Skip to content
TheChessWorld.com
TheChessWorld Facebook TheChessWorld Twitter TheChessWorld Pinterest TheChessWorld YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Play
  • Learn
    • Training Techniques
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgames
    • General Information
  • Tournaments
  • Academy
  • 21-Day Course
  • Store
    • TheChessWorld
    • TCW Academy
    • iChess
    • Chess-Teacher
    • Modern Chess
    • Roman Chess Lab
    • Foxy Chess
    • Grandmaster Magazine
    • ChessLecture
    • ICC
    • Rules Chess Strategies
    • Improve My Chess
    • Others
  • Contact
TheChessWorld.com
Close

World Championship Match 2018 – Half Time Report

GM Marian Petrov
GM Marian Petrov
11.19.2018
Category: General Information
Tags: endgames, fabiano caruana, fortress, General Information Tags: draw, magnus calrsen, WCC 2018, World Chess Championship 2018,
World Championship Match 2018 – Half Time Report

The World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, and challenger Fabiano Caruana tied at 3-3 at halftime in the World Championship match in London. The match has started with Caruana playing white. He decided to go for Rossolimo line against Sicilian, something he was consistently repeating in all 3 white games without much success.

After Carlsen was playing well-known ideas, suddenly white got worse and were losing for the big part of the game.

Somehow the World Champion has missed all the possible wins and Caruana escape. This first game had shown a few things. How nervous was the challenger and how far from his best is the Champion, something which was seen last month in Greece, where he played in European Club Cup.

There is an interesting pattern

In his 1995 match against Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand scored the first win in game 9, in 2016 Sergey Karjakin broke through against Magnus Carlsen in game 8, and Boris Gelfand followed six draws against World Champion Anand with a game 7 win in 2012.

(Did I mention that after these deadlock-breaking wins, the challengers did not win another game and all lost their matches?)

For Caruana maybe it is good that he still hasn’t won his first game then 🙂

In the next 4 games, it was relatively quiet and they were drawn, making many fans calling for more action and the familiar claims that the chess is dead and all the games are a draw and the players have to switch to rapid and blitz games already.

After five consecutive draws, the challenger went as close as possible to take the lead against Carlsen in the sixth game but was stopped by the heroic defense by the World Champion.

The game ended in a draw after more than 6 hours and 80 moves, leaving the match score tied at 3-3 and a capacity crowd heading home more than entertained.

The players will enjoy a rest day on Saturday before resuming battle on Sunday. At halftime, the chances are looking even.

Carlsen missed plenty of chances in game 1 but since then has generated very little. Caruana, on the other hand, has been outplayed in all his white games, he had chances only in game 6. Most likely the match will be decided from one game or even a single error, as the tension rises and the players become more tired.

The media coverage of the match is great.

They have been reports all over the world. CNN and the English media made reports about the match even in this very important moment with the Brexit deals and cabinet problems.

After a modest turnout on day one, the crowds at The College in Holborn have been consistently high. However, the venue is simply not suitable for older spectators, and some were far from pleased.

The timeshare policy, launched without warning last Saturday, caused some angst but now visitors with general admission tickets are warned that they will only be allowed into the main theatre to watch the players in half-hour shifts.

After some ups & downs in first 6 games, neither capitalized their winning opportunities. In the final 6 games, it will be about who has the biggest heart, toughest nerves, and strongest will to win! The biggest prize in chess is within their grasp.

Both Caruana and Carlsen will be grateful for Saturday’s rest day after Friday’s taxing affair before the match, the first world championship clash between the sport’s top two players in 28 years, resumes on Sunday with the champion playing as white in Game 7.

Game 7 starts at 15:00 GMT on Sunday. 

Find this post useful? Share it?
Become a Chess Player You've Meant to Be!
TCW Academy is the fast, fun & convenient way to become a MUCH better chess player.
Join Academy Today!

Related Posts

  • World Chess Championship 2018 Tiebreaks and Final ResultsWorld Chess Championship 2018 Tiebreaks and Final Results
  • World Chess Championship 2018 – Game 12World Chess Championship 2018 – Game 12
  • World Chess Championship 2018 – Game 11World Chess Championship 2018 – Game 11
Related Products
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Login
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join the FREE Road to 2200 Masterclass (and learn how to Attack Like a Chess Master)
We value your privacy
Supercharge Your Chess in 21 Days!
Join Academy Today!
TheChessWorld.com
http://pogonina.com/
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.
  • Partnership
  • Blog
  • Grandmasters
  • Jobs
Chess Resources
  • TCW Academy
  • The Store
  • 21 Day Course
Top Resources
  • Opening Lab
  • Mastermind
  • Chess Mastery Series
  • Academy
100% Secure Purchase
Customer Support +1 (410) 656-9104
Email Us [email protected]
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Youtube
Copyright 2007-2023 • TheChessWorld.com • All Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy | Acceptable Use Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz
wpDiscuz