World Chess Championship 2018
| photo |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Magnus Carlsen | Fabiano Caruana | |
| nation |
|
|
| status | Defending champion, world champion since 2013 |
Challenger, Candidates Tournament Winner |
| Age | 27 years | 26 years |
|
Elo rating (November 2018) |
2835 | 2832 |
The 2018 World Chess Championship took place in London from November 9th to 28th, 2018 between the reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen ( Norway ) and his challenger Fabiano Caruana ( USA ), who was determined in the 2018 Candidates Tournament . Carlsen defended his title with a win in the rapid chess -Partien the tie-break after every twelve originally scheduled matches of the competition draw had finished. The world championship was organized by the World Chess Federation FIDE and the commercial organizer AGON.
Candidates tournament
In the candidates' tournament from March 10 to 27, 2018 in Berlin, eight players determined the challenger. Caruana won the double-round tournament with 9 points from 14 games ahead of Şəhriyar Məmmədyarov and Sergei Karjakin , the challenger at the 2016 World Chess Championship , with 8 points each.
Comparison of the counterparties
For Carlsen it was the fourth world championship and the third title defense after 2013 , 2014 and 2016 . For Caruana it was the first World Cup participation.
Elo ratings
At the start of the World Cup, Carlsen was in first place and Caruana in second place in the FIDE world rankings. It was the first time since the 1990 World Chess Championship between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov that the top two in the world rankings competed against each other in a world championship match. Carlsen's lead over Caruana was only three Elo points ; Never before have defending champions and challengers been so close together.
 |
Match balance
Caruana and Carlsen had previously played 34 games with classic time control against each other. Carlsen won 10 and Caruana 5 games, 19 games were drawn. Their last game, during the Sinquefield Cup 2018, ended in a draw.
| Duel record | Carlsen victories | draw | Caruana victories | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 10 | 19th | 5 | 34 |
| Blitz chess , rapid chess | 13 | 3 | 6th | 22nd |
| Total | 23 | 22nd | 11 | 56 |
frame
The main referee of the competition was the Frenchman Stéphane Escafre .
Venue
The World Cup was held at The College event center, the former building of the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design . It is close to Holborn underground station , in the borough of the same name in the London Borough of Camden . In the building there is a theater on whose stage the match was played. Despite a capacity of 500 seats, only a maximum of 400 cards were sold a day.
entry
Tickets cost up to £ 100 for the standard ticket and £ 600 for the VIP ticket (on November 28th). Before that, tickets were a little cheaper (e.g. VIP tickets until November 15, £ 350 and from November 16 to 19, £ 400). A maximum of 9 cards were issued per person / credit card.
Prize Fund
The minimum fund required by FIDE was one million euros (including tax). World Chess, as the organizer, made this amount and part of the ticket proceeds available for this fund.
This amount would have been divided between winners and losers in a 60:40 ratio according to the regular process (i.e. with a maximum of 12 long games). Since it came to a tie break , the split was 55 to 45.
Regulations
Actual competition
- The world championship fight was scheduled for a maximum of 12 games with a classic time limit.
- During the opening ceremony, it was determined by drawing lots that Caruana would lead the white stones in the first game. Up to the sixth game, the players changed colors after each game. Carlsen started the second half of the 12 games with white (lot 7). The color change mode was retained.
- One game was played every day. Every two match days was followed by a rest day, and there was an additional rest day before the 12th and last game. The games began at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. CET).
- The time to consider was 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the following 20 moves and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with a time credit of 30 seconds per move from move 1 - e.g. B. thus for a 70-speed game 200 minutes per player. Draw offers were only permitted after Black's 30th move.
- Every win was counted with one point, each draw with half a point. With the achievement of 6.5 points a player would have become world champion. Since it was a draw (6: 6) after 12 games, a tie-break was played on Wednesday, November 28th.
Tie break
Rapid chess games
- In the tie-break, a maximum of 4 rapid games with 25 minutes to think about and a 10 second surcharge per move were initially planned. (Assuming four games and a playing time of about one hour per game, this would correspond to a total of about four hours of pure playing time.)
- There was a 10-minute break after each game.
- The colors of the first game were drawn after the press conference after the end of the long games.
- After Carlsen had achieved the necessary 2.5 points from 4 games with 3 points from 3 games, he was again world champion and the competition was over.
Blitz games
- If no decision had been made after four rapid chess games, a maximum of five “mini-matches” consisting of two blitz games each with 5 minutes of time per player and 3 seconds of surcharge per move would have been scheduled. (With an assumed playing time of a little more than 10 minutes per game, two more hours of pure playing time would have been added.)
- Before each “mini-match”, the colors of the first game would have been drawn.
- The first winner of such a "mini-match" would have become world champion.
Armageddon game
- If no decision had been made after five "mini-matches" - ten blitz games - a so-called Armageddon game would have followed.
- Before that there would have been another drawing. The winner should have decided who started with white.
- The player with the white pieces would have had a longer time limit of 5 minutes compared to black with 4 minutes. For 60 moves this would have corresponded to a time for white of 5 seconds per move and for black of 4 seconds per move. From move 61, both players would have received a time credit of 3 seconds per move.
- White would have had to win to be world champion; A draw would have been enough for Black.
course
All twelve scheduled competition games ended in a draw. A tie-break became necessary.
