The match for the title of world chess champion 2018

The contender for the title of world champion was Fabiano Caruana - the winner of the Candidates Tournament in Chess 2018 , which was held in Berlin from March 10 to March 27, 2018. The result of Fabiano Caruana is 9 points out of 14 ( +5 −1 = 8 ), which is 1 point more than the Azerbaijani grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and the Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin (participant in the previous match for the world champion title ), who scored 8 points each the tournament.

The match was held under the auspices of FIDE , the World Chess Federation, with the right to organize it with Agon, its commercial partner ^[4] . After the match for the title of world champion in chess in 2016 , FIDE was informed that an Asian venue was announced for the match during the presidential council in spring 2017 ^[5] . Such places were represented by Japan , Singapore , Thailand , China ^[6] and other Asian countries were candidates for admission ^[7] . In the spring of 2017 it became known about the candidacy of London ^[8] . In November 2017, London was declared the venue for the match ^[9] .

On August 15, 2018, it was announced that both participants had signed contracts to participate in the Match ^[10] .

The start time of matches on game days is 15:00 ( GMT , UTC ) ^[11] .

Twelve games are scheduled if none of the participants wins early. Time control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves and 15 minutes until the end of the game with 30 seconds added for each move, starting with the first. Players cannot agree to a draw until Black’s thirtieth move ^{[12] [13]} .

If after twelve games the score remains equal, on the last gaming day a tiebreak will be held as follows:

• Four games in rapid chess (25 minutes + 10 seconds of addition for each move), if none of the participants win ahead of schedule. If after four games in rapid chess the winner is not determined, the opponents play a blitz.
• Up to five episodes of two games in blitz (5 minutes + 3 seconds of addition for each move) are white and black. The winner is the player who first won the two-game series. If all five episodes end in a draw, the rivals play Armageddon .
• One " party of death ." White gets five minutes, and Black four, starting at 61 moves, each opponent has three seconds added to each move. The player, who won by lot, can choose the color of the pieces. White, who has an extra minute, needs only a victory, in case of a draw, black wins.

Sergey Shipov Party Reviews

First batch

Caruana - Carlsen
November 9
Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo variant) (B31) ^[14]

White pieces were at the applicant. The symbolic first move was made by his compatriot, the famous American actor, Emmy award winner Woody Harrelson . True, he did not hear Caruana’s request and moved the queen pawn to two squares; Caruana had to get her back and play e2-e4 ^[15] .

Of course, Caruana in the first game was very difficult. Surely Carlsen understood this and, perhaps, applied a kind of psychological trick: he played with Black an aggressive debut - the Sicilian defense, and not the Spanish party, which he meets more often. Judging by the debates in the opening, this was a surprise for Fabiano, although Magnus had already played a similar variation this year with Anand ^[15] .

It is in such positions that Magnus is very strong: he chooses the classical construction and at the expense of subtle nuances (when to go ... b6, when ... h6, etc.) replays rivals. During the party, he feels all these subtleties fantastic! At some point, it seemed that Caruana was playing against the car: Carlsen acted with delicate precision, achieved a big advantage and also “pressed” in time. It was thought that we would see a repetition of the scenario of the 2004 Leko-Kramnik match in Brissago , where the Hungarian grandmaster, being a challenger, lost the first game to White ^[15] .

But, apparently, Magnus has not yet entered the game. The world championship match is a big test for him too. Yes, he had already played three matches at the highest level, but now a lot is new for him: another opponent, a different situation. And the champion did not have enough composure to bring the game to victory ^[15] .

Perhaps, purely in chess, Magnus did not act as accurately as possible, but as a player he posed very serious problems for the opponent. And all this happened under the time pressure of Caruana. But on the last moves before the first control, Carlsen lost his composure - he seems to be nervous too. I think if it was not the first game of the match, but the third, he would have brought it to victory. Magnus would have been involved in the match, he would have been calm. It is unlikely that he expected that the starting match in which he played with black pieces would be so successful for him ^[15] .

If Fabiano had lost, then for him this, of course, would be a great test. And Magnus already had to make comebacks, he had already been in the role of a follower ^[15] .

Second batch

Carlsen - Caruana
10th of November
The Queen's Gambit (D37) ^[16]

The white pieces were at the world champion, and he started the game with a queen pawn. The challenger chose to answer the queen gambit, and, apparently, this turned out to be a definite surprise for the Norwegian grandmaster. He played the opening without special pretensions, and then made an inaccuracy, after which the initiative gradually went over to black. However, Caruana could hardly count on any serious advantage, since he was seriously lagging behind in development. After a series of simplifications on the board, just like the day before, a rook ending with an extra pawn from Black appeared, but objectively a draw. Fabiano, unlike Magnus, did not check the opponent’s equipment and nerves for several hours, and soon offered a draw ^[17] .

