WCC R2: Carlsen has to "beg for a draw" in Game 2

11.10.18 In the first two games of the World Chess Championship Match, the player with the black pieces has been the aggressor. Yesterday, it was Magnus Carlsen; today it was clearly Fabiano Caruana. The game followed three Korchnoi-Karpov games from their 1978 World Championship Match until Caruana deviated with the innovation 10...Rd8. This gave Carlsen pause--literally--as the Champion pondered for seventeen minutes before replying. After Carlsen accepted a broken pawn structure and a pawn-down endgame, the players agreed to a draw on move forty-nine.

Challenger Fabiano Caruana was in the driver's seat during Game 2 of the World Chess Championship Match in London. image: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for World Chess

Caruana played the super-solid Queen's Gambit Declined with a little twist. After the game, Carlsen said, "He played a completely new move that actually doesn't look natural to me." referring to Caruana's 10...Rd8 and "I was surprised in the opening then I had to beg for a draw, but that went without problems." Carson then fell significantly behind on the clock, accepted an unpleasant pawn structure, and had to hold a pawn-down endgame to get out of this game with half a point.

Caruana took Carlsen out of his preparation in this game which bodes well for many exciting encounters to come in this Match.

Sunday is a rest day. Game three will commence on Monday, November 12th.

Check out analysis of Game 2 from GM Alexander Yermonlinsky courtesy of chess.com:

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

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