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FIDE World Chess Cup (Final): Carlsen Wins 1st World Cup, Caruana Places third

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FIDE World Chess Cup (Final): Carlsen Wins 1st World Cup, Caruana Places third

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GM Magnus Carlsen can now say that he has received each vital classical chess title that he is set his sights on. The five-time world champion received his first World Cup crown by defeating GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu 1.5-0.5 within the fast tiebreaks of the 2023 FIDE World Cup for a match victory of two.5-1.5. In the third-place playoffs, GM Fabiano Caruana convincingly defeated GM Nijat Abasov in each fast tiebreaks for a 3-1 victory and third place.

It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Indian teen, who had the initiative within the first sport till Carlsen fought again and received in a tense endgame. In the second sport, the world number-one allowed no possibilities, and Praggnanandhaa’s spectacular World Cup run got here to an finish as a whole bunch of 1000’s of followers watched the tense battle.

   How to look at the 2023 FIDE World Cup

Carlsen-Praggnanandhaa: 2.5-1.5

Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen at the board
The final sport of the ultimate match. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

25 days after the primary transfer of the 2023 FIDE World Cup was performed, two gamers sat reverse one another. The pressure should have been palpable, as every was on the point of a monumental private achievement. Praggnanandhaa may change into the youngest, lowest-seeded, and first Indian participant in historical past to win the World Cup, and Carlsen would possibly lastly attain the one title that had so far eluded him in his illustrious profession.

The Indian grandmaster, whose printed score crossed 2700 for the primary time throughout the occasion, opted for an Italian Game with an early 5.a4 within the first fast tiebreak sport. His opening alternative and preparation obtained reward from commentators, and it was his extra skilled opponent who had disagreeable issues to unravel out of the opening.

After each gamers missed knight retreats that had been the engine’s prime selections, Carlsen’s king stepped as much as g7 as White’s military pointed on the kingside. While most gamers would by no means dare transfer their king towards their opponent’s assault, the previous world champion demonstrated that he understood his king’s defensive energy and even visibly relaxed after his transfer.

Praggnanandhaa misplaced his time benefit as he spent near seven minutes shifting his personal king to h1, and it was speculated that he had missed Black’s defensive 17…Qf6. Psychologically, it’s tough to simply accept that one’s promising successful possibilities have dissipated, and in a fast sport there’s little time to course of such a flip of occasions.

The 18-year-old did a outstanding job of staying level-headed, and within the advanced endgame that adopted, the silicon machine took turns awarding microscopic benefits to every participant, and no single predicted consequence was clear. But quickly “blitz mode” was reached, the place a 10-second increment probably seems like nothing when the World Cup victory is at stake.

Black and white tunnel vision on Praggnanandhaa with Carlsen in the foreground
Under stress. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Praggnanandhaa superior his a-pawn with simply six seconds remaining on his clock, and Carlsen seized the chance it introduced. His rook and knights invaded, and India’s second-ever participant to qualify for the Candidates confronted the prospect of happening a bit or getting mated. He selected a 3rd possibility: he resigned. 

The Game of the Day that received Carlsen the 2023 World Cup is annotated by GM Rafael Leitao under.

Facing a well-prepared Alapin participant is the worst nightmare of anybody in a must-win state of affairs with the black items, and sadly for Praggnanandhaa that was his actuality within the second sport. It was an excellent opening alternative by Carlsen, who performed 6.Bc4 as an alternative of the 6.dxc4 employed by GM Arjun Erigaisi is his personal match in opposition to Praggnanandhaa.

Throughout the sport, White was the one one with successful possibilities, and as Carlsen superior his pawn to d5, the match was as a lot as over. A number of strikes later, a draw provide was accepted and the historic win was cemented.

After his spectacular play all through the occasion, it was painful to look at Praggnanandhaa’s World Cup journey finish in such a fashion, however the Indian famous person garnered many extra followers over the previous month and proved that he’s a pressure to be reckoned with. His score is progressively catching as much as his energy, and he has many promising years forward of him.

His efficiency garnered reward from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in addition to the Indian chess legend himself, GM Viswanathan Anand.

The younger participant heads dwelling with $80,000 and a assured place within the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2024—metaphorically, because the World Rapid Teams Championship 2023 begins in two days’ time in Dusseldorf.

Praggnanandhaa at the board
A bittersweet match, however his stellar efficiency should not be overshadowed by the ultimate consequence. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

It appears well being points had been the precursor to success this World Cup, as Women’s Champion GM Aleksandra Goryachkina shared in her post-event interview that she too had been unwell earlier than her remaining tiebreaks.

In the tip, Carlsen overcame powerful opposition, meals poisoning, and a waning curiosity in classical chess to finish his “Grand Slam” of chess victories. In the champion’s personal phrases, he has accomplished chess.

