Carlsen wins tie-break and remains World Champion!

World Chess Championship Carlsen Karjakin, New York - Newsblog 2016-11-30

07.30 Mumbai/ 03.00 Hamburg/ 21.00 New York: IM Sagar Shah brings you detailed coverage of the rapid tiebreaks with game analysis, key positions and pictures in his article entitled "All Hail King Magnus" on the ChessBase India newspage. 

00.45 / 18.45: With a stunning and brilliant mating combination Magnus Carlsen wins game four of the tie-break - and the match!

Here Carlsen played 50.Qh6+ and Karjakin resigned. After 50...Kxh6 White mates with 51.Rh8# and after 50...gxh6 White mates with 51.Rxf7#

Replay game 4

00.42 / 18.42: Carlsen neutralizes all attempts by Black and now has a winning position. Carlsen has two minutes, Karjakin only seconds.

00.36 / 18.36: After a tactical sequence Karjakin lands in a position in which Black is an exchange down but might have entertain hopes to create swindling chances against White's king. Karjakin has only seconds on the clock, Carlsen still has three minutes.

00.31 / 18.31: Karjakin now has less than a minute on the clock but there is still no counterplay in sight. If Carlsen does not blunder he should at least draw this game and win the match.

00.26 / 18.26: Maurice Ashley in the commentator room thinks that Carlsen's position is so good that Carlsen might even decline should Karjakin offer a draw now. An idea that Judit Polgar thinks to be very unlikely.

00.22 / 18.22: Karjakin is searching for a way to create counterchances and is now down to five minutes. 

00.17 / 18.17: According to the engines White has a clear advantage - Carlsen gets closer to winning the match.

00.05 / 18.05: Carlsen is playing solidly, Karjakin tries to create chances. But the engines still like White.

23.59 / 17.59: Carlsen is playing quickly and confidently. And Sergey Karjakin has to find a way to create chanbes. But "the position is so terribly passive" - Judit Polgar.

23.54 / 17.54: Things look good for Carlsen: the engines like his position and he is five minutes ahead on the clock.

23.49 / 17.49: Karjakin is again behind on the clock. After 11 moves Karjakin has 19 minutes left, Carlsen 24.

23.46 / 17.46: After winning game three of the tie-break for the first time Carlsen takes the lead in the match. 

23.41 / 17.41: Game four was a Sicilian in which Carlsen avoided the main lines with 5.f3.

23.30 / 17.30: Carlsen wins game three! Karjakin finally cracked under the pressure and now has to win game four with Black to even the score.

Replay game 2

23.27 / 17.27: Judit Polgar: "I think Magnus will win this." Karjakin now is down to less than one minute.

23.26 / 17.26: Judit Polgar: "It is very difficult to defend this position. I wonder if Karjakin will work his defensive magic again."

23.23 / 17.23: With 30...e4!? Carlsen sacrificed a pawn - once more, trying to put pressure on Karjakin.

23.21 / 17.21: After 30 moves Black is slightly better and Karjakin has less than three minutes on the clock - Carlsen still has ten.

23.10 / 17.10: After 24 moves Karjakin is already down to five minutes while Carlsen still has more than 15 minutes left. And the position on the board is slightly better for Black.

23.09 / 17.09: Judit Polgar: "Does Karjakin rejoice in defending these bad positions? I mean, the draw in game two must have felt like a win."

23.04 / 17.04: After 22 moves Karjakin is on the defensive again and with 22...a5 Carlsen plays on both sides.

Why have I got a feeling Karjakin will get mated here? #CarlsenKarjakin

— Daniel Gormally (@elgransenor1) November 30, 2016

23.01 / 17.01: Body language indicates that Carlsen recovered from game two and is trying to play for a win again.

22.54 / 16.53: After 19 moves Karjakin is down to 15 minutes, Carlsen still has 20. And the engines like Black's position better. Carlsen is starting an attack on the kingside.

22.51 / 16.51: After another miraculous escape by Karjakin, a lot of people suddenly seem to see Karjakin as favorite to win the match. However, after two tie-break games it's still 1-1. And Carlsen has a good position in game three and is again ahead on the clock.