According to grandmaster Jan Nepomnyashchy, the game lasted for about three moves: in the debut tabia , which arose after 9 ... Qa5 10.Rd1 Rd8, instead of the most popular move 11.Nd2, Carlsen played 11.Be2. Two times in succession, Magnus chose not the most important continuations - he probably had some reasons for it, but after 12 ... Nxc3, White, in theory, should have nothing. Then Carlsen made a non-optimal move 15.Ne5, after which a certain accuracy was required of him. Although, of course, White’s margin of safety is very large, since Black is without development, and White’s pawn structure, albeit with problems, has nothing fatal. And then everything just exchanged. So, in essence, the game went on for two or three moves ^[17] .

Third Party

Caruana - Carlsen
November 12
Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo variant) (B31) ^[18]

White pieces were at the applicant. The rivals continued their debut discussion in the Rossolimo Sicilian defense system, but this time Caruana chose another, more cunning plan and seized the initiative. In the 15th move, White could capture the only open vertical, after which an unpleasant defense awaited the blacks, but the challenger made a mistake and allowed the champion to eliminate the danger. In the further agile struggle, White already needed a certain accuracy in order not to get into an unpleasant position. Still, the margin of safety in White’s position was very large, and without any special adventures the game ended in a draw on the 49th move ^[19] .

According to Peter Svidler, the change of the opening concept allowed Caruana to control the situation on the board, leaving Magnus with fewer opportunities to start an obscure struggle for three results. However, then he made a completely inexplicable decision - 15.Bd2? And when he realized what had happened, he was crippled. If, instead, Fabiano had gone 15.Rxa5 Qxa5 16.Bd2, then Black’s position would be rather vile. Apparently, the queen must retreat to c7, after which White goes 17.Qa1 and 18.Rb1, capturing the only open line on the board. And a very pleasant "free ride" begins. And when Caruana went 15.Bd2 and allowed 15.Raa8, then suddenly the line “a” is no longer given to him, at least for free. The game becomes much more comfortable for blacks. Therefore, the difference between what Caruana got in the party and what he could get is heaven and earth. But in the end, he finished playing to a position where he even had to demonstrate some accuracy, but it was difficult to beat him so “on a handkerchief”, of course, and Carlsen did not succeed. ^[19] .

Fourth Party

Carlsen - Caruana
the 13th of November
English beginning (A29) ^[20]

The white pieces were at the world champion. The main variant of the English beginning was played out, to which Caruana reacted with an up-to-date plan with the conclusion of the bishop on c5. At the exit from the opening, it seemed that White had a microscopic advantage, but after a series of exact moves of black, the position became simpler and a draw was inevitable ^[21] .

Fifth installment

Caruana - Carlsen
15th of November
Sicilian Defense (Rossolimo variant) (B31) ^[22]

White pieces were at the applicant. Opponents continued the discussion in the Rossolimo Sicilian defense variant, where Caruana used a rare and almost forgotten pawn sacrifice. Carlsen did not remain in debt and responded with a counter sacrifice recommended in monographs of the Soviet time by grandmaster Yuri Razuvaev . In the end, there was some initiative on the side of the blacks, but the whites clearly met the opponent's raid, and soon a peace agreement was signed ^[23] .

Sixth Party

Carlsen - Caruana
November 16
Russian Party (C42) ^[24]

The white pieces were the champion. The Norwegian grandmaster “changed the pitch” and started the game with the royal pawn move; the applicant, as expected by many experts, chose to answer the Russian party. Carlsen tried to catch his opponent off his back in a rare line, but Caruana was perfectly prepared for this development and clearly balanced the position. It seemed that the grandmasters were about to agree on a draw, but the somewhat careless game of the champion allowed the challenger to develop an offensive on the queenside and completely seize the initiative. Magnus had to try pretty hard to save half a point; he sacrificed a figure and eventually built an impregnable fortress. The draw was fixed on the 80th move ^[25] .

Seventh Party

Carlsen - Caruana
November 18th
The Queen's Gambit (D37) ^[26]

The white pieces were the champion. The opponents continued the discussion in the Queen's Gambit, started in the second game. The world champion was the first to turn aside, but the challenger turned out to be well prepared for such a development of events and, with apparent ease, gained a comfortable position. After the 20th move, mass exchanges began, and soon a equal ending appeared on the board, in which neither side had the resources to continue the struggle. The draw was fixed on the 40th move ^[27] .

Sergey Karjakin noted that Carlsen again today, as in previous games, where he played in white, failed to achieve anything. It seemed to Karjakin that Carlsen again made a bid to try to surprise his opponent a little in the opening, but this was too predictable. Again, the queen's gambit, once again one of the most main options with 5.Bf4. Of course, 10.Nd2 is not the main move in this line, but it is clear that he studied Fabiano before the match, and hoping to catch the opponent by surprise in such a rather primitive way was very rash ^[27] .

Eighth installment

Caruana - Carlsen
November 19
Sicilian Defense ( Chelyabinsk Variant ) (B33) ^[28]

White pieces were at the applicant. Fabiano again, as in the three previous "white" games, started the game with the royal pawn move, to which Magnus responded with Sicilian defense with 2 ... Nc6. However, there was no continuation of the debut dispute in the Rossolimo system - White played 3.d4, and soon the Chelyabinsk option, or the Sveshnikov system, appeared on the board ^[29] .

