Carlsen gets past Nakamura to win New in Chess Classic title

Magnus Carlsen clinched his first title on the Champions Tour this season as he thwarted Hikaru Nakamura’s bid to force the tie-breaker to win the New in Chess Classic rapid online championship.

Published : May 03, 2021 20:03 IST , New Delhi

Displaying amazing resolve, Magnus Carlsen bounced back to thwart Hikaru Nakamura’s bid to force the tie-breaker and won the New in Chess Classic rapid online title on Sunday.

Having won the first match of the final on Saturday, Carlsen gained the 2-2 draw he needed. In fact, Carlsen reached a completely winning position in the fourth game but accepted Nakamura’s draw-offer.

 

Nakamura started well by winning the first game. He held a better position but settled for a draw in the second. Thereafter, it was Carlsen’s turn to win. In a must-win situation to stay alive in the final, Nakamura messed up his position in the fourth game and conceded defeat by offering a draw.

Previous round report|

This saw Carlsen win his first title on the Champions Tour that commenced in November. The World champion topped the preliminary league in each of the previous events - Skilling Open, Airthings Masters, Opera Euro Rapid and the Magnus Carlsen Invitational - but could not lift the crown.

The title also took Carlsen (185 points) to the top of the Champions Tour standings. Wesley So (145), Teimour Radjabov (109) and Anish Giri (105) trail Carlsen.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment