Given that he was weak on Tuesday as a result of the sickness, Carlsen, as noted by the commentators, might have pushed for a draw.
Digital Desk: R Praggnanandhaa, a teenage sensation from India, and Magnus Carlsen, the current world number one, played their two classical games to draws, forcing the FIDE Chess World Cup 2023 final to a tie-breaker on Thursday. After playing with white pieces for 30 moves and revealing that he had food poisoning in the days leading up to the major final, Magnus Carlsen agreed to a draw.
Given that he was weak on Tuesday as a result of the sickness, Carlsen, as noted by the commentators, might have pushed for a draw. In the 30-move Game 2, there were a few bold movements as rooks were given up at the finish and queens were taken off.
However, both players agreed to call it a draw, which required a tie-breaker. The two players will play two rapid-fire games with a time limit of 10 minutes for each player and a 10-second increment for each move in the tie-breaker.
"In a way, yes (easy day). I suppose a draw was acceptable to us both. The tie-breaks are the next step. He attacked D4 fairly early, and I immediately realised it would be simple. It was supposed to be nothing for white and it had all the makings of a draw," after the second game, Praaggnanandhaa spoke with FIDE and stated.
Two further rapid games will be played with a 5-minute time limit and a 3-second increment for each move if a winner has not yet been determined. A single blitz game in a sudden-death format will be used to play the final if the score is still a tie.
Praggnanandhaa, known as Pragg, played the current World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the opening game of the championship. Azerbaijan's Baku hosted the match, which took 35 moves to finish in a draw and set the foundation for a fierce competition.
Praggnanandhaa has had an absolutely incredible journey to the final. The Indian Grandmaster shocked the chess world by defeating World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana in the semifinals. The Indian Grandmaster has a FIDE rating of 2707 and is currently ranked 29th globally. In order to set up Pragg's summit clash with Carlsen, this victory was obtained through a tie-break.
The young prodigy's performance in the competition has been excellent and displays his tactical mastery and tenacity. Since it was Caruana's first defeat in 17 games at the 2023 World Cup, his victory over Caruana was very remarkable. Praggnanandhaa displayed his defensive prowess and tactical knowledge by maintaining his composure under intense duress and securing a victory.
Praggnanandhaa's accomplishment of making it to the final has not only cemented his position in chess history but also guaranteed him a spot in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. He has now qualified for this famous event as the third-youngest player, following in the footsteps of luminaries like Bobby Fischer and Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa's success confirms his talent and promise and establishes him as a rising star in the chess world.
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