Bilbao, Rd: 3 Carlsen smashes Karjakin

by André Schulz
7/15/2016 – If the encounter between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin in the third round of the "Masters" in Bilbao is anything to go by Karjakin will not have an easy time in the World Championship match against Carlsen in November. But maybe this was only a final rehearsal that went wrong. At any rate, their game was a rather one-sided affair in which Carlsen smashed Karjakin in a smooth attack. With this victory Carlsen took the sole lead in the tournament.

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Before the encounter between Carlsen and Karjakin in round three tension ran high - after all the tournament in Bilbao is the last time Carlsen and Karjakin meet before their World Championship match in November. But the game itself was pretty one-sided. After a quiet opening in the middlegame the World Champion went straight for Karjakin's kingside which he destroyed with systematic and strong play that led to a devastating attack and a smooth victory for Carlsen.

Focused: World Champion Magnus Carlsen

 

 

The two other games ended in with a draw and thanks to the three-point rule Carlsen now leads the tournament with 6.0/9.

Results of round three

  Title Name Country ELO Res. Title Name Country ELO
1 GM Anish Giri
 
2790 1 - 1 GM Wesley So
 
2775
2 GM Magnus Carlsen
 
2851 3 - 0 GM Sergey Karjakin
 
2779
3 GM Hikaru Nakamura
 
2787 1 - 1 GM Wei Yi
 
2694

Games of rounds 1 to 3

 

Standings after three rounds

  Title Name Nation Elo Perf. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pts.
1 GM Magnus Carlsen
 
2851 +22 0       3 3 6 / 9
2 GM Hikaru Nakamura
 
2787 +106   3 1   1   5 / 9
3 GM Wesley So
 
2775 +10 1     1   1 3 / 9
4 GM Anish Giri
 
2790 -40     1   1 1 3 / 9
5 GM Wei Yi
 
2694 -5 1 0   1     2 / 9
6 GM Sergey Karjakin
 
2779 -94   0 1 1     2 / 9

In Bilbao the three-point rule applies (3 points for a win, 1 point for draw).

Tournament page...

 

 


André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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