Chess World Championship: Carlsen-Caruana

[DarthFed]

Feels like Carlsen lost the plot a bit and Caruana has been damn precise. I really liked Bb4. A quiet but strong move.

 

[DarthFed]

Still an easy draw here. But it is white that would need to be more careful. I know it is going to be 6 out of 6 on draws but I think it's been a pretty good match so far. I still have Carlsen pegged as the heavy favorite. Fabi has to win at least one of the next 6 or it's over.

 

[Federberg]

yes it does feel like Fabi is the one pressing a bit here, but it looks very drawish

 

[tennisville]

Black is better right now. It looks like a draw but Magnus needs to be careful

 

[DarthFed]

Very uncomfortable position for white here. Still almost surely a draw with best play but he's got to be careful

 

[Federberg]

yup agreed. Bf4 was a class move, holding it all together, but still Fabi has the initiative. Have to expect Magnus to comfortably draw still though

 

[DarthFed]

He's going to try to pull a Magnus on Magnus. Really excellent play from Caruana, probably not enough to win but could give him some confidence going forward.

 

[DarthFed]

Nd2 looks like the move here for Black. Puts more pressure on Carlsen but no huge danger seems imminent.

 

[tennisville]

Sacrifice of a piece now by Magnus

 

[Federberg]

now this just got interesting

 

[DarthFed]

I saw that Bxd5 line after Nd2 but didn't think Magnus would go for it. Wow

 

[Federberg]

this reminds me of when he lost the plot against Karjakin last time

 

[DarthFed]

I remember that loss to Karjakin being a major blunder fest though where they both were pressing too hard and Magnus screwed up last. This time he's just been slowly outplayed in the manner he usually outplays his opponent.

 

[Federberg]

that's fair. Although I sort of remember that game as one where Magnus made a conscious decision to go for a risky line when there really was no need to. He was clearly trying to force it, and after that he seemed to go into a blunder-fest

 

[tennisville]

I still think this is a draw though. I doubt Magnus will blunder

 

[DarthFed]

that's fair. Although I sort of remember that game as one where Magnus made a conscious decision to go for a risky line when there really was no need to. He was clearly trying to force it, and after that he seemed to go into a blunder-fest

Yeah I just checked that game again, it was ugly. When you push way too hard for a win in an open yet drawish position like that bad things can happen.

 

[DarthFed]

Heh was also wondering briefly about that line with a5 too but didn't think he'd go for it. That's happening a lot this game. It is Magnus and I'm sure it's not a screwup...

 

[Federberg]

Heh was also wondering briefly about that line with a5 too but didn't think he'd go for it. That's happening a lot this game. It is Magnus and I'm sure it's not a screwup...

I confess I've been looking at the engines, certainly looks like a screw up but I agree with you, sometimes these evals don't make sense in the real world

 

[Federberg]

that pawn on f5 holds everything together for Magnus. Not sure how this won't end up being a draw. If h8 wasn't a dark square I might even say Magnus might have something here

 

[DarthFed]

I don't see any way to break through here for black. Hard to even complicate things