Overview
| No. | Date (2018) | Game result | opening |
ECO key |
Trains | Intermediate result | Link (Chessbomb.com) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition games with classic time to think about it | |||||||||
| Caruana | Carlsen | Caruana | Carlsen | ||||||
| 1 | Friday, November 9th | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense ( Rossolimo Variation ) |
B31 | 115 | ½ | ½ | Game 1 |
| 2 | Sat., November 10th | ½ | ½ | Queen's Gambit declined | D37 | 49 | 1 | 1 | Game 2 |
| 1st day of rest | |||||||||
| 3 | Mon., November 12th | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo Variation) |
B31 | 49 | 1½ | 1½ | Game 3 |
| 4th | Tuesday, November 13th | ½ | ½ | English opening | A29 | 34 | 2 | 2 | Game 4 |
| 2nd day off | |||||||||
| 5 | Thursday, November 15th | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo Variation) |
B31 | 34 | 2½ | 2 ½ | Game 5 |
| 6th | Friday, November 16 | ½ | ½ | Russian defense | C42 | 80 | 3 | 3 | Game 6 |
| 3rd day of rest | |||||||||
| 7th | Sun, November 18 | ½ | ½ | Queen's Gambit declined | D37 | 40 | 3½ | 3½ | Game 7 |
| 8th | Mon., November 19 | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense ( Sveshnikov Variation ) |
B33 | 38 | 4th | 4th | Game 8 |
| 4th day of rest | |||||||||
| 9 | Wed., November 21 | ½ | ½ | English opening | A29 | 56 | 4½ | 4½ | Game 9 |
| 10 | Thursday, November 22nd | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation) |
B33 | 54 | 5 | 5 | Game 10 |
| 5th day off | |||||||||
| 11 | Sat., November 24th | ½ | ½ | Russian defense | C42 | 55 | 5½ | 5½ | Game 11 |
| 6. Rest day | |||||||||
| 12 | Mon., November 26th | ½ | ½ | Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation) |
B33 | 31 | 6th | 6th | Game 12 |
| 7th day of rest | |||||||||
| Tie break | |||||||||
| Rapid chess |
Caruana | Carlsen | Caruana | Carlsen | |||||
| 1 | Wed., November 28th | 0 | 1 | English opening ( Sicilian in suit ) |
A22 | 55 | 6 (0) | 6 (1) | Rapid chess game 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation) |
B33 | 28 | 6 (0) | 6 (2) | Rapid chess game 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | Sicilian Defense ( French Variation ) |
B40 | 51 | 6 (0) | 6 (3) | Rapid game 3 | |
Long games
1st game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 9th November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo Variation), B31
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Nd7 8. Be3 e5 9. 0–0 b6 10. Nh2 Nf8 11. f4 exf4 12. Rxf4 Be6 13. Rf2 h6 14. Qd2 g5 15. Raf1 Qd6 16. Ng4 0–0–0 17. Nf6 Nd7 18.Nh5 Be5 19.g4 f6 20.b3 Bf7 21.Nd1 Nf8 22.Nxf6 Ne6 23.Nh5 Bxh5 24. gxh5 Nf4 25. Bxf4 gxf4 26.Rg2 Thg8 27. De2 Rxg2 + 28. Qxg2 De6 29.Nf2 Rg8 30.Ng4 De8 31.Qf3 Qxh5 32.Kf2 Bc7 33. Ke2 Qg5 34.Nh2 h5 35.Rf2 Qg1 36.Nf1 h4 37. Kd2 Kb7 38. c3 Be5 39. Kc2 Qg7 40.Nh2 Bxc3? 41. Qxf4 Bd4 42. Qf7 + Ka6 43. Qxg7 Rxg7 44. Re2 Rg3 45. Ng4 Rxh3 46. e5 Rf3 47. e6 Rf8 48. e7 Re8 49.Nh6 h3 50. Nf5 Bf6 51. a3 b5 52. b4 cxb4 53. axb4 Bxe7 54. Nxe7 h2 55. Rxh2 Rxe7 56.Rh6 Kb6 57. Kc3 Rd7 58. Rg6 Kc7 59.Rh6 Rd6 60.Rh8 Rg6 61.Ra8 Kb7 62.Rh8 Rg5 63.R7 + Kb6 64.Rh6 Rf1 65.Kc2 66. Rg6 Rh1 67. Rf6 Rh8 68. Kc3 Ra8 69. d4 Rd8 70. Rh6 Rd7 71. Rg6 Kc7 72. Rg5 Rd6 73. Rg8 Rh6 74. Ra8 Rh3 + 75. Kc2 Ra3 76. Kb2 Ra4 77. Kc3 a6 78. Rh8 Ra3 + 79. Kb2 Rg3 80. Kc2 Rg5 81. Rh6 Rd5 82. Kc3 Rd6 83.Rh8 Rg6 84. Kc2 Kb7 85. Kc3 Rg3 + 86. Kc2 Rg1 87. Rh5 Rg2 + 88. Kc3 Rg3 + 89. Kc2 Rg4 90. Kc 91. Rh6 Rg5 92. Rf6 Rh5 93. Rg6 Rh3 + 94. Kc2 Rh5 95. Kc3 Rd5 96. Rh6 Kc7 97. Rh7 + Rd7 98. Rh5 Rd6 99. Rh8 Rg6 100. Rf8 Rg3 + 101. Kc2 Ra3 102. Rf7 + Kd6 103. Ra7 Kd5 104. Kb2 Rd3 105. Rxa6 Rxd4 106. Kb3 Re4 107. Kc3 Rc4 + 108. Kb3 Kd4 109. Rb6 Kd3 110. Ra6 Rc2 111. Rb6 Rc3 + 112. Kb2 Rc4 113. Kb3 Kd4 114. Ra6 Kd5 115. Ra8 ½ 115. : ½
In the first game Caruana had white and opened with the king's pawn as usual. Carlsen surprised with his atypical move 1.… c5. However, his opponent dodged the main lines of the open Sicilian Defense and instead played 3. Bb5. Carlsen got off the opening well, taking the initiative and holding it until the end of the game. Shortly before the first time control (40th move) he had reached a comfortable position with good prospects of winning. Although Caruana was in extreme time pressure for at least the last 8 moves and only made the 40th move three seconds before the clock ran out , Carlsen, to the great surprise of all commentators, was unable to decide the game before the time control. According to commentators Niclas Huschenbeth and Daniel King , he could have played better on move 34 and move 38 and thus won the game. In the game, however, Caruana was finally able to save himself in a rook ending with a minus pawn.
The game only ended in a draw after 115 moves and around seven hours of playing time. After moves, it is the third longest game ever played in a world championship match, after the 5th game between Anatoli Karpow and Viktor Korchnoi in the 1978 World Chess Championship (124 moves) and the 7th game between Carlsen and Anand in 2014 (122 moves).
|
Caruana – Carlsen, game 1
Position after 34.Nh2.
