‘Incredible’: Magnus Carlsen draws first blood in chess championship

Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen has won a gruelling game in the World Chess Championship, finally breaking the deadlock.

Magnus Carlsen has drawn first blood in the World Chess Championship in Dubai.

The Norwegian, the reigning world champion, finally broke the streak of draws which deadlocked the match with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Carlsen pulled out a surprise early, playing a pseudo-Catalan variation of the queen’s pawn opening. Carlsen’s sixth move b3 has never been played by a strong player in a serious game before.

The position after white’s sixth move.

Carlsen also offered a pawn sacrifice on move nine — playing adventurously with the white pieces, however Nepomniachtchi cautiously declined the invitation.

Nepomniachtchi then found an aggressive solution to his development problems with his eleventh move b5, which American grand master and Chess.com commentator Robert Hess called his best move of the match.

The shocking move did help Nepomniachtchi escape the opening complications and equalise. It did however expose his position to long term weaknesses.

Chess.com Chief Chess Officer Daniel Rensch, grandmaster Fabiano Caruana and grandmaster Robert Hess analyse the position on chess.com’s live broadcast. Picture: YouTube

The players traded off some pieces and entered a complicated middle game.

In a major imbalance, Carlsen swapped his queen for two rooks. Computer analysis showed the position as dead even.

Soon afterwards, Carlsen sat in for a long think — a very long think. He didn’t move again until just three minute remained on his clock, leaving him with 10 moves to make before the bonus time.

Norway's grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is pictured during game five against Russia's grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi. Picture: AFP

He pushed the h pawn forward and was soon gifted a chance to gain a major advantage.

The computer showed a mind-boggling line after Rcc2, however the Norwegian played Rd1, gifting the advantage to the Russian.

In the resulting time scamble, Nepomniachtchi tried to confuse his opponent and didn’t play the obvious move to win a pawn. He ended up hitting his clock with a tense three seconds left before the time control.

Carlsen again began to push for the advantage with his long-term edge of the two rooks, bullying Nepomniachtchi’s dark square bishop.

Russia's grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi writes down his move during his game five match against Norway's grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. Picture: AFP

Incredible game. 7 hours, 45 minutes of peak concentration at the highest level of competition. Remember this when you hear chess isn't a sport, or that physical condition isn't so important. Or when they say classical chess is dead! https://t.co/kPvatlTDdL

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) December 3, 2021

Carlsen then sacrificed his rook to win the bishop and a pawn — a gripping finish to the game.

After a punishing endgame, Carlsen finally had mate in his sights, forcing Nepomniachtchi’s resignation.

At 136 moves and 7 hours and 45 minutes, it was the longest game ever played in the world championship.

Former world champion Garry Kasparov called it an “incredible game”.

“Remember this when you hear chess isn’t a sport, or that physical condition isn’t so important. Or when they say classical chess is dead!,” he wrote on Twitter.

Media duties after nearly 8 hours of chess.

📷 by David Llada #CarlsenNepopic.twitter.com/y0nzDD071s

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 3, 2021

Nepomniachtchi said after the game, “Obviously it wasn’t the most pleasant game but, anyway, life goes on. It’s not a big deal.”

Carlsen said winning wasn’t easy.

“I thought I should make the game as long as possible so that we would both be as tired as possible when the critical moment came. That turned out to be a good strategy.”