22.45 / 16.45: Karjakin seeks the confrontation and Carlsen accepts. He is getting active with Black and another tense game might be ahead.

22.42 / 16.42: Whether one supports Carlsen or Karjakin - game two was a thrilling drama.

The excitement of watching live chess is like watching a thriller in the certain knowledge *nobody* knows how it will end.#CarlsenKarjakin

— Jonathan Rowson (@Jonathan_Rowson) November 30, 2016

22.38 / 16.38: Game three saw another Ruy Lopez. But this time Karjakin seems to try to push.

22.36 / 16.36: After a break of ten minutes game three began - and Carlsen was still visibly shaken by the events of game two.

Magnus Carlsen at the start of game three.

22.22 / 16.22: Draw! Karjakin escaped once again - with only seconds left on the clock he found a way to draw the game and saved a position in which he was lost. The story of the match seems to repeat itself - and the question is how Carlsen will cope with the psychological of missing yet another chance to win. 

Replay game 2

22.17 / 16.17: Karjakin has only seconds on the clock but Carlsen does not seem to have a clear idea how to win.

22.13 / 16.13: Carlsen missed a win and is under two minutes on the clock.

22.11 / 16.11: Carlsen sacrificed a pawn to initiate a mating attack with the two bishops and his king.

22.09 / 16.09: Carlsen improves the position of his king and seems to edge closer to a win.

22.05 / 16.05: Karjakin now just lives on his increment. But Carlsen has to find a way to break through. But as he said after game four of the match: "I do not believe in fortresses."

22.03 / 16.03: Carlsen is down to 3 minutes. He offered the exchange of queens and an endgame arose in which Carlsen has the two bishops and Karjakin a rook.

22.01 / 16.01: Carlsen takes a lot of time, a sign that he is not sure how to convert his advantage to a win.

21.59 / 15.59: Maxim Dlugy: "But it's not ever yet. White still has to win."

21.56 / 15.56: Carlsen plays calmly and tries to exploit his advantage on the board and the clock.

21.53 / 15.53: Karjakin has less than one minute left, Carlsen has 11 minutes left. And the engines see a 75% winning chance for Carlsen.

Gameover! #CarlsenKarjakin

— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) November 30, 2016

21.51 / 15.51: Judit Polgar: "If Sergey keeps this position - he really is a genius."

21.49 / 15.49: Judit Polgar: "Sergey Karjakin is very close to losing." His position is worse and he is under two minutes on the clock.

21.47 / 15.47: After a tactical sequence Carlsen has two pieces for the a rook and has a clear advantage. Not to mention the clock - 3 minutes for Karjakin, 12 minutes for Carlsen. This game has good chances to decide the match.

21.44 / 15.44: Carlsen sacrificed a pawn and put Karjakin under pressure. Judit Polgar: "Karjakin is in a very critical position now." Carlsen is a pawn down but the engines see a slight advantage for White. And Karjakin is under four minutes on the clock.

21.42 / 15.42: Things are getting tense:

Norwegians getting excited. https://t.co/Mv1mKYMMRM

— Jonathan Tisdall (@GMjtis) November 30, 2016

21.39 / 15.39: After 19 moves Karjakin is down to 7 seven minutes - Carlsen has 15 minutes left - and the engines think that White is slightly better.

21.34 / 15.34: Maxim Dlugy is commentating again and thinks that Carlsen should try to keep the tension up to emphasize his advantage on the clock.

21.32 / 15.32: Carlsen again has a slight plus on the clock: after 18 moves Carlsen has 16 minutes left, Karjakin 12.

21.30 / 15.30: After Karjakin pushed a pawn on the queenside the position suddenly flared up - and should be better for White, at least, according to the engines.

21.25 / 15.25: After 15 moves the position is equal - and Judit Polgar thinks that Karjakin plans to continue to defend solidly to provoke Carlsen into risking too much.

21.23 / 15.23: Sergey Karjakin and his wife on the way to the playing hall.

21.17 / 15.17: Really? Is it that simple?

