WCC 2018: Game 1: A Long, 7-hour Draw Match

Game 1 of the 2018 World Chess Championship ended in a 7-hour, 115-move draw match.

Magnus Carlsen played with the Black pieces and Fabiano Caruana with the White pieces according to the drawing lots picked by Carlsen.

IM Anna Rudolph (left) and GM Judit Polgar (right) were the commentators of the game

The game opened in a Sicilian Rossolimo Variation, and the commentators stated that these two players have played the Sicilian only three times before, and that the Rossolimo Variation had been played just once, with Caruana having the white pieces, the result of which was a win for Carlsen.

Fabiano pondering over Black's move 9...b6

Caruana had taken more time in the game compared to the World Champion, but the young American cannot be blamed, as this game was indeed his first as the challenger to the title of World Champion.

Magnus plays 40...Bxc3, bringing the game back to a drawn position

There was one moment in this game where the machine shows that Carlsen missed his opportunity to push the game to a slight advantage which may have won him the game. But of course, that's what differs humans from machines.

Here's the game:

Despite the World Champion's tireless efforts towards the endgame, the American still managed to draw the game being a pawn down.

Game 2 will be held on November 10, at 3pm London time.(6pm in Kuwait)