1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana play to another draw

Holger Hank
November 13, 2018

The third game of the World Chess Championship in London has also failed to produce a winner. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Fabiano Cariana settled on another draw.

https://p.dw.com/p/389DL
Schach-WM in London
Image: Getty Images/B. Stansall

Black is the new white at this World Chess Championship. In Game 3 too, the first-move advantage was not enough to produce a victory. On the contrary: As had been the case in the first two games; the player with the white pieces eventually found himself on the defensive, as the defending world champion, Magnus Carlsen, took command in the later stages of the contest.

"That was very unpleasant, because I had to deal withCarlsen's many ideas at once," the Norwegian's American challenger, Fabiano Caruana (pictured above), said afterwards.

Tension before the time control

The game reached its critical moment just before the time control on the 40th move. Carlsen moved his knight forward, putting psychological pressure on his opponent, because Caruana had to decide in the few remaining minutes, whether he should take Carlsen's knight or let it penetrate into his position. 

But once again, Caruana stayed cool, beating the knight with his bishop to further simplify his situation – with success. After 49 moves, the world's two best chess players settled on another draw.

"I think Carlsen could have tortured me a little bit more," a relaxed-looking Caruana told reporters at the post-game press conference.

However, the defending champion was less satisfied, saying he had been in a slightly worse position at the beginning, before his position improved somewhat.

"But I was too impatient," Carlsen said, "so I'm a bit disappointed now."

Still waiting for a first victory

After this third draw, the score in London stands at 1.5 to 1.5 points – with the title to go to whichever man is the first to earn 6.5 points.

Drawn games are not uncommon at the highest level of chess and they are especially common at World Championships, as the well-prepared players look to exploit their opponent's mistakes, particularly in the early games. And so it is again this time: Magnus Carlsen described the situation after the third game as being bogged down.

Later on Tuesday, with the white pieces, Carlsen will have the opening move. By then, his assistants – supported by powerful computers – will hope to have come up with some new ideas to try to help the champion convert his first-move advantage into the first full point of this World Championship.