More of the same, just faster. The first one to deviate from the 1 e4 e5 treadmill will win the match.

— Andrew Martin (@AMartinChess) November 30, 2016

21.15 / 15.15: After 12 moves Carlsen is again ahead on the clock. He has 23 minutes left, Karjakin 20.

21.08 / 15.08: Game two began with an Italian. The players followed theory and played the first ten moves quickly.

20.52 / 14.52: Draw! After 37 moves the first game of the tie-break ends in a draw!

Replay game 1

20.48 / 14.48: The engines evalute the position as absolutely equal but maybe Carlsen wants to try to exploit his advantage on the clock.

20.45 / 14.45: After 33 moves Karjakin is down to five minutes, Carlsen has ten minutes left.

20.44 / 14.44: With 33.f4 Karjakin gets active - but weakens the black squares around his king.

20.40 / 14.40: The position looks drawish but both players seem to be willing to play on and to try something.

20.35 / 14.35: After 30 moves the position simplified and a draw does not seem to be far away.

Looking handshaky now. #CarlsenKarjakin

— Jonathan Tisdall (@GMjtis) November 30, 2016

20.33 / 14.33: Judit Polgar: "Both players seem to be happy that the first game is so solid."

20.32 / 14.32: After some quick moves from both the position simplified and the engines say that's is equal.

20.28 / 14.28: Maxim Dlugy: "What is the only way not to lose on time in blitz? - Play faster than your opponent!" Karjakin is down to 11 minutes, Carlsen has 17 minutes left.

20.25 / 14.25: Judit Polgar: "I have a feeling that Carlsen is playing solid strategic chess and fast."

20.22 / 14.22: After 17 moves the game gradually takes shape in the middlegame and Carlsen is taking more time for his moves. However, with 19 to 13 minutes he is still much ahead on the clock.

20.13 / 14.13: Maxim Dlugy: "In blitz and rapid it is important to play good, solid moves. You simply do not have time to search for the best move."

20.11 / 14.11: Carlsen plays the opening quickly and after 15 moves he has eight minutes more on the clock than Karjakin.

20.05 / 14.05: The World Champion removes his jacket. Dlugy thinks that Carlsen is still in his preparation - he played ...Rb8 rather quickly.

Maxim Dlugy, our man in New York, knows a lot about rapid and blitz.

20.01 / 14.01: The tie-break began. With a Classical Ruy Lopez again. 

19.57 / 13.57: Judit Polgar: "Today is the day. Today, we will have a World Champion."

19.50 / 13.50: Judit Polgar: "After game 12 both players looked as if they were World Champions. But now I feel that there's more pressure on Magnus Carlsen."

18.02 / 12.02: Sabrina Chevannes predicts a decision in the rapid games. She is visiting our headquarters in Hamburg to produce some "My First Repertoire" DVDs and says: "It's Magnus' birthday today, and what better birthday gift than to be awarded the title of World Chess Champion yet again. I believe that he has been conserving his energy for this rapid showdown and will show the world who's boss in the first four games. Prediction: 2.5-1.5 to Magnus." 

16.56 / 10.46: Only three more hours to the tie-break. As a warm-up here's a blitz game Carlsen and Karjakin played at the Fide World Blitz Championship 2015 in Berlin.

15.14 / 9:14 - Interview with Vlastimil Hort:

What do you think about the World Championship in New York?
Very interesting, two young people, almost equally strong. I think Karjakin is very well prepared, Carlsen less so.

Does Carlsen play his best chess?
No, definitely not. I think, he is not 100% focused on the match. Maybe he did not take the task seriously enough. His schedule is probably too tight. Today he's here, the next month he's there. He does this and he does that. But you cannot juggle too many balls at once. For Karjakin things are different. For him, the match is the highlight of his career so far. And Carlsen was already down. After his loss in game eight Carlsen prepared a risky line in the Ruy Lopez. He easily could have lost a second game. He was lucky.