Here Carlsen failed to attack the weak pawns on the queenside with 34 ... Qe5 and Qb2. Instead he moved 34 ... h5. |
Caruana – Carlsen, game 1
End position after 115th Ra8
|
2nd game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 10th November 2018
- Queen's Gambit declined, D37
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0–0 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Dc2 Nc6 9. a3 Qa5 10. Td1 Td8 11. Be2 Ne4 12. 0– 0 Nxc3 13. bxc3 h6 14. a4 Ne7 15. Ne5 Bd6 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Bf3 Nxf4 18. exf4 Bxe5 19. Rxd8 + Qxd8 20. fxe5 Qc7 21. Rb1 Rb8 22. Qd3 Bd7 23. a5 Bc6 24. Qd6 Qxd6 25. exd6 Bxf3 26. gxf3 Kf8 27. c4 Ke8 28. a6 b6 29. c5 Kd7 30. cxb6 axb6 31. a7 Ra8 32. Rxb6 Rxa7 33. Kg2 e5 34. Rb4 f5 35. Rb6 Ke6 36. d7 + Kxd7 37. Rb5 Ke6 38. Rb6 + Kf7 39. Rb5 Kf6 40. Rb6 + Kg5 41. Rb5 Kf4 42. Rb4 + e4 43. fxe4 fxe4 44. h3 Ra5 45. Rb7 Rg5 + 46. Kf1 Rg6 47. Rb4 Rg5 48. Rb7 Rg6 49. Rb4 ½ : ½
In the second game, despite a completely different position type, there were clear parallels to the first game, but with reversed roles: This time it was the defending champion who came under pressure with the white pieces and had to save himself in a rook ending with a minus pawn, who for Black was just as impossible to win as the one the day before. In contrast to Carlsen, Caruana refrained from lengthy attempts to win with the additional farmer.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
3rd game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 12th November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo Variation), B31
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. 0–0 Qc7 7. Re1 e5 8. a3 Nf6 9. b4 0–0 10. Nbd2 Bg4 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 cxb4 13.axb4 a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15. Bd2 Taa8 16. Qb1 Nd7 17. Qb4 Rfe8 18. Bc3 b5 19.Rxa8 Rxa8 20. Ra1 Rxa1 + 21. Bxa1 Da7 22nd Bc3 Q2 23. Qb2 Qxb2 24th Lxb2 f6 25. Kf1 Kf7 26. Ke2 Nc5 27. Bc3 Ne6 28. g3 Bf8 29. Nd2 Ng5 30. h4 Ne6 31. Nb3 h5 32.Bd2 Bd6 33. c3 c5 34.Be3 Ke7 35. Kd1 Kd7 36. Kc2 f5 37. Kd1 fxe4 38. dxe4 c4 39. Nd2 Nc5 40. Bxc5 Bxc5 41. Ke2 Kc6 42. Nf1 b4 43. cxb4 Bxb4 44. Ne3 Kc5 45. f4 exf4 46. gxf4 Ba5 47. f5 gxf5 48. Nxc4 exf5 49 : ½
In the third game, as in the first, the Rossolimo variant of the Sicilian Defense came on the board . After a few Abtäuschen Carlsen soon took over the initiative and eventually formed a passed pawn on the queenside . However, Caruana defended himself very carefully. By sacrificing his knight for the passed pawn, he secured the draw, because Carlsen was only the “wrong” bishop who could not support the remaining pawn in the conversion .
|
Caruana – Carlsen, game 3
Position after 28.… Bf8.
With 29. Bxe5 fxe5 30. Nxe5 + along with 31. Nxc6 White could have given his bishop for three pawns. |
Caruana – Carlsen, game 3
End position after 49. exf5
|
4th game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 13th November 2018
- English opening (English four knights game), A29
- 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 7. 0–0 0–0 8. d3 Re8 9. Bd2 Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Nd4 11. b4 Bd6 12. Rb1 Nxf3 + 13. Bxf3 a6 14. a4 c6 15. Re1 Bd7 16. e3 Qf6 17. Be4 Bf5 18. Qf3 Bxe4 19. Qxf6 gxf6 20. dxe4 b5 21. Ted1 Bf8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Kg2 Ted8 24. Rdc1 Kg7 25. Be1 Rdc8 26. Rc2 Ra4 27. Kf3 h5 28. Ke2 Kg6 29. h3 f5 30. exf5 + Kxf5 31. f3 Be7 32. e4 + Ke6 33. Bd2 Bd6 34. Rbc1 ½: ½
In the fourth game, the four-knight variant of the English opening was played. In a game that wasn't very exciting, Carlsen considered his 15th move for almost 20 minutes before drawing Re1. However, it turned out that this move did not give him an advantage. Grandmaster Michael Adams saw in his analysis on Chessbase the critical move for White instead 15. b5! on.
|
Carlsen – Caruana, game 4
Position after 14.… c6.
