The Week in Chess

Magnus Carlsen defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the first set of the final of Chess24's Legends of Chess. Carlsen was pushed all the way but seemed to fancy his chances in a blitz tie-break and that proved to be a good choice today.

Carlsen took the lead by winning the first game with black in a very messy Sicilian Najdorf. After a complex middle game the players reached a balanced but very tricky Queen and Pawn endgame. Nepomniachtchi's unfortunate choice of 35.Ka2 (35.Kc2!=) should have cost him the came after 35...h3 but by this stage the players were very short of time, 38.Qd4+ was equal according to the computer and after 38.c6 Carlsen was winning (there was a Qb5 mate that Nepomniachtchi had to spend a tempo dealing with) and in the end he could trade to a winning pawn endgame. Game 2 was an Exchange Gruenfeld with Carlsen as white, the game was pretty complicated which eventually reached a drawn Queen endgame. Game three was a bulls eye for Nepomniachtchi's preparation, Carlsen started thinking after 10.a4 and just got further and further behind on the clock, and with seconds not minutes left his 19....h5 (19...Bxg5 is the only move to keep going) just fell to a straightforward sacrifice. Carlen used his final game with white to play for a draw and a blitz tie-break. In the first blitz game there was another sharp Sicilian - Nepomniachtchi made a serious error with 21.Nf6 but the game went on for a very long time and both players were on increment, the computers reveal Nepomniachtchi had two chances to be equal (32.gxh6+ and 35.Re4) but the standard was remarkable considering the time. In the end Carlsen managed to drive Nepomniachtchi's King into the open and that proved enough for the win. Carlsen tried to play conservatively in the final game where he needed a draw but only succeeded in getting under pressure but he eventually found a pieces sacrifice that opened up Nepomniachtchi's King again and this was enough to draw, Nepomniachtchi tried to play on for a win and eventually lost.

If Carlsen wins the set of games tomorrow he wins the event - this will also mean Ding Liren will play in the final event of the series. Nepomniachtchi needs to win the final to reach that event.