Carlsen, Karjakin head to playoff as chess title match ends in 6-6 tie

Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen and Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin will take their chances in a one-day playoff for all the marbles after Monday’s 12th and final game of their championship match left the two players knotted at six points apiece.

Carlsen had White in Monday’s Game 12, played at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport, but never even got a hint of an advantage against the underdog challenger’s Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense. Neither player appeared ready to take any risks in what was one of the more lifeless games of the monthlong match. The queens came off on Move 19, and by Move 30 the players were down to a bishop apiece and a completely symmetrical pawn structure. The draw was quickly agreed to.

Ten of the 12 games in the match were draws, with Karjakin taking Game 8 and Carlsen rebounding to win Game 10 in an epic struggle. But the lack of fighting games has been a disappointment in the match so far. The Russian has shown a defensive tenacity in holding off the relentless champion in several long endings, but neither player has managed to create dynamic or complicated positions.

According to the match rules, Wednesday’s playoff will begin with four rapid games at 25 minutes plus 10 seconds a move. If the match is still tied, then five pairs of blitz games will be played. If there is still no winner, there will be a final blitz game, with White having five minutes to Black’s four, but Black will have draw odds. There will be 10 minutes between each game.

Full coverage of Wednesday’s final will be available at WashingtonTimes.com.

The moves of Monday’s Game 12 were:

Carlsen-Karjakin, FIRE World Championship Match, Game 12, New York City, November 2016

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bf4 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. c3 d5 14. Bd3 g6 15. Na3 c6 16. Nc2 Ng7 17. Qd2 Bf5 18. Bxf5 Nxf5 19. Ne3 Nxe3 20. Qxe3 Qe7 21. Qxe7 Bxe7 22. Re1 Bf8 23. Kf1 f6 24. g4 Kf7 25. h3 Re8 26. Rxe8 Kxe8 27. Ke2 Kd7 28. Kd3 Ke6 29. a4 a6 30. f3 Be7. Draw agreed