Carlsen drew 15th Re1 here. According to Michael Adams, 15. b5 would be! been stronger. |
Carlsen – Caruana, game 4
Final position after 34th Rbc1
|
5th game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 15th November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo Variation), B31
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0–0 Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. b4 ?! Nxb4 7. Bb2 a6 8. a3 axb5 9. axb4 Rxa1 10. Lxa1 d6 11. bxc5 Ne7 12. De2 b4 13. Qc4 Qa5 14. cxd6 Be6 15. Qc7 Qxc7 16. dxc7 Sc6 17. c3 Kd7 18. cxb4 Ra8 19 Bc3 Kxc7 20. d3 Kb6 21. Bd2 Rd8 22. Be3 + Kb5 23. Nc3 + Kxb4 24. Nd5 + Lxd5 25. exd5 Rxd5 26. Rb1 + Kc3 27. Rxb7 Nd8 28. Rc7 + Kxd3 29. Kf1 h5 30. h3 Ke4 31. Ng5 + Kf5 32. Nxf7 Nxf7 33. Rxf7 + Bf6 34. g4 + ½: ½
The Rossolimo variant was again put to the test. By train 6. b4 ?! Caruana surprised the audience, but not Carlsen - the latter reacted very carefully to the grand piano gambit , which is also known as the Gurgenidse variant. As a result, Caruana could never really gain an advantage in this game. Alex Yermolinsky expressed the fear in his video analysis that Caruana's preparation for the opening had more or less failed because he was never able to put the world champion under pressure in his three white games in the first half of the competition. Carlsen, who now enjoys the opening advantage twice in a row, has the better chances on his side. As it turned out, this assessment turned out to be incorrect, because Carlsen did not manage to use this small advantage in the following games.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
6th game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 16th November 2018
- Russian Defense, C42
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nd3 Nxe4 5. De2 De7 6.Nf4 Nc6 7.Nd5 Nd4 8.Nxe7 Nxe2 9.Nd5 Nd4 10.Na3 Ne6 11.f3 N4c5 12.d4 Nd7 13. c3 c6 14.Nf4 Nb6 15. Bd3 d5 16.Nc2 Bd6 17.Nxe6 Bxe6 18. Kf2 h5 19.h4 Nc8 20. Ne3 Ne7 21.g3 c5 22. Bc2 0–0 23.Rd1 Rfd8 24.Ng2 cxd4 25. cxd4 Tac8 26.Bb3 Nc6 27.Bf4 Sa5 28.Rdc1 Bb4 29.Bd1 Nc4 30.b3 Sa3 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 32.Rc1 Nb5 33.Rxc8 + Bxc8 34. Ne3 Nc3 35.Bc2 La3 36. Bb8 a6 37. f4 Bd7 38. f5 Bc6 39.Bd1 Bb2 40. Bxh5 Ne4 + 41. Kg2 Bxd4 42. Bf4 Bc5 43. Bf3 Nd2 44. Bxd5 Bxe3 45.Bxc6 Bxf4 46.Bxb7 Bd6 47. Bxa6 Ne4 48. g4 Ba8 50.Bc4 Kf4 g5 Nc3 51. b4 Bxb4 52. Kf3 Sa4 53. Bb5 Nc5 54. a4 f6 55. Kg4 Ne4 56. Kh5 Be1 57. Bd3 Nd6 58. a5 Bxa5 59. gxf6 gxf6 60. Kg6 Bd8 61. Kh7 Nf7 62. Bc4 Ne5 63.Bd5 Ba5 64. h5 Bd2 65. Ba2 Nf3 66. Bd5 Nd4 67. Kg6 Bg5 68. Bc4 Nf3 69. Kh7 Ne5 70.Bb3 Ng4 71. Bc4 Ne3 72. Bd3 Ng4 73. Bc4 Nd4 74. Kg6 Ke7 75. Bb3 Kd6 76. Bc2 Ke5 77. Bd3 Kf4 78.Bc2 Ng4 79. Bb3 Ne3 80. h6 Bxh6 ½: ½
In his third White game, Carlsen came on the verge of defeat for the first time. He opened for the first time in the competition with 1. e4 and enabled his opponent to respond with his favorite defense, the Russian game. The queens were traded early and Carlsen let himself be carried away on move 44 to give a runner for three pawns. This exchange turned out to be a mistake, because one of the farmers was soon lost again. The result was an extremely difficult final for both parties. Carlsen had to fight against the material preponderance of black. Caruana, on the other hand, had to find a way to convert a pawn even though Carlsen had the pawn majority. It was unclear to all live commentators whether the final was theoretically a draw or could be won for Black. Despite trailing behind, Carlsen bravely sacrificed a pawn to temporarily distract the black bishop . So he could exchange another farmer and build a supposed fortress . This was remarkable because at the last World Cup at a press conference he said the famous sentence: “I don't believe in fortresses.” (“I don't believe in fortresses.”). Peter Svidler praised the precision with which Carlsen defended himself in a difficult situation. After six hours and 80 moves this game also ended in a draw. Nonetheless, the complicated final was generally considered to be one of the highlights of a world championship that had hitherto had rather poor highlights. On the same evening it was announced that the Norwegian supercomputer Sesse had found a way to win for Black, but it was so complicated that it was not understood by the opponents themselves or by commenting grandmasters. Carlsen said about the computer analysis: “I am not going to disagree with the computers, I just don't understand it.” (“I won't contradict the computers, I just don't understand.”) Ex-world champion Garri Kasparow tweeted accordingly that no human being would make such moves without computer assistance.
|
Carlsen – Caruana, game 6
Position after 43 ... Nd2.
Carlsen gave a bishop for three pawns with 44. Bxd5 Bxe3 45. Bxc6 Bxf4 46. Bxb7 Bd6 47. Bxa6, but after 47.… Ne4 48. g4 Ba3! the loss of a queenside pawn was inevitable. |
Carlsen – Caruana, game 6
Position after 57 ... Nd6.
