World Champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Fabiano Caruana in the ninth round
World Champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Fabiano Caruana in the ninth round © Ole Kristian Strøm / VG
Despite great pressure from the English opening and a big time advantage, Magnus Carlsen with White was unable to beat Fabiano Caruana. The challenger had to overcome some difficult moments, but found good defensive moves.
World Champion Magnus Carlsen appeared with a bandage over his eye for the ninth round. © Ulrich Stock
The world champion appeared slightly injured on the board. Beneath the brow of his right eye was a thin plaster. Carlsen had played football with friends and Norwegian reporters on a small London square on Tuesday, the rest day. After half an hour, he collided with Emil Gukild of the state-owned Oslo broadcaster NRK. Gukild bleeding and had to stop the game, Carlsen kicked on.
The television reporter appeared on Wednesday picturesque plastered in front of his camera and had something to report in which the word draw did not have to occur. Carlsen did not seem to have hurt the incident. He played fast and powerful, though he could not penetrate.
The game ended as a pawn end game with uneven-colored runners after three and a half hours of play on the 56th move. With the ninth draw in a row at the beginning of a World Cup, the two duelists have set a new world record in London.
After nine laps it is now four and a half to four and a half. Three rounds are still to play. The tenth round starts on Thursday at 16.00 clock German time.
Our reporter Ulrich Stock accompanies you for the Chess World Championships in London – here on ZEIT ONLINE and in DIE ZEIT. Everything about the tournament can be found on our topic page.
The previous rounds at a glance:
November 9: Caruana 0.5 – Carlsen 0.5 (to the report of the 1st game and replay, for video analysis)
November 10: Carlsen 0.5 – Caruana 0.5 (to the report of the 2nd game and replay, for video analysis)
November 12: Caruana 0.5 – Carlsen 0.5 (to the report of the 3rd game and replay, for video analysis)
November 13: Carlsen 0.5 – Caruana 0.5 (to the report of the 4th game and replay)
November 15: Caruana 0.5 – Carlsen 0.5 (to the report of the 5th game and replay, for video analysis)
November 16: Carlsen 0.5 – Caruana 0.5 (to the report of the 6th game and replay)
November 18: Carlsen 0.5 – Caruana 0.5 (to report the 7th game and replay)
November 19: Carlsen 0.5 – Caruana 0.5 (to the report of the 8th game and replay)
Tenth round on Thursday, November 22, from 16 clock
Eleventh round on Saturday, November 24th, from 4pm
Twelfth round on Monday, November 26th, from 4pm
The player who scored 6.5 points first is World Champion. In case of a tie after twelve rounds, a tiebreak with rapid chess games takes place. The prize money is one million dollars.
