Carlsen Wins!

November 30, 2016

In a dramatic four-game, rapid chess showdown, World Champion Magnus Carlsen beat challenger Sergey Karjakin 3-1 to win the Match and retain his title. The encounter had many heart-stopping moments particularly in Game 2 when Carlsen had not only a winning position but actually a forced mate. Remarkably, with just seconds remaining on his clock, Karjakin squeezed blood out of stone and escaped with a draw. Unphased, Carlsen came back to win the next two games and ice the match with the final score of 9-7.

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GM Georgi Kacheishvili Lectures on WCC Games at Marshall Chess Club

November 29, 2016

New York is known as the city that doesn't sleep and that's true for the chess activity here as well. There is always chess-related stuff to be had seven days a week. One of this evening's chessic offerings was a lecture given by GM Georgi Kacheishvili at the Marshall Chess Club on some of the games from the World Chess Championship Match. GM Kacheishvili spoke primarily about Games 9 through 11 with some specific observations, general considerations, and even a prediction about the result of the Match.

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In Memory of Mark Taimanov (1926-2016)

November 29, 2016

Mark Evgenievich Taimanov, former Soviet Grandmaster and concert pianist, passed away on Monday, November 28th in St. Petersburg, Russia at the age of 90. In 1953, he participated in the Zurich International Tournament in which he finished ninth in front of Averbakh, Boleslavsky, Szabo, Gligoric, Euwe, and Stahlberg. In 1971, he qualified for the Candidates Tournament during which he suffered a career-defining loss at the hands of the future American World Champion Bobby Fischer. After his match with Fischer, Taimanov famously said, "At least I still have my music." In contrast to the current World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, who considers chess primarily as a sport, Taimanov approached the game as an art and played "as an artist."

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WCC R12: Game 12 Drawn in 30 Minutes; The Match Goes to Tie Breaks

November 28, 2016

One of the quickest World Chess Championship games in history, Game 12 of the 2016 Match was drawn in thirty moves with both players having more time on their clocks than they started with due to the thirty-second increment. Although the result was not so surprising, the rapidity at which the players were banging out their moves and the pace of the impending sterile position did catch us off guard. The Match moves into the final day--Wednesday, November 30th, Magnus Carlsen's twenty-sixth birthday--and the tie breaks.

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WCC Rest Day: A Walking Chess Tour of Manhattan

November 27, 2016

We all have our rituals and preferred activities for the rest day. Carlsen said he enjoys getting a massage and going for a walk. Karjakin mentioned that he wanted to take a helicopter tour of the City. For our part, we thought it might be fun to take an illustrated walking chess tour of Manhattan.

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WCC R11: Game 11 Drawn; Match Tied at 5.5 with One Game Remaining in Regulation

November 26, 2016

Game 11 of the World Chess Championship was drawn before the first time control at move thirty-four. Another 1.e4 Ruy Lopez, this one got interesting when Carlsen essayed 19...d5 and sent Karjakin into a nearly twenty-eight minute think. A pair of bishops and rooks were quickly traded and Black was able to shepherd a pawn to e7. Just after Carlsen cleared the e8 square for his pawn, Karjakin played 34.Qe4+ with a perpetual and the players shook hands on the draw. The final classical game of the match will be played on Monday, November 28th with Carlsen controlling the White pieces.

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WCC R10: Carlsen Wins Make-or-Break Game

November 23, 2016

Magnus Carlsen won Game 10 and has tied the World Championship Match at 5 points apiece. The Match goes into its final two regulation games with the possibility of tie breaks looming on the horizon. From here on in there will be a change in the schedule, namely the players will enjoy a rest day tomorrow and after each of the remaining games. Tie breaks, if necessary, will happen on Wednesday, November 30th.

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WCC R9: Game 9 Drawn

November 23, 2016

Today the players went seventy-four moves before calling it a draw. The position was very dangerous for Carlsen just before the time control but the Champion was able to save the game and go into the final three games trailing by a point. Carlsen will have to pull himself together and play his best chess to keep the title. Game 10 is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day.

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WCC R8: Karjakin Wins Game 8

November 21, 2016

After seven straight draws, Sergey Karjakin was able to win Game 8 in the World Chess Championship and take a 4.5-3.5 lead in the match with four games to go. In a game that Carlsen's manager called "an emotional roller coaster" both players made game-changing errors in time trouble just before the 40-move time control.

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WCC R7: It's a Five Game Match

November 20, 2016

Game 7 ended in a thirty-three move draw. Based on his play and his comments as after press conference six it seemed that Carlsen was playing for a draw to get the White pieces in Game 8 after two consecutive Blacks. Carlsen dropped a pawn on move 22, after which only two results were possible, and held on for the draw. The Match goes into the last five games with Carlsen having the first move in tomorrow's game.

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