The distraction sacrifice 58. a5! enables white to build an almost impregnable fortress on the kingside. |
Carlsen – Caruana, game 6
End position after 80 ... Bxh6
|
7th game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 18th November 2018
- Queen's Gambit declined, D37
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0–0 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Dc2 Nc6 9. a3 Qa5 10. Nd2 Qd8 11. Nb3 Bb6 12. Be2 Qe7 13. Bg5 dxc4 14. Nd2 Ne5 15. 0–0 Bd7 16. Bf4 Ng6 17. Bg3 Bc6 18. Nxc4 Bc7 19. Rfd1 Rfd8 20. Rxd8 + Rxd8 21. Rd1 Rxd1 + 22. Qxd1 Nd5 23. Qd4 Nxc3 24. Qxc3 Bxg3 25. hxg3 Qd7 ?! 26. Bd3 b6 27. f3 Bb7 28. Bxg6 hxg6 29. e4 Qc7 30. e5 Qc5 + 31. Kh2 Ba6 32. Nd6 Qxc3 33. bxc3 f6 34. f4 Kf8 35. Kg1 Ke7 36. Kf2 Kd7 37. Ke3 Bf1 38. Kf2 Ba6 39. Ke3 Bf1 40. Kf2 ½: ½
For the second time in this match, the rejected Queen's Gambit was used. In this game, too, Carlsen couldn't do anything against Caruana's Queen's Gambit. The world champion only got chances when Caruana began to get himself into trouble. In the end, the 7th draw is recorded in the 7th game.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
8th game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 19th November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation), B33
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. a4 Be7 10. Be2 0–0 11. 0–0 Nd7 12. Bd2 f5 13. a5 a6 14. Sa3 e4 15. Nc4 Ne5 16. Nb6 Rb8 17. f4 exf3 18. Bxf3 g5 19. c4 f4 20. Bc3 Bf5 21. c5 Nxf3 + 22. Qxf3 dxc5 23.Rad1 Bd6 24. h3 Qe8 25.Nc4 Qg6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.h4 gxh4 28. Qxf4 Qxf4 29.Rxf4 h5 30. Re1 Bg4 31.Rf6 Rxf6 32.Bxf6 Kf7 33.Bxh4 Re8 34.Rf1 + Kg8 35.Rf6 Re2 36.Rg6 + Kf8 37. d6 Rd2 38. Rg5 ½: ½
After Carlsen had chosen the Sicilian Defense for the fourth time in his fourth game with Black, Caruana deviated from the Rossolimo variant for the first time. The Sveshnikov variant came on the board, which can lead to tactically sharp positions. After that, it initially appeared that Caruana managed to place a strong knight on b6 and put pressure on the queenside, while Carlsen tried to attack the kingside with 18.… g5 - perhaps a little hastily . However, Caruana failed to take advantage of it. So he played with 24. h3 ?! too much on security and missed the opportunity with 24. Qh5! strong white pressure to maintain. Therefore, the game changed from a promising middle game faster than expected to an endgame with bishops of different colors and ended again after 38 moves.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
9th game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 21st November 2018
- English opening (English four knights game), A29
- 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 7. 0–0 0–0 8. d3 Re8 9. Bg5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 f6 11. Bc1 Be6 12. Bb2 Bb6 13. d4 Bd5 14. Qc2 exd4 15. cxd4 Be4 16. Qb3 + Bd5 17. Qd1 Bxf3 18. Qb3 + Kh8 19. Bxf3 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Qxd4 21. e3 Qe5 22. Bxb7 Rad8 23. Rad1 Qe7 24. h4 g6 25.h5 gxh5 26.Qc4 f5 27.Bf3 h4 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.gxh4 Rg8 + 30.Kh1 Qf6 31.Qf4 Bc5 32.Rg1 Rxg1 + 33.Kxg1 Bd6 34.Q4 f4 35.Qxa7 fxe3 36.Qxe3 Qxh4 37. a4 Qf6 38.Bd1 De5 39. Qxe5 + Bxe5 40. a5 Kg7 41. a6 Bd4 42. Kg2 Kf6 43. f4 Bb6 44. Kf3 h6 45. Ke4 Ba7 46. Bg4 Bg1 47. Kd5 Bb6 48. Kc6 Be3 49. Kb7 Bb6 50.Bh3 Be3 51. Kc6 Bb6 52. Kd5 Ba7 53. Ke4 Bb6 54. Bf1 Ke6 55. Bc4 + Kf6 56. Bd3 Ke6 ½: ½
In the ninth game, as in the fourth game, there was the four-knight variant of the English opening. Carlsen earned a small opening advantage for the first time. With a clear time advantage (over an hour compared to only 25 minutes of his opponent) Carlsen forced the game with an opening on the kingside. However, with the move 25. h5 he was too impatient and ultimately lost the initiative. In the open position, Caruana held strong against it. The game ended in a final with bishops of different colors drawn.
|
Carlsen – Caruana, game 9
Position after 26.… f5.
Carlsen had hastily sacrificed a pawn with 25. h5 and then gradually lost the initiative. |
Carlsen – Caruana, game 9
End position after 56th… Ke6
|
10th game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 22nd November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation), B33
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. a4 Be7 10. Be2 0–0 11. 0–0 Nd7 12. b4 a6 13.Na3 a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15.Nc4 Ta8 16. Be3 f5 17. a5 f4 18. Bb6 Qe8 19.Ra3 Qg6 20. Bc7 e4 21. Kh1 b5 22. Nb6 Nxb6 23.Bxb6 Qg5 24.g3 b4 25. Rb3 Bh3 26. Rg1 f3 27. Bf1 Lxf1 28. Qxf1 Qxd5 29. Rxb4 De6 30. Rb5 Bd8 31. De1 Bxb6 32. axb6 Tab8 33. De3 Qc4 34. Rb2 Rb7 35. Rd1 De2 36. Re1 Qxe3 37. Rxe3 d5 38. h4 Rc8 39. Ra3 Kf7 40. Kh2 Ke6 41. g4 Rc6 42. Ra6 Ke5 43. Kg3 h6 44. h5 Kd4? 45. Rb5 Rd6 46. Ra4 + Ke5 47. Tab4 Ke6 48. c4 dxc4 49. Rxc4 Rdxb6 50. Rxe4 + Kf7 51. Rf5 + Rf6 52. Rxf6 Kxf6 53. Kxf3 Kf7 54. Kg3 ½: ½
As in the eighth game, the Sveshnikov variant of the Sicilian Defense came on the board. Carlsen attacked the kingside but could not gain an advantage. After Carlsen's aggressive but unsuccessful attempt to win, Caruana was able to 44.… Kd4? win a pawn, but that was not enough to win. According to André Schulz , with the principal 24. Bxb5 !, that is, accepting the pawn sacrifice offered by Carlsen, Caruana had the opportunity to gain a decisive advantage.
|
Caruana – Carlsen, game 10
Position after 23.… Qg5.
