World Chess Championship: Another draw in New York

Game seven too ended in a draw in the World chess championship match between Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin of Russia in New York on Sunday.

Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe making Sergey Karjakin's first move as White.

There was a change in the opening, but not in the result. Game seven too ended in a draw in the World chess championship match between Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin of Russia in New York on Sunday. With just five games left in the classical time control, the score reads 3.5-3.5.

If the score remains tied after those games, the tie-breakers would be required, in the rapid and blitz formats.

On Monday, Karjakin, playing with the white pieces for the second game in a row, opened by pushing his Queen’s pawn. That ensured there would be no Ruy Lopez. Carlsen replied with Slav Defence, and before long managed to put himself in some trouble.

His 16th move with the rook was not, by any stretch of imagination, the best option. The defending champion, thus, was forced on to the back foot for the second day in a row.

Karjakin went a pawn up, but that was not enough to end the deadlock in this match. The two men signed the peace treaty after 33 moves in a rook-and-opposite-coloured-bishop ending.

“Obviously it was not necessary to give up a pawn, but fortunately there are more than enough resources in my position to hold,” Carlsen said. “In the game, I had to work a bit, but it’s nothing special.”

Karjakin said it was quite an interesting game though it wasn’t a long one. “I didn’t know the theory too well,” he said. “At the end, I could not improve my position.”