Enlarge image
Magnus Carlsen (left) against Jan Nepomnjaschtschi: a draw at the beginning
Photo:
GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP
Defending champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Jan Nepomnjaschtschi drew in the first game of the World Chess Championship in Dubai.
After 45 moves and almost four hours of play, an even opening game ended with a three-fold change of position, which resulted in a draw.
Nepomnjaschtschi chose the Spanish opening in the first meeting and kept Carlsen, who is also eight-time world champion in rapid and blitz chess, puzzled.
After just 15 moves, the two grandmasters swapped queens.
A maximum of 14 games are played at the World Cup, with the right to start changing after each match.
One point is awarded for a win and half a point for a draw.
Whoever reaches 7.5 points first is world champion.
The second game of the two opponents is in the program for Saturday, 1.30 p.m.
Then Carlsen can play with the white pieces.
Challenger Nepomnjaschtschi, who knows Carlsen from childhood, is only fifth in the world rankings, but before the start of the World Cup he had a record of 4-1 wins with six draws in a direct comparison with Carlsen.
In addition, the Russian is considered a player who can combine quickly and, in the event of a tie, could keep up in the decisive rapid or blitz chess mode.
Read an interview with Jan Nepomnyashchi here - about his chances against the world champion and why he prepared himself at Bayern.
sak / sid
