It can be a tantrum, but when, in 2022, Magnus Carlsen. Now he states that the Norway Chess tournament, whose last round will be Friday in Stavanger (Norway), can be the last one who plays in that modality. , before the Indian Dommaraju Gukesh, current world champion, the Norwegian, 34, number one indisputable, beat the American Hikaru Nakamura, 2nd of the ranks, in the sudden death After tied without fighting the slow game.
Contrary to the fury he expressed on Sunday when, after losing a magnificently playing game against Gukesh, he congratulated his executioner and left as a soul that the devil carries, the Scandinavian stopped this time before journalists. And began with its usual sincerity: “Win the Armageddon [o muerte súbita] It was the maximum of what I could expect because today I was not to play classic chess after what happened to me yesterday. ”
As, shortly before, Nakamura had ventured that the game that had just drawed with Carlsen after twenty sets without any interest could be the last between the two in the classical modality, the Norwegian was asked about it: “When I finish this tournament I must think if I will play the next edition of the Norway Chess in 2026 or any other of classical chess. The truth is that every time it motivates me less.” And he left without giving rise to more clarifications.
It is well known that, for years, to number one Fast modalities and the freestyle (The initial position of the pieces in the front row is raffled minutes before each game, and there are 959 different ways of placing them, which forces us to think deeply from minute one). But it is no less true that, only two days before, after knocking down to the American Fabiano Caruana, 3rd of the world, in the sudden death (10 minutes for White, forced to win, and 7 for Black), Carlsen spoke in the opposite direction: “I really like the sudden death, But also the rhythm we play here the classic game because we do not receive extra minutes after the control of play 40, only ten seconds for movement, and that creates tremendous, much more demanding pressure than in conventional tournaments. ”
That is, it should not be ruled out in good logic that its demonstrations of this Monday are the result of Sunday’s tantrum. In fact, the debate about whether the format of the Norway Chess (three points for Victoria, as in football, and all draws are followed by a sudden death) can mark the future of chess as an intermediate solution between more classic conservatism of the most classic chess (five or six hours, with many draws) and the radical breakup of the freestyle. In addition, it remains to be known if the much money invested since 2024 in the circuit freestyle For crystallizing in a solid sponsorship of commercial firms or fades as a summer storm. In the latter case, Carlsen would only have fast games; By themselves, they don’t look like a satisfactory stimulus for him.
Most likely, in Carlsen’s head there is another element that can greatly influence: if he retires, no one can rigorously say that he is the best chess player in history because they will have lacked at least five years to beat the most impressive brand of Gari Kaspárov: being the number one for twenty consecutive (1985-2005). , Carlsen made it clear that this feat was in his head: “(…) My intention is to continue playing chess for many more years, even if I am not world champion. In that case, maintaining number one would be the fundamental objective (…)”.
Results of the seventh round (still at stake, will be updated later): Gukesh – Carlsen:Carlsen – Carlsen, boards, blankcas, blankcas; Caruana – Youi. Tomorated: Wenjun Ju – Khadem; Tangjie Lei – Vashali; Consequently – Muzychuk, tables, boards.
Classifications (after the sixth round): 1o-2o Carlsen and Caruana 9.5 points; 3o Gukesh 8.5; 4o-5o Nakamura and Erigaici 7.5; 6th yi wei 6.5 Female Tournament: 1a-2a Koneru and Anna Muzychuk 9.5; 3th Ju 8,5; 4a Vaishali 8; 5-6o Khadem and Law
Seventh round (lull, 17.00, resolved ensired ): Carkana;y Carsen; Nakamura – Gukesh. Chatem – Consider; Muzychuk – Tingjie Lei; Vaishali – Wenjun Ju.
