After the gruelling, marathon sixth game, Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi played out a rather quick 41-move draw, in just over two and a half hours, in the seventh game of the World chess championship match in Dubai on Saturday.
With Nepo playing from the white side of Ruy Lopez, Carlsen avoided complications. Despite taking about 40 minutes between the 11 and the 16th moves, Carlsen was never in trouble.
On the 20th move when Nepo placed his rook - instead of the other rook - on a queenside file of the back rank, he clearly missed out on a powerful continuation.
Thereafter, the players were comfortably placed and appeared almost in a hurry to sign peace. With seven games to go, Carlsen leads 4-3.
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Nepo said, “Today, no missed chances for both of us. It was a balanced game. I believe, it was just boring.”
Nepo did mention playing two games on the same day (the previous game ended in the early hours of Saturday) was weird. Looking at the first seven games, he said, “Not going too well though I had some promising positions. Yesterday’s game was kind of poor from both sides, particularly during the time trouble.”
About the seventh game, Carlsen said, “A draw is a very nice result. White is better but has no clear way to increase the advantage.”
At the halfway stage, Carlsen looked pleased and said, “I’ve made my breakthrough.”
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Game 7 - the moves
White - Nepomniachtchi; Black - Carlsen
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3
O-O 8. a4 Rb8 9. axb5 axb5 10. h3 d6 11. d3 h6 12. Nc3 Re8 13. Nd5 Bf8
14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. c3 Ne7 16. Be3 Be6 17. d4 exd4 18. cxd4 Bxb3 19.
Qxb3 Ng6 20. Rec1
c5 21. e5 Qf5 22. dxc5 dxc5 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Nxe5 25. Nxe5 Rxe5
26. Rxe5 Qxe5 27. Qc3 Qxc3 28. bxc3 Rc8 29. Ra5 Rxc3 30. Rxb5 Rc1+ 31.
Kh2 Rc3 32. h4 g6 33. g3 h5 34. Kg2 Kg7 35. Ra5 Kf6 36. Rb5 Kg7 37.
Ra5 Kf6 38. Rb5 Kg7 39. Ra5 Kf6 40. Ra6+ Kg7 41. Ra7 Game Drawn.
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