The Week in Chess

Magnus Carlsen beat Hikaru Nakamura 3-1 in the sixth set of the "Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour Final benefiting Kiva" tournament. Carlsen injured himself exercising just half an hour before play and was low down on the screen as he clearly struggled to get comfortable. Whether this helped or hindered Carlsen I'm not sure, it might well have taken his mind off the must win situation he was in.

In game one Carlsen played very riskily giving up two pawns for an attack. Nakamura defended very well for a while but his 25...Rg8 was an error allowing 26.Rxc6! which should be decisive. Carlsen chased the black king into the middle of the board but his 32.Rd1? (32.Be4 is the most effective game ender) blew almost the entire advantage with one move and after 32....Rd6 Nakamura had good chances to save the game but he missed 33...b4 which would have been completely equal and only a few moves later the position became difficult again and 36....Re8? was the losing move and Carlsen won a few moves later. In game two Carlsen looked comfortable out of the opening, things however spiraled out of control at the end starting with 51...Kh5 rather than the controlling 51...Rc3 and Nakamura looked to be heading for a win before 62.Rc3? which looks to have been a mouse slip as 62.Rxc5 was winning. We'll have to have confirmation on that but if so this was most unfortunate. Carlsen took a short draw in game three and in the final game of the day where Carlsen only needed a draw with black he won as Nakamura - with nothing to lose - threw the kitchen sink at him - but he was the one who was going to be mated in the end.

Carlsen and Nakamura have alternated set wins all the way to the final scheduled day. There will be a winner on Thursday. Whoever wins this has been a terrific battle and a real test of stamina.