skip past newsletter promotionįabiano Caruana, the No 3 seed, went through 2-0 to the last 16, but Wesley So, the world No 10, was eliminated by the European champion, Alexey Sarana. The upset of the round was the 3-1 victory of Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, 18, against the No 2 seed, Hikaru Nakamura, who had no answer to the young Indian’s impressive skills. Ten of the 16 fourth-round matches went to Friday tiebreaks. Keymer finally cracked in the second 5+3 game as Carlsen, the reigning world blitz champion, patiently converted two extra pawns in a queen ending. Carlsen and Keymer faced a speed tiebreak starting at accelerating time limits: two games at 25 minutes plus a 10 second per move increment, then if still level two games at 10+10, then two games at 5+3, and finally single games at 3+2 until there was a winner. If I lose, that’s gonna be another humiliation in the World Cup.” His new Chessable playbook (co-authored with Howell) is titled Grind like a Grandmaster and that is what happened as he slowly, subtly and imperceptibly increased a minute endgame advantage for a win in 62 moves.Ĭarlsen was frank in his post-game interview: “Progressing in the World Cup is one thing … but honestly, since day one I was wondering what am I doing here, why am I spending all this time playing classical chess which I just find stressful and boring. Then Keymer missed the hidden tactical coup 17…Nxe4! and Carlsen took over. Their return game on Thursday was a must-win for Carlsen, who got little out of the Ruy Lopez as White and seemed destined for a shock elimination. Keymer kept his nerve, scored a historic victory, and said: “It was an equal game, but then I got a chance and used it.” He had never previously beaten Carlsen, even in online bullet. The effect was catastrophic, as Carlsen’s slumped body language showed. He was ready for Keymer’s prepared opening, and the game was heading for a draw until the Norwegian suddenly blundered a key pawn.

The rising German star was a far harder test, but for a long time Carlsen was in control. Either 1.g6 or 1.Ne7 draws easily, but Carlsen’s 1.Nc7? allowed 2 Nd6 when 2.Rb1 guarding b7 is met by 3 Rf5 when the f7 pawn falls, while 1.Nc7 2 Nd6 Ne6 fails to 3 Re5 Rb1 4 g6!Ĭarlsen, who has never won the World Cup, cruised through his first two mini-matches.

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