Caruana played 24. g3 ?! - Better was the acceptance of Carlsen's pawn sacrifice on b5 with 24. Bxb5! |
Caruana – Carlsen, game 10
End position after 54th Kg3
|
11th game
- Carlsen – Caruana ½: ½
- London 24th November 2018
- Russian Defense, C42
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 0–0 8. Dd2 Nd7 9. 0–0–0 Nf6 10. Bd3 c5 11. The1 Be6 12. Kb1 Qa5 13.c4 Qxd2 14.Bxd2 h6 15.Nh4 Rfe8 16.Ng6 Ng4 17.Nxe7 + Rxe7 18.Re2 Ne5 19.Bf4 Nxd3 20.Rxd3 Rd7 21.Rxd6 Rxd6 22nd Bxd6 Rd8 23.Rd2 Bxc4 24. Kc1 b6 25. Bf4 Rxd2 26. Kxd2 a6 27. a3 Kf8 28. Bc7 b5 29. Bd6 + Ke8 30. Bxc5 h5 31. Ke3 Kd7 32. Kd4 g6 33. g3 Be2 34. Bf8 Kc6 35. b3 Bd1 36. Kd3 Bg4 37. c4 Be6 38. Kd4 bxc4 39. bxc4 Bg4 40. c5 Be6 41. Bh6 Bd5 42. Be3 Be6 43. Ke5 Bd5 44. Kf4 Be6 45. Kg5 Bd5 46. g4 hxg4 47. Kxg4 Ba2 48. Kg5 Bb3 49. Kf6 Ba2 50. h4 Bb3 51. f4 Ba2 52. Ke7 Bb3 53. Kf6 Ba2 54. f5 Bb1 55. Bf2 Bc2 ½: ½
In the eleventh game, as in the sixth game, Carlsen opened with 1. e4 and Caruana again chose the Russian defense. As in the ninth game, there was an endgame with bishops of different colors. Caruana sacrificed a pawn on 29 ... Ke8 to better position his king in the endgame. After the black king blocked the white passed pawn on c5, Caruana mainly made waiting moves with his bishop; However, Carlsen did not succeed in helping his pawns to break through on the kingside with the help of his king. Because the players in this game made their moves very quickly, especially in the endgame, because of the time credit of 30 seconds per move, curiously, at the end of the game both had more time to think about it than at the beginning of the game.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
12th game
- Caruana – Carlsen ½: ½
- London 26th November 2018
- Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation), B33
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Sc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Ng6 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Qb4 Bf5 12. h4 h5 13. Da4 Bd7 14. Qb4 Bf5 15. Be3 a6 16. Nc3 Qc7 17. g3 Be7 18. f3 Nf8 19. Ne4 Nd7 20. Bd3 0–0 21. Rh2 Rac8 22. 0–0–0 Bg6 23. Rc2 f5 24. Nf2 Nc5 25. f4 a5 26. Qd2 e4 27. Be2 Be8 28. Kb1 Bf6 29. Re1 a4 30. Qb4 g6 31. Rd1 Ra8 ½: ½
In the last long game of this World Chess Championship, the Sveshnikov variant of the Sicilian Defense was played for the third time. Early on in the game, Carlsen twice offered his opponent the opportunity to repeat the position three times . Caruana evaded both times, which significantly increased the complexity of the position. On move 25, as in the first game, Carlsen left a clear chance of winning. Instead of using the lever 25.… b5 !, possibly only after swapping on f4, to open the position and receive a promising attack, he determined the pawn structure with 25.… a5 and 26.… e4. According to Wesley So , 29.… Ba4! instead of the game move, another possibility to get an almost profitable advantage afterwards. On move 31, Carlsen offered a draw in a still much better position to the surprise of his opponent and the commentators, which Caruana accepted. In the press conference that followed, Carlsen justified the early offer of a draw by stating that Black had the better position, but could not increase his pressure without taking risks. But it was not his intention to take any risks. When asked about the missed opportunity, he only said: "I don't care." ("I don't care.")
|
Caruana – Carlsen, game 12
Position after 25. f4
According to Wesley So, Black could with 25.… exf4 26. Bxf4 b5! Obtaining a clear advantage, an immediate 25.… b5 is also possible. Carlsen decided on the quieter 25.… a5. |
Caruana – Carlsen, game 12
End position after 31st… Ta8
|
Tie break
- London 28th November 2018
When the colors were drawn two days earlier, Carlsen drew the white queen. So he had the white pieces in games 1 and 3 of the rapid chess match, Caruana in games 2 and 4. Carlsen won the first game through an intermediate chess in the endgame, then Caruana tactically lost the next game he had set up sharply. Caruana lost the third game again in the final.
The tie-break was decided with 3-0 points for Carlsen. The fourth rapid game was no longer played according to the regulations.
Rapid chess game 1
- Carlsen – Caruana 1-0
- English opening (Sicilian approaching), A22
- 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Bb4 4. e4 0–0 5. Nge2 c6 6. Bg2 a6 7. 0–0 b5 8. d4 d6 9. a3 Bxc3 10. Nxc3 bxc4 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Sa4 Be6 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 14. Be3 Nbd7 15. f3 Tab8 16. Tac1 Rb3 17. Rfe1 Ne8 18. Bf1 Nd6 19. Rcd1 Nb5 20. Nc5 Rxb2 21. Nxe6 fxe6 22. Bxc4 Nd4 23.Bxd4 exd4 24. Bxe6 + Kf8 25.Rxd4 Ke7 26.Rxd7 + Rxd7 27.Bxd7 Kxd7 28.Rd1 + Ke6 29. f4 c5 30.Rd5 Rc2 31. h4 c4 32. f5 + Kf6 33. Rc5 h5 34. Kf1 Rc3 35. Kg2 Rxa3 36. Rxc4 Ke5 37. Rc7 Kxe4? 38. Re7 + Kxf5 39.Rxg7 Kf6 40.Rg5 a5 41.Rxh5 a4 42.Ra5 Ra1 43.Kf3 a3 44.Ra6 + Kg7 45.Kg2 Ra2 + 46.Kh3 Ra1 47.h5Kh7 48.g4 Kg7 49.Kh4 a2 50. Kg5 Kf7 51. h6 Rb1 52. Ra7 + Kg8 53. Rxa2 Rb5 + 54. Kg6 Rb6 + 55. Kh5 1: 0
|
Carlsen – Caruana, Rapid Chess Game
1
Position after 37. Rc7.
