A dramatic high-speed tiebreak including a potential “armageddon” showdown will decide the world chess champion tomorrow after a “shocking” decision by the reigning title holder left the contest all-square.
Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who has been world chess champion since 2013, stunned spectators when he offered his challenger Fabiano Caruana a draw despite being in a potentially winning position yesterday in the last of their scheduled 12 games in Holborn.
Caruana was also running out of time to play his moves, making it more likely that Carlsen might have forced a win.
But instead he drew with his opponent with only 31 moves. That left the pair tied at six points apiece after an unprecedented 12 successive draws.
It means that their match will now be settled through a “rapid” play off tomorrow that could be followed by three “blitz” games and even an “armageddon” showdown to ensure that the stalemate is finally broken.
Carlsen, 27, has a stronger record than Caruana, 26, in these fast formats and would normally be favourite to win tomorrow.
But as a volley of criticism was directed at him for his draw last night, the former world champion Garry Kasparov warned that Carlsen’s apparent loss of nerve could undermine his chances.
“In light of this shocking draw from Magnus in a superior position with more time, I reconsider my evaluation of him being the favourite in rapids,” Kasparov wrote on Twitter. “Tiebreaks require tremendous nerves and he seems to be losing his.”
Judit Polgár, the Hungarian grandmaster, said: “He couldn’t take the pressure. I think it could cost him.”
Polgár added that Carlsen seemed to be pinning his hopes on victory in the tiebreak when the succession of games means the pressure on each is less.
Carlsen said he did not think he had been in a potentially winning position, but admitted that he had not played to the “maximum”. Caruana said that he was “surprised” by the offer of a draw.
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