World Chess Championship: Carlsen presses for win in sixth game

Magnus Carlsen escaped some serious time-trouble by reeling off five moves in the final minute of the first time-control against Ian Nepomniachtchi as the sixth game of their World chess championship title-match was tantalizingly poised after 48 moves in Dubai on Friday.

Norway's World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen in action against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, during the FIDE World Championship.

Magnus Carlsen escaped some serious time-trouble by reeling off five moves in the final minute of the first time-control against Ian Nepomniachtchi as the sixth game of their World Chess Championship title-match was tantalizingly poised after 48 moves in Dubai on Friday.

Unlike most of the previous five games, the latest battle provided more intense exchanges. The situation became interesting when Carlsen chose to trade his queen for two black rooks.

Amid mounting tension, Nepo seemed to have missed a winning continuation, as suggested by the computer-driven evaluation, but it was obvious that the key move was not so easy to find under time pressure. He let go of the advantage with this queen move, instead of a pawn-capture, on the 36th turn and thereafter Carlsen came out better after the 40th move.

 

After 40 moves, with both players armed with another hour on the clock for the next 20 moves, Carlsen was looking to improve his position while Nepo had to battle to salvage a draw.

Viswanathan Anand, in the role of a commentator, maintained that Carlsen held some serious winning chances after the 40th move and suggested that Nepo forgot about the missed opportunity in the closing stages of the fourth hour of the contest and regained focus on the task ahead.

Carlsen was making slow progress without any clear plan of breaking Nepo’s fortress.

Game 6 - The Moves White - Carlsen; Black Nepomniachtchi 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. c4 dxc4 9. Qc2 Qe7 10. Nbd2 Nc6 11. Nxc4 b5 12. Nce5 Nb4 13. Qb2 Bb7 14. a3 Nc6 15. Nd3 Bb6 16. Bg5 Rfd8 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Rac1 Nd4 19. Nxd4 Bxd4 20. Qa2 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Qb7+ 22. Kg1 Qe4 23. Qc2 a5 24. Rfd1 Kg7 25. Rd2 Rac8 26. Qxc8 Rxc8 27. Rxc8 Qd5 28. b4 a4 29. e3 Be5 30. h4 h5 31. Kh2 Bb2 32. Rc5 Qd6 33. Rd1 Bxa3 34. Rxb5 Qd7 35. Rc5 e5 36. Rc2 Qd5

Game 6: Position after blacks 36th move.

 37. Rdd2 Qb3 38. Ra2 e4 39. Nc5 Qxb4 40. Nxe4 Qb3 41. Rac2 Bf8 42. Nc5 Qb5 43. Nd3 a3 44. Nf4 Qa5 45. Ra2 Bb4 46. Rd3 Kh6 47. Rd1 Qa4 48. Rda1 Bd6 (Game in progress).