Caruana chose not the most popular (though not so rare) sequel, in which White gets a pawn pawn on the queenside, and Black gets the royal pawn. The world champion from the very first moves began to think for a long time and, on the way out of the opening, apparently did not play accurately - as some experts suggested, he forgot his analysis. Black’s position seemed dangerous, but Caruana failed to find a clear path to preponderance. Soon the situation on the board became simpler, an endgame emerged with White’s symbolic advantage. On the 38th move, the grandmasters agreed to a draw ^[29] .

Party Nine

Carlsen - Caruana
November 21
English beginning (A29) ^[30]

The white pieces were at the world champion. Opponents played the same version of the English beginning, which has already met with them in the fourth installment. The Norwegian grandmaster on the 9th move applied a new sequel, but he did not bring any special dividends - Fabiano solved the opening problems with apparent ease. But then, striving for simplifications, the applicant agreed to a slightly worse, though very strong position with multi-colored elephants ^[31] .

Carlsen, in turn, hurried to the pawn pawning on the kingside, and with two clear moves Caruana caused a new wave of exchanges. Soon an endgame with multicolored bishops appeared on the board, where only minimal accuracy was required of black to maintain equality. The grandmasters agreed to a draw on the 56th move ^[31] .

Tenth Party

Caruana - Carlsen
November 22
Sicilian Defense ( Chelyabinsk Variant ) (B33) ^[32]

White pieces were at the applicant. Opponents continued their debut debate in a rare line of the Chelyabinsk version. This time the world champion showed serious preparation and seized the initiative in a difficult struggle. Clouds were gathering over the white king, but Caruana acted very coolly - a whole series of moves “on the first line” parried the black threats ^[33] .

In the end, Carlsen underestimated the activity of the white rooks, but he got off with a slight fright - a rook ending “three for two on one flank” soon appeared on the board, and the partners agreed to a draw ^[33] .

According to grandmaster Nikita Vitiugov, White captured the initiative for the opening, but after a pair of apparently independent decisions (it seemed to be worth playing 19.Bh5, prompting g6) Caruana fell into a very unpleasant position. The position of blacks seemed very promising. Then everything was simplified (it is worth noting 25 ... Bh3 - f3 instead, not allowing Bf1, it looked very tempting), the game turned into a heavy-figured middle game. From there - to the endgame, which turned out to be not so equal as at first glance. Carlsen pressed, but at the second control he made a surprising mistake - 44 ... Kd4 ?. There is a feeling that whites did not exert all possible pressure after this ^[33] .

Eleventh Lot

Carlsen - Caruana
November 24
Russian Party (C42) ^[34]

The first move in the game was made by Sergey Karyakin , the challenger of the previous world championship - 1.b4 ( Sokolsky's debut ). However, Magnus Carlsen chose to make another choice of the first move - 1. e4. After the game, the Norwegian regretted not leaving the move made by Sergey Karyakin ^[35] .

The best chess player in the world tried to penetrate the defense counterparts in the main line of the Russian party, but here Caruana showed good preparation. After massive exchanges, the game went into an endgame with multi-colored bishops, where White's weak consolation turned out to be an extra pawn. The challenger confidently showed a defensive stance - a draw ^[36] .

Twelfth Party

Caruana - Carlsen
November 26
Sicilian Defense ( Chelyabinsk Variant ) (B33) ^[37]

White pieces were at the applicant. Caruana remained loyal to the first move with a royal pawn, and Carlsen, in response, again played the Chelyabinsk version of the Sicilian defense. The champion was the first to avoid the line that was tested in 8 and 10 batches, and then applied a novelty that caught the opponent off guard. Caruana could fix a draw by repeating the moves, but he took a chance and went out to fight. Soon White’s position began to inspire serious fears - Carlsen seized the initiative and also achieved a significant advantage over time, but on the 31st move the whole chess world was surprised, in a very promising position he offered his opponent to disperse the world ^[38] .

Tie Break Party

The tiebreak took place on November 28th.

Tie Break Reviews:

•   Review of Sergey Shipov
•   Review on the channel ChessMasterClub

1 batch

Carlsen - Caruana
English beginning (A22) ^[39]

In the first fast game, the world champion who won with white won outplayed the opponent in a rooky endgame with an extra pawn, where Black had good chances of a draw ^[40] .

Part 2

Caruana - Carlsen
Sicilian Defense (B33) ^[41]

In the second game, Caruana started a tough fight, but Carlsen turned out to be stronger in calculations and celebrated his victory after his 28th move ^[40] .

3 party

Carlsen - Caruana The
Sicilian Defense (B40) ^[42]

В третьей встрече чемпион мира действовал без особого риска, в то время как Каруана отказывался от невыгодной для него ничьей. В окончании с ферзями и лёгкими фигурами норвежец продемонстрировал превосходство слона над конём. Имея лишнего ферзя, Карлсен зафиксировал победу в партии и в матче ^[40] .

• Официальная страница матча
• Unofficial list of qualifiers for candidates tournament
• Илюмжинов: «Китай может провести чемпионаты по шахматам среди мужчин и женщин»