Carlsen smiling at the board after the game as Praggnanandhaa and an arbiter look on.
The cherry on prime of a lifetime of unbelievable chess achievements. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Caruana-Abasov: 3-1

Although a lot of the day centered on the ultimate match, it was not due to a scarcity of motion within the third-place playoffs. The Caruana of some days in the past was nowhere to be seen, as he made his two victories over his grandmaster opponent look easy. The world number-three confirmed in his post-match interview that he had headed into the tiebreaks with confidence in his chess talents, buoyed on by his comeback victory within the classical video games.

Caruana and Abasov at the board
The (relative) calm earlier than the storm. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Abasov stunned Caruana with a Trompowsky, however luckily for the U.S. super-grandmaster, it was not an disagreeable shock, as he’d ready 2…Nc6 together with his second for his first-round opponent. GM Micheil Mtschedlischwili opted for the London in his conflict in opposition to Caruana, and consequently, Abasov had no thought in regards to the American’s preparation and 10.Bd3 was the place issues began to go unsuitable.

Caruana invested his time correctly within the middlegame and improved his place. He had higher squares for his items, and—as is usually the case—the superior place led to tactical potentialities. An trade sacrifice eliminated certainly one of White’s defenders, and Black’s items surged towards the enemy king. Abasov was up on the clock, however on a regular basis on the planet couldn’t have saved him and his dwindling military.

Needing to win on demand with the black items in opposition to one of many world’s greatest is not any enviable place—Caruana himself shared how few occasions he is been ready to do that in previous tournaments. Abasov returned to his predominant weapon of the Rossolimo, and Caruana performed the primary line in what Leko dubbed a “professional approach.” In the primary line, Black can equalize with exact play, however the match chief did not have to fret about equality on this explicit sport.

Abasov at the board
An amazing match, if not an ideal ending. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Abasov tried to spice issues up with 9…Ng4, which was comprehensible in a must-win sport, however his opponent was not fooled by the transfer he termed as “dubious,” and after a pair extra missteps from Black, it should have felt like horrible déjà vu for the 2017 Azerbaijani chess champion as his king was subjected to a different onslaught. He tried one final trick earlier than resigning a number of strikes later as Caruana confirmed he couldn’t be fooled.

It was an unlucky finish to the occasion for the native hero who had an outstanding run to his fourth-place end, which included knocking out notable gamers comparable to GMs Anish Giri, Peter Svidler, and Vidit Gujrathi. He will be happy with his general efficiency, and if Carlsen follows by means of on declining his invitation to the Candidates, it is going to be the chance of a lifetime for Abasov.

As for Caruana, he ended the match on a excessive observe and is happy to have locked in his Candidates spot with out having to attend for Carlsen or qualify through one other route. He shared that he was blissful together with his classical play general within the occasion, because the few shaky moments are arduous to keep away from in such an occasion.

Caruana smiling as putting on headphones
Caruana had good motive to smile as soon as the video games had been completed. Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

When requested in regards to the upcoming children, the third-placed participant mentioned that within the coming months he expects plenty of them to shut the score gaps distancing them from the present prime gamers. But he thinks it isn’t but time for a generational shift—he would not see them dominating all occasions within the close to future, however he is excited to play in opposition to recent opposition and see the gifted crop of recent gamers at extra prime occasions.

In an insightful interview on the Chess.com/Chess24 broadcast, Carlsen additionally shared that he feels that “chess is in good hands for the future,” and that whereas the gamers born in 1990-1994 have dominated for ages, the gamers born since 2003 appear to be good successors when their time comes. The full interview, the place he shares his ideas on the World Cup, classical chess, and the upcoming Speed Chess Championship is a extremely really helpful watch.

At the tip of the occasion, each Carlsen and Caruana’s match efficiency scores had been above 2800, and Carlsen undoubtedly succeeded in dispelling any unhealthy impressions of his classical chess after some poorer outcomes (by his requirements) earlier within the yr. He has additionally “corrected his World Cup legacy,” enhancing on his already good 2021 World Cup efficiency, and there was not far more he may have requested for from this match.

His arduous work over the previous month netted him almost 4 classical score factors, and it’s comprehensible that he prefers to solely play classical chess on particular events. Caruana gained the identical variety of factors and is the world number-two in stay scores, whereas Abasov and Praggnanandhaa might be pleased with their +31 and +20.2 factors respectively, with the Indian grandmaster simply breaking into the stay top-20.

It’s been an thrilling month for chess followers, and it’s unhappy to see the occasion draw to a detailed. Fortunately there isn’t a scarcity of occasions on the chess calendar, and the heroes of the World Cup—some newly found—will little doubt proceed to convey entertaining and instructive chess for us to comply with within the coming months.

World Cup | Final Scores


The 2023 FIDE World Cup and Women’s World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, had been massive knockout occasions that decided six spots within the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournaments. The motion started July 30 and ended August 24, with a mixed $2.5 million prize fund.

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