The Week in Chess

Magnus Carlsen beat Ding Liren 3 sets to 1 to reach the final of the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour Final benefiting Kiva which starts on Friday against Hikaru Nakamura. However after a very nice win in game one Carlsen struggled for the rest of the day and it really looked like Ding would take the match into a fifth and final set until a serious blunder ended his chances.

Magnus Carlsen won the first game in fine style playing almost flawlessly against Ding Liren's rather risky variation of the semi-slav. Carlsen chose the King's Indian in game two and was under pressure throughout and then Ding found the killing 24.Bxh6 after which Carlsen's position fell apart. AFter this Carlsen admitted his play became rather shaky. In game three with white Carlsen had to save the an endgame a pawn down which he eventually managed to do. In the final rapid game Carlsen chose the Benoni against the Fianchetto but was shocked by 6.Be3! from Ding offering a pawn. When Carlsen didn't take it he was on the back foot and in a lost position. Somehow Carlsen managed to trade down to a draw in mutual time trouble and the rapid portion was drawn 2-2. Carlsen looked far more confident in the blitz and achieved a dominant if not winning position with white but time shortage caused him to have to take a draw. In the final game Carlsen missed the tactic 26.Bxc5 winning material but he found some tactical chances and Ding returned the favour missing that after 32.h4?? (32.Ba3 is best) Qa8 it is Carlsen with fatal threats and he made those count.