After 37 ... Kxe4? followed the loss of both black pawns on the kingside. |
Carlsen – Caruana, Rapid Chess Game
1
End position after 55th Kh5
|
Rapid chess game 2
- Caruana – Carlsen 0-1
- Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation), B33
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Sc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Ng6 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Qb4 Qb8 12. h4 h5 13. Be3 a6 14.Nc3 a5 15. Qb3 a4 16. Qd1 Be7 17. g3 Qc8 18. Be2 Bg4 19. Rc1 Lxe2 20. Qxe2 Qf5 21. c5 0–0 22. c6 bxc6 23. dxc6 Rfc8 24. Qc4 Bd8 25. Nd5 e4 26.c7 Bxc7 27.Nxc7 Ne5 28.Nd5 Kh7 0: 1
The second rapid game was identical in the first 10 moves to the 12th game of the competition. While Carlsen had offered a draw in the long game quite quickly - and incomprehensible to many observers - he pushed the position in the rapid game and was able to achieve the decisive second victory after only 28 moves.
rapid chess game 2
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
| 8th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
| 7th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
| 6th | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th |
| 5 | |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
5 |
| 4th | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
| 3 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| 2 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
Rapid game 3
- Carlsen – Caruana 1-0
- Sicilian Defense (French Variant), B40
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 6. Nc2 Nf6 7. Nc3 0–0 8. Be3 b6 9. Be2 Bb7 10. 0–0 De7 11. Qd2 Rfd8 12. Rfd1 Ne5 13.Bxc5 bxc5 14.f4 Ng6 15. Qe3 d6 16.Rd2 a6 17.Rad1 Qc7 18.b3 h6 19.g3 Rd7 20. Bf3 Re8 21.Qf2 Ne7 22.h3 Ted8 23.Bg2 Ng6 24.g4 Qa5 25.Na4 Qc7 26.e5 dxe5 27.Nxc5 Rxd2 28.Rxd2 Rxd2 29.Qxd2 Ba8 30.fxe5 Qxe5 31.Nd7 Qb2 32.Qd6 Nxd7 33.Qxd7 Qxc2 34. Qe8 + Kh7 35. Qxa8 Qd1 + 36. Kh2 Qd6 Kh1 Nd4 38.De4 + f5 39.gxf5 exf5 40. De3 Ne6 41. b4 Ng5 42. c5 Qf6 43. c6 Ne6? 44. a4 Nc7 45. Qf4 Ne6 46. Qd6 Qa1 + 47. Kh2 Nd4 48. c7 Qc3 49. Qc5 Qe3 50. c8D f4 51. Qg4 1: 0
|
Carlsen – Caruana,
rapid chess game 3
Position after 43. c6.
This was followed by 43.… Ne6 ?, 43.… Qd6 would have been better, so the conversion of the far advanced white c-pawn could no longer be prevented. |
Carlsen – Caruana,
rapid chess game 3
End position after 51. Qg4
|
consequences
Carlsen, who has held the world championship title since 2013 , will keep it until the 2020 World Chess Championship , which may be held in Vienna .
The almost identical Elo numbers of the two opponents - Carlsen 2835, Caruana 2832 - were not changed by the 12 regular draw games of the competition.
particularities
Draw series
It was the first world championship in which all long games ended in a draw. This also set a new record of 12 uninterrupted draw games at the start of a World Cup. This was previously 8 games, played at the 1995 World Cup between Kasparov and Anand . The absolutely longest draw series in a world championship - 17 draws in a row from the 10th to the 26th game of the 1984 World Chess Championship between Karpov and Kasparow - could not be outbid in the regular games due to the mode.
Lack of tightening advantage
Due to the advantage of the suit , white achieves about 55% of the possible points on average. In world championships this usually plays a particularly large competitive role: Both players strive to play to win with White and to equalize with Black. This is often clearly reflected in the results. For example, the winning balance in the 1990 World Chess Championship between Kasparov and Karpov was 7-0 for White. In the Classical World Chess Championship 2000 managed Vladimir Kramnik especially through the prepared Berlin Wall , to avoid with black loss risk, while he scored with white two victories.
In the 2018 World Chess Championship, however, the attracting person hardly ever succeeded in expanding the suit advantage into an opening advantage or even keeping it into the middle game. Black usually equalized or even got the initiative very quickly, and Black played to win in several games. Possible explanations are that due to the equal playing strength and the low number of games in the competition, both players primarily minimized the risk of loss. Because of the advantage of the white suit, the focus of preparation for the opening had to be more than usual on the repertoire of black, while that of white was rather neglected.
Video gate
The fourth game was the so-called "video gate ". A two-minute video allegedly showing scenes from a training camp of the challenger Fabiano Caruana and preparations for the opening was uploaded to the YouTube channel of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis , but was later removed. Whether the video was real or a hoax has not been officially clarified. However, in the ninth game Caruana actually played a (although otherwise modern) variant of the Russian defense that can be seen in the video with 8.… Nd7 and 9.… Nf6. Carlsen was unable to take advantage of it.
Press coverage
In the media comments on the outcome of the World Cup, the dominant theme was the continuous draw of all games in classical chess. In addition, the importance of the final tie-break for the two opponents was reflected.
To the draw series
The Süddeutsche Zeitung commented that all twelve regular chess games ended in a draw: “Carlsen is the first world champion in history who did not have to win a regular chess game to win the title. Caruana is therefore also the first challenger who does not become world champion, although he did not suffer a defeat over the 'full distance'. "
In the time before the tie-break it was said: “The twelfth draw! And now something is being revealed to the chess world that nobody would have thought possible: the world champion had offered the challenger in a much better position without any need for a draw. [...] The final position of this unfinished business, which was broken off, unfolds the destructive energy of a promise that has not been kept. Ever since Magnus Carlsen dethroned the Indian Viswanathan Anand in Chennai five years ago and won the chess crown, he has been surrounded by the aura of power man and executor. A Carlsen doesn't push a draw. He only begins to play in suspected draw positions. He finds ways and means to turn nothing into an advantage. He squeezes stones when he hopes for a drop. "Regardless of the outcome of the tie-break, Carlsen now needs a new narrative:" It can't be a future as a world draw championship. "
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung nonetheless attests to the high quality of the long games and quotes Carlsen: "The fact that they all ended in a draw was because we both defended ourselves very well, not because we had tried too little - with the exception of the twelfth game". With that, Carlsen himself came to the point of the only uncontested position. Despite an advantageous position, he offered a draw because he had previously decided to go into the playoff - decisions made must be carried out as a professional. "I've never been good at listening to others."
