Game 11 of the world championship brings yet another draw in the 12-game contest, being the shortest game in the series lasting 2 hours and 13 minutes. This leaves everything on the last round, Game 12 which will be played on 26th November as the player will get an extra rest day tomorrow.
Today’s round started with players blitzing out the opening as it went identical to their August meeting at the Sinquefield Cup. Carlsen offered up a queen exchange with 13. c4 and the ladies were off the board (13. … Qxd2 14. Bxd2). By move 15. Nh4, Carlsen was more than half hour behind on time. After that the game saw quick set of rushed moves at 15. … Rfe8 16. Ng6 Ng4 17. Nxe7+ Rxe7 18. Re2 Ne5 19. Bf4 Nxd3 20. Rxd3 Rd7. Then another rush of moves including a rook exchange: 21. Rxd6 Rxd6 22. Bxd6 Rd8 23. Rd2 Bxc4 24. Kc1 b6 25. Bf4.
After the last move by both player (55. Bf2 Bc2), Game 11 was declared a draw. The best-of-12-games world championship match is now deadlocked at 5½-all after 11 indecisive results.
“I’m not thrilled, obviously,” Carlsen said at the presser. When asked what he expects from Monday’s Game 12: “We’ll see what happens. A lot depends on what (Caruana) wants to do. If he wants to shut it down then that’s fine by me, we’ll play rapid. Otherwise we’ll have a fight.” “There’s a lot riding on the last game,” said Caruana when asked about Monday’s Game 12, where he will play with white.
