11.28.21 Game 3 of the World Chess Championship ended in a draw after White's 41st move. In a post-game interview, Nepo, who played the White pieces, felt that he got something out of the opening. After White played 21.h3 the position reached objective equality and remained that way into the same-color Bishop endgame when the players called it quits. Tomorrow is a rest day. The Match, now at 1.5 points apiece, resumes on Tuesday, November 30th.

Game 3 began as a Closed Ruy Lopez Anti-Marshall System. It was shared with the players that because the evaluation never strayed more than 0.3 either way, the game can be considered the most accurate World Championship game ever played. Magnus said although that knowledge filled him with pride, the result was still only half a point.

The World Champion put it flatly: "It didn't feel like I had something."

Both players chuckled when a reporter pointed out that Game 3 up to move 20 was analyzed on the ChessBase cloud two days ago and asked how upset would they be if a member of their team leaked this information. Magnus had no comment on that but Nepo added that one usually tries to switch off the cloud when doing analysis.

Tomorrow is a rest day.

Game 4 begins at 7:30 a.m. eastern Tuesday, November 30th.

Match Score

Watch The Games Live with Commentary on Chess.com

Games and Coverage from lichess

Official Site of the FIDE World Chess Championship

Game 3 Coverage on ChessBase.com

World Champion Magnus Carlsen speaks to the press after Game 3. image: FIDE Official Broadcast

Regulations

The match will be played over 14 standard games.

The first player to reach 7.5 points wins.

At the opening ceremony, a drawing of colors determines who will start with the white pieces.

The time control is 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 61.

If the scores are level after the regular 14 games, four tie-break games will be played. These are rapid games with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move.

If it's still equal, two blitz games will be played (5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment). If it's still equal, a second pair of two blitz games will be played. If there is still no winner after five such matches, one sudden-death game will be played.
The player who wins the drawing of lots may choose the color. The player with the white pieces shall receive 5 minutes, the player with the black pieces shall receive 4 minutes whereupon, after the 60th move, both players shall receive an increment of 3 seconds starting from move 61. In case of a draw, the player with the black pieces is declared the winner.

The players cannot draw a game by agreement before Black's 30th move.

A claim for a draw before Black's 30th move is permitted only through one of the arbiters in
the cases of a threefold repetition.