IMAGE: Five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway got the better of India’s D Gukesh in 56 moves in the opening round of Norway Chess in Stavnger, Norway, on Monday. Photograph: Michal Walusza/FIDE
Magnus Carlsen showed why he is the best player in the world in all formats of the game, beating world champion D Gukesh of India in the opening round of Norway Chess to take three full points in Stavanger, Norway, on Monday.
It was a day when Carlsen tried to unnerve Gukesh, playing his first Classical game against the Norwegian since winning the world title last year in Singapore, by employing the Jobava London, a rarely-used opening move.
But Gukesh, playing with black pieces, did not fall into the trap and instead neutralised the white’s advantage by the 11th move and had Carlsen in a bit of a trouble.
But the Norwegian, a five-time world champion, who has since moved to shorter formats, such as Rapid and Blitz and more recently Freestyle chess, showed he has not lost his touch with the Classical format, winning a contest which lasted over four hours and 56 moves.
Earlier, Arjun Erigaisi, the other Indian in the six-player round-robin Open category, impressed in the first round beating his Chinese opponent Wei Yi in Armageddon after the two had agreed to a draw.
Even as the spotlight was firmly on the match between India’s teenage world champion Gukesh and world No.1 Magnus Carlsen, Erigaisi, ranked No.4 in the world, was the first to take the opening points by beating China’s No.1 player Wei in Armageddon after the two had agreed to a draw after 54 moves.
Erigaisi, playing black, played aggressively to take the match to a draw and then beