# World Chess Championship 2018



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Is anybody following the World Chess Championship? It's Fabiano Caruana (USA) challenging the current world champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) in London. Both are rated at 2800+, so the level of play is high (to put it mildly).

They played game 10 this morning and, like in the previous 9 games, fought to a draw. So the score is now 5-5 with two games to go. Those are scheduled for Saturday and Monday starting at 10:00 AM US Eastern time. If they're still tied, then they play rapid chess, then blitz chess (or something).

The Guardian is live streaming the games with analyses and other commentary. Another very interesting site is http://analysis.sesse.net/ where the game is analyzed move-by-move in real time using the Stockfish chess engine. The computer's suggested best moves are shown on-screen while the players are still thinking, and the various possible moves each have look-ahead options that can easily be clicked through and followed on the animated board.

Anyway, if you're interested in chess you may want to check this out.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Wot no Russians!?!? What is the world coming to?

At least there's an American there.....

I don't know if this documentary has been well viewed, but the BBC did a bio of Bobby Fischer many years back. The bits from about 46 minutes onwards are scary, to say the very least.....


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

KenOC said:


> Is anybody following the World Chess Championship? It's Fabiano Caruana (USA) challenging the current world champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) in London. Both are rated at 2800+, so the level of play is high (to put it mildly).
> 
> They played game 10 this morning and, like in the previous 9 games, fought to a draw. So the score is now 5-5 with two games to go. Those are scheduled for Saturday and Monday starting at 10:00 AM US Eastern time. If they're still tied, then they play rapid chess, then blitz chess (or something).
> 
> ...


I've watched parts of the last few. I used to be a decent casual chess player (a long while ago). Now, I can't keep up with the analysis, but I can study the positions.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

Bad moves in chess are like dreams of being naked in public...


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)




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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

'Nuther tie today. Last regulation game is Monday. If somebody wins that, they are the champion. Otherwise -- into the rapid-fire eliminations on Wednesday, where Carlsen seems to be favored.

Carlsen was recently asked who his favorite player is. He said, Myself three or four years ago. An answer that bears some thinking about.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

I follow Carlsen vs Caruana 2018!

Tense match and now the score is 5-5 after ten drawn games. Although there arent any first blood yet, I do enjoy the match because of Sicilian defense in all Carlsen's black games. The Sveshnikov variation from Carlsen is really thrilled to follow. I hope there are decisive results soon but also hope the match go to tie break.


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Yeah, I've been following it avidly, though I'm not a chess player but it's been fairly addictive and tight. Another draw in game 11, but is anyone getting the impression that Carlsen is now happy to reach the tiebreak, where he should win in rapid chess? Yesterday's game seemed to be headed to a draw very early on. I watched the press conference after yesterdays game and he was asked if a longer match might inspire more risks and attacking play by both men, and he shrugged and said yeah, as if he thinks the 12 game format is too short.

I had a feeling Caruana would win after he survived the double black games, but he's so far been unable to take advantage of playing the white pieces. His preparation has been exhaustive - will he spring a surprise opening tomorrow?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Well, the last regulation match is over, the 12th draw in 12 games. There was some surprise that Carlsen offered the draw since he seemed to have the better position. In any event, the tie-breakers begin Wednesday:

- Best of four rapid games with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move. 

- If still tied, they will play up to five mini-matches of two blitz games (five minutes for each player with a three-second increment).

- If all five mini-matches are drawn, one sudden-death ‘Armageddon’ match will be played where White receives five minutes and Black receives four minutes. Both players will receive a three-second increment after the 60th move. In the case of a draw, Black will be declared the winner.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Armageddon looms in World Chess Championship final - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46343036

Even the BBC are showing interest!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Kasparov is fairly scathing about Carlsen offering a draw from such a strong position:



> In light of this shocking draw offer from Magnus in a superior position with more time, I reconsider my evaluation of him being the favorite in rapids. Tiebreaks require tremendous nerves and he seems to be losing his.


Susan Polgar:



> Carlsen's legacy has suffered a great deal. I cannot say 100% but most GMs would never offer a draw with Black, which has very little risk. This is simply shocking! ♟️ All 12 games are drawn!


