11.09.18 Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana opened the World Chess Championship Match with a marathon 115-move draw. Carlsen was pressing with the black pieces to a point that the game was nearly won when Caruana engineered--with missed opportunities by the World Champion--a miraculous save. After dodging the critical phase when his position was nearly lost, Caruana simplified to a three vs two pawn and rook endgame. Try as he might, Carlsen could not convert his now miniscule advantage and offered a draw at move 115.

It was interesting that Caruana went into a Rossolimo Sicilian which is the very opening that he lost with the white pieces against Carlsen at the 2015 Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk ann Zee, the Netherlands. Carlsen varied on move seven when he played 7...Nd7 rather than his 7...b6 in Wijk ann Zee. The game continued with white remaining slightly worse until Caruana started to loose control of his position when he played 33.Ke2 and then 37. Kd2 in time trouble rather than the freeing 37. e5. The players traded inaccuracies until the game fizzled to a three-versus-two pawn and rook endgame which Caruana expertly held in the face of continual pressure from the World Champion.

It was certainly a thrilling way to open the Match and we can expect some great games in the coming days.

Although he missed a win, Game 1 was an impressive start to the Match for Magnus Carlsen with the black pieces. image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

Official site of the FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2018

Official site of the venue for the Match: The College

Match Schedule
All games will be played at 10:00 a.m. eastern U.S. time (3:00 p.m. GMT.)

Game 1 Friday, November 9

Game 2 Saturday, November 10

Rest Day Sunday, November 11

Game 3 Monday, November 12

Game 4 Tuesday, November 13

Rest Day Wednesday, November 14

Game 5 Thursday, November 15

Game 6 Friday, November 16

Rest Day Saturday, November 17

Game 7 Sunday, November 18

Game 8 Monday, November 19

Rest Day Tuesday, November 20

Game 9 Wednesday, November 21

Game 10 Thursday, November 22

Rest Day Friday, November 23

Game 11 Saturday, November 24

Rest Day Sunday, November 25

Game 12 Monday, November 26

Tie Break/Awards Ceremony Tuesday, November 27

Tie Break/Awards Ceremony Wednesday, November 28