SETS AVAILABLE!!

    November 5, 2020
  • ZONE 4.5 SOUTHERN AFRICA BOARD PRIZES

    October 22, 2020
  • Mwadzura holds IM Kobese

    October 19, 2020
  • Africa Zone 4.5 ..More Pics

    October 14, 2020
  • All the best team Zim..Africa Zone 4.5 Championship

    October 14, 2020

Recent Comments

  • True passion for our Knights youngsters and the community…we remember! | Knights Chess Academy Zimbabwe on ANIKA CHAKRAVARTI VISITS OUR KNIGHTS IN GLEN NORAH!
  • Terry on KUPA CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS TOURNAMENT
  • Congrats to WFM Refiloe Mudodo the Zim Open 2018-19 Ladies Champ..! | Knights Chess Academy Zimbabwe on Zim’s girl star Hazel Refiloe Mudodo shines in Kisumu AYCC..!
  • John Chibvuri on *RESULTS OF THE KNIGHTS CHESS DECEMBER PRACTICE MINI TOURNAMENT (ADULTS & SCHOLARS)*
  • isheunesu on *RESULTS OF THE KNIGHTS CHESS DECEMBER PRACTICE MINI TOURNAMENT (ADULTS & SCHOLARS)*

Archives

Categories

  • Chess News
  • Uncategorized
  • World Chess Championship

Sign up to our Newsletter

Subscribe to our Newsletter for the latest chess updates & tournaments info!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
  • The Rook
  • The Pawn
  • Chessboard
  • Contact

© 2019 - Knights Chess Academy. All Right Reserved.