Oslo Esports Cup: Carlsen blanks Praggnanandhaa, joins him in the lead

Playing white, Carlsen won the first game in 76 moves to set the pace. Carlsen punished his younger rival in a clinical manner.

File image of Magnus Carlsen.

World no. 1 Magnus Carlsen dominated and destroyed R. Praggnanandhaa 3-0 in their much-anticipated fourth round clash to join the teenager in the lead at nine points in the Oslo Esports Cup online rapid chess tournament in Oslo, on Monday. Playing white, Carlsen won the first game in 76 moves to set the pace. In the second, Praggnanandhaa appeared comfortable till the 25th before erring in judgement. Over the 13 moves. Carlsen punished his younger rival in a clinical manner. Facing a must-win situation in the third game, Praggnanandhaa overstepped the line of caution on the 24th move with a rook-move and Carlsen converted his advantage. After 35 moves, when Carlsen was about to deliver a checkmate, Praggnanandhaa resigned. Among the other matches, Le Quang Liem recovered from Sunday’s loss to Praggnanandhaa with a fluent victory over Eric Hansen. Jorden van Foreest won the ‘Dutch Derby’ by beating Anish Giri in the two blitz games, much like Jan-Krzysztof Duda did against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The scores: Fourth round: Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 9) bt R. Praggnanandhaa (9) 3-0; Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 7) bt Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 4) 4-2 (Duda won the two blitz tiebreak games); Eric Hansen (Can, 3) lost to Le Quang Liem (Vie, 6) 0.5-2.5; Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 5) bt Anish Giri (Ned, 5) 4-2 (Foreest won the two blitz games).