After seven draws to open the match, Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin broke through to defeat defending champion Magnus Carlsen in their world chess title match Monday in New York City, grabbing a one-point lead with just four games left to play.
The heavily favored Norwegian champion, famous for his ability to squeeze out victories in long, arduous endgames, made the final losing blunder after a game of many vicissitudes in which Karjakin at one point seemed to be winning and then Carlsen pressed himself for the victory. The loss was so upsetting that the champ left the playing hall at Fulton Market in Manhattan’s South Street Seaport without attending the mandatory post-game press conference with reporters.
The loss was even more painful as Carlsen was playing the White pieces with the advantage of the first move. Karjakin, who has proven himself a dogged defender in this match, managed to neutralize White’s surprise Colle-Zukertort Opening, surviving a White onslaught that included the temporary sacrifice of two pawns. Black appears to have missed a clear shot as the two players faced time pressure ahead of the 40-move first time control.
Black may have been close to winning after 35. c5?! Rxd8 36. Nxd8 Nxc5 37. Qd6, when 37…Qa4! 38. Qxb6 Ncd7 39. Qc7 Qb5 would have left White struggling to save the pawn-down ending. Instead, after 37…Qd3? 38. Nxe6+! fxe6 (Nxe6 39. Qxd3) 39. Qe7+ Kg8 40. Qxf6 a4 41. e4! Qd7 42. Qxg6+ Qg7 43. Qe8+ Qf8, Carlsen had a draw in hand with 44. Qg6+ Kh8 45. e5 a3 46. Qb1, and neither side can make progress.
But White gets greedy for the win and pays dearly deep into the second time control: 51. Qe6 h5 52. h4?? (52. Qa6! apparently still keeps the draw, as Black dare not risk 52…Qc3 53. Qa7+ Nf7 54. h4 Qb2 55. e5 a2? 56. e6! and the extra queen will not protect Karjakin’s king from the coming onslaught) a2!, and White is doomed after 53. Qxa2 Ng4+ 54. Kh3 (54. Kh1 Qc1+ 55. Bf1 Qxf1 mate) 54… Qg1 55. Bf3 Nf2+ and wins. Carlsen resigned.
The champion will have a day to rest and recuperate before Wednesday’s Game 9, where Karjakin will again have the White pieces.
The moves of Game 8 were:
Carlsen — Karjakin, FIDE World Championship Match, Game 8, New York, November 2016
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.Bb2 b6 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nbd2 Bb7 10.Qe2 Nbd7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Nxc4 Qe7 13.a3 a5 14.Nd4 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Rac8 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Qe1 Ng6
18.Bf1 Ng4 19.Nb5 Bc6 20.a4 Bd5 21.Bd4 Bxc4 22.Rxc4 Bxd4 23.Rdxd4 Rxc4 24.bxc4 Nf6 25.Qd2 Rb8 26.g3 Ne5 27.Bg2 h6 28.f4 Ned7 29.Na7 Qa3 30.Nc6 Rf8 31.h3 Nc5 32.Kh2 Nxa4 33.Rd8 g6
34.Qd4 Kg7 35.c5 Rxd8 36.Nxd8 Nxc5 37.Qd6 Qd3 38.Nxe6+ fxe6 39.Qe7+ Kg8 40.Qxf6 a4 41.e4 Qd7 42.Qxg6+ Qg7 43.Qe8+ Qf8 44.Qc6 Qd8 45.f5 a3 46.fxe6 Kg7 47.e7 Qxe7 48.Qxb6 Nd3 49.Qa5 Qc5 50.Qa6 Ne5 51.Qe6 h5 52.h4 a2 White resigns.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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