What did you predict before the match?
Before the match I did indeed risk some money at the bookies, not much, just a little, and I bet on a 6-6. I have to admit that I support Karjakin a bit more than Carlsen, you always root for the underdog. But I also have another reason: Karjakin and I are both Capricorns, born on January 12. I am only a bit older - 48 years! But Capricorns have stick together.

What was the best game of the match?
Carlsen's win in the Italian.

The worst game...?
Well, the last game, that was terrible. In this situation Fischer would have played on to the bare king, 100 moves or more if necessary.

What do you think about the format of the match?
Much too short. Twelve games, that is not enough. And the tie-break, terrible. Tennis has a tie-break, hockey has sudden death, soccer has a penalty shootout. All very similar to the actual competition. But rapid or blitz chess is something entirely different than classical chess. In the opera you can neither start as tragedy and finish as comedy.

What is better, a tie-break or the rules we had in previous matches - if the match is equal, the World Champion keeps the title?
Well, a difficult question: I once discussed it with Fischer, in Budapest. Fischer thought that it would be best to toss  a coin. 

Your prediction for the tie-break?
I think, Carlsen is better in these disciplines and he will win.

10.50 / 04.50: Not everyone is happy that a rapid, and possibly a blitz tie-break, will decide the World Championship in classical chess. Yesterday, Yasser Seirawan proposed a "radical solution" to avoid such tie-breaks in future World Championship matches. Seirawan's proposal provoked an enormous response.

Yasser Seirawan

09.04 / 03.04: As luck would have it, today is Magnus Carlsen's 26th birthday. He was born on 30. November 1990 in Tønsberg, Norway. This makes Carlsen a Sagittarius. For this star sign horoscope.com has some advice for today: "Don't let others push you into places you don't want to be. The key is to probe deeply with your penetrating mind and share your incredible insights with others. Don't be surprised if your actions cause some tension. Don't let this stop you from doing what you feel is right."

Sergey Karjakin was born on 12. January 1990, in Simferopol, Ukraine. His star sign is Capricorn. horoscope.com also has advice for him: "Emotionally speaking, you're probably doing quite well today, Capricorn. You have extra self-confidence to draw on to tackle your projects. The one difficult aspect of the day probably has to do with some sort of mental challenge that for some reason just isn't making sense. Don't continue to beat a dead horse. If things don't want to budge, let them sit. Tackle them later."

08.08 / 02.08: Here are the basic rules of the tie-break - we will see a minimum of three and a maximum of 15 games.

Rapid

The players start with a four-game rapid match (25 min + 10 sec/move). Karjakin has the white pieces in the 1st game. In case of a 2-2 after four games, the match will be decided by blitz games.

Blitz

The blitz phase consists of  two-game-blitz-matches (5 min + 3 sec/move). If the first blitz match also ends in a 1-1 draw, another two-game-match follows - up to five in total. If these five matches all end 1-1, Armageddon will decide the match.

Armageddon

This format guarantess a winner, as in case of a draw the player with the black pieces will be declared as the winner. In this format, White has five minutes, Black only four. An increment of three seconds is given from move 61.

07.45 / 01.45: According to the live ratings Carlsen is a slight favorite in rapid and in blitz.

Live Ratings: Top Ten Rapid

Live Ratings: Top Ten Blitz

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World Chess Championship 2016 Newsblogs:

• November 28, Game 12, Notes by Yasser Seirawan
• November 27, Rest Day
• November 26, Game 11, notes by Wesley So
• November 25, Rest Day
• November 24, Game 10, notes by Wesley So
• November 23, Game  9, notes by Fabiano Caruana
• November 22, Rest Day
• November 21, Game  8, notes by Fabiano Caruana
• November 20, Game  7, notes by Tiger Hillarp Persson
• November 19, Rest Day
• November 18, Game 6, notes by Tiger Hillarp Persson
• November 17, Game 5, notes by John Nunn
• November 16, Rest Day
• November 15, Game 4, notes by Dorian Rogozenco
• November 14, Game No.  3, notes by Yasser Seirawan
• November 13, Rest Day
• November 12, Game 2, notes by Ruslan Ponomariov
• November 11, Game 1, notes by Ruslan Ponomariov