Today's draw has caused a few ripples. I wonder if it's true, and Carlsen has lost his nerve?


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

https://www.chess.com/computer-chess-championship has been doing simulated games since the last regulation match ended. Starting with the position where Caruana and Carlsen agreed to a draw. They are using different chess engines(computer programs). At this point there have been four black wins and eight draws.


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Pyotr said:


> https://www.chess.com/computer-chess-championship has been doing simulated games since the last regulation match ended. Starting with the position where Caruana and Carlsen agreed to a draw. They are using different chess engines(computer programs). At this point there have been four black wins and eight draws.


Even Caruana was surprised that Carlsen offered the draw. Maybe FIDE should look at the rules, so they can stop players playing for draws in classical chess so they can win the title in rapid games? And maybe they should just not allow players to offer draws so easily?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

The rapid and blitz match playoffs are tomorrow at 10:00 AM Eastern time. I assume the same web sites will be reporting in real-time.

FWIW Oliver Roeder has Carlsen an 80% favorite to win, based largely on his strength in these games and Caruana's (relative) weakness. His analysis is interesting. It can be found at the 538 site, the last portion of this story:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/feature...ent-the-world-chess-championship-to-overtime/

"Carlsen's rapid rating is 2880, and his blitz rating is 2939; Caruana's rapid rating is 2789, and his blitz rating is 2767."

Draws seem rarer in fast games, perhaps 20-30%.

"In real life, the two have played 23 speedier games against each other… Carlsen won 13, Caruana won six and four were draws."


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

Looks like Carlsen won the first two rapid games and just needs to tie the next one. it will be desperation/kamikaze time for Caruana in the next game. Playing black too.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Carlsen won the third as well. It's all over. Norway is celebrating!


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

Carlsen won the match 3-0 via tie break. Caruana was too weak against the world champion in this rapid chess and all three games were not much a fight. Another Carlsen victory. He has play against older generation vs Anand, against world's strongest chess stronghold , Russia as symbolic in Sergey Karjakin. And now he is still too strong for his younger generation , Caruana. I wonder who can beat Carlsen in the next two years.


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

jurianbai said:


> Carlsen won the match 3-0 via tie break. Caruana was too weak against the world champion in this rapid chess and all three games were not much a fight. Another Carlsen victory. He has play against older generation vs Anand, against world's strongest chess stronghold , Russia as symbolic in Sergey Karjakin. And now he is still too strong for his younger generation , Caruana. I wonder who can beat Carlsen in the next two years.


Somebody who can play rapid chess, no doubt. There's been only 2 classical chess games won out of the last 24 games in WC finals. I think this needs to change. Perhaps a longer format, maybe 18 or 24 games, as has been mentioned before, or else maybe the champion doesn't get protected and has to enter the draw with the rest of the players? Why not? It's not like these matches are long and grueling anymore. I admire Carlsen but I feel like this match was doomed to head into the chess equivalent of a penalty shoot out - yet again - and that's a pity. However, the standard was high from both men...


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Rapid chess is no way to decide a world championship. Particularly on this occasion given the disparity in grading for rapid play between these two players. Carlsen knew that he had an edge in rapid play and played accordingly in the main games. Thank goodness they weren't playing first to six wins! They would probably still be playing next summer!!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

It’s interesting to me how little attention this contest got in the US, even though an American was playing. Certainly different from the days of Bobby Fischer, although in those days there were other factors in play.

I wonder, though, if the lack of interest results partially from the knowledge that even the strongest grandmaster can now be beaten by a computer.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

Interesting. USA chess is on growing. Many young players are on arise, Awonder Liang and friends.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

That's the first time that all 12 matches of regular play were drawn, which is "bad for the sport," IMO. As an observer and fan, watching these ties is as bad as paint drying. It seems like the players are playing not to lose. This can happen in virtually every professional sport on the planet, defense overwhelms the play and excitement level drops. It many cases, rules are changed to help the offense. 

Here's my proposal. After the first game, if it draws, the next game becomes a "rapid game" with, for example, 30 minutes. If that's a tie, the next is 25 minutes, next is 20 minutes, and so on. As soon as there's a win, it goes back to the "regular play."


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