For the Neue Zürcher Zeitung , the record of twelve draws and zero wins calls for a change in the mode of the World Chess Championship. “Sure, a considerable part of the games was fiercely contested, and there were dramas between the opening move and the end of a draw. [...] The fact that a lottery was once again necessary to decide the duel is a tough nut to crack for which the chess world will have to find a solution in the next few years. "
To the tie-break exit
For the Tagesspiegel , the second game of the tie-break as “a show of power” by Carlsen was decisive. “The grandmasters repeated the same variant from the twelfth game with the classic time to think about it. In a very complicated position Caruana took the risk with a pawn advance on the c-file. Carlsen sacrificed a piece to stop the pawn, but built up such big threats in the center against the white queen and the king who remained in the middle of the board that Caruana had to give up after only 28 moves. "So Carlsen remains what he was. But the question arises as to what will happen to Caruana, whose steep ascent has been dampened. “The silent brooder has to pull himself out of this low. If he can do that, he could become even stronger than he already is. The only question is: will he be stronger than Carlsen? "
Web links
- Official website of the 2018 World Chess Championship
- Carlsen – Caruana World Championship Match (2018) - All games at chessgames.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ Numbers according to FIDE Elo lists. Data sources: fide.com (period since 2001), olimpbase.org (period 1971 to 2001)
- ↑ a b Caruana vs. Carlsen. In: chessgames.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018 .
- ^ The College. In: timeout.com. September 14, 2014, accessed November 22, 2018 .
- ^ André Schulz : Agon announces venue for world championship fight. In: chessbase.com. August 2, 2018, accessed November 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Peter Doggers: World Chess Championship 2018: Carlsen – Caruana. Venue. (No longer available online.) In: chess.com. November 10, 2018, archived from the original on November 11, 2018 ; accessed on November 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Peter Doggers: World Chess Championship 2018: Carlsen – Caruana. Tickets. (No longer available online.) In: chess.com. November 10, 2018, archived from the original on November 11, 2018 ; accessed on November 11, 2018 .
- ^ World Chess Championships tickets. (No longer available online.) In: ticketmaster.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018 ; accessed on November 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Peter Doggers: World Chess Championship 2018: Carlsen – Caruana. Prize money. (No longer available online.) In: chess.com. November 10, 2018, archived from the original on November 11, 2018 ; accessed on November 11, 2018 .
- ^ Carlsen – Caruana World Championship Match (2018). In: chessgames.com. Retrieved November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Rules & Regulations for the FIDE World Championship Match (FWCM) 2018. FIDE Handbook, accessed November 23, 2018.
- ↑ a b Colin McGourty: Carlsen-Caruana 1: Magnus lets Fabi off the hook. In: chess24.com. November 10, 2018, accessed November 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Franz Jittenmeier: Caruana-Carlsen game 1 Chess World Cup 2018. (Not available online.) In: chess-international.de. November 10, 2018, archived from the original on November 12, 2018 ; Retrieved on November 11, 2018 (commented by Grand Master Niclas Huschenbeth ).
- ↑ "You can feel the belligerence". In: spiegel.de . November 10, 2018, accessed on November 12, 2018 (video analysis by Grand Master Daniel King from 02:15 minute).
- ↑ 5th game between Korchnoi and Karpow 1978.
- ↑ 7th game between Carlsen and Anand 2014.
- ↑ Ogunsiku Babatunde: The World Chess Championship: Round 1 In: africachessmedia.com. The World Chess, November 10, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Michael Adams: "Another frustrating day with the white pieces". In: de.chessbase.com. November 13, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ André Schulz: Gurgenidze is not enough to win either. In: de.chessbase.com. November 15, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Mike Klein: Caruana's Surprise Gambit Doesn't Break Impasse. In: chess.com. November 15, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Johannes Fischer: Carlsen saved himself with difficulty in a draw. In: de.chessbase.com. November 16, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Mike Klein: Caruana Misses 'Impossible' Win. In: chess.com. November 17, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Marco Baldauf: The story continues. In: de.chessbase.com. November 18, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ^ André Schulz: Carlsen in luck. In: de.chessbase.com. November 19, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ^ A b André Schulz: Draw, draw, draw. In: de.chessbase.com. November 21, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ^ André Schulz: A lot of tension, but no winner in game ten. In: de.chessbase.com. November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018 .
- ^ Klaus Besenthal: Eleven games, eleven draws. In: de.chessbase.com. November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018 .
- ↑ Johannes Fischer: World Chess Championship, Game 12 - Could Carlsen win? In: de.chessbase.com. November 27, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018 .
- ↑ Press conference for the 12th game on YouTube , accessed on November 26, 2018.
- ↑ Johannes Fischer: World Chess Championship, Game 12: A tactical draw leads to a tie-break. In: de.chessbase.com. November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018 .
- ↑ Chess World Cup 2020 in the Vienna Museumsquartier? In: chess.at. Internet platform of the Austrian Chess Federation , September 5, 2018, accessed on November 29, 2018 .
- ↑ Klaus Besenthal: The FIDE world rankings from December. chessbase.com, December 1, 2018, accessed January 9, 2019 .
- ↑ Richard Forster: The curse of the white pieces at the World Chess Championship. Neue Zürcher Zeitung , November 21, 2018, accessed on January 3, 2019 .
- ^ Macauley Peterson: World Championship: Game 4 drawn amid 'videogate'. In: en.chessbase.com. November 14, 2018, accessed November 23, 2018 .
- ↑ Anatol Vitouch: Magnus Carlsen wants the tie-break. In: derStandard.de . November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018 .
- ↑ Tie-break victory. Magnus Carlsen wins the World Chess Championship again. In: Süddeutsche.de . November 28, 2018, accessed November 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Ulrich Stock: The world champion who lost himself. In: Zeit.de . November 29, 2018, accessed November 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Stefan Löffler: World Champion in Tie-Break. Carlsen remains the king of chess. In: faz.net . November 28, 2018, accessed November 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Richard Forster: The World Chess Championship needs new ideas. In: NZZ.ch . November 29, 2018, accessed November 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Magnus Carlsen is chess world champion again. In: Tagesspiegel.de . November 29, 2018, accessed November 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Mozart's moment. With his third world title defense, Magnus Carlsen shows how much he dominates the game of chess. In: Der Tagesspiegel . November 30, 2018, p. 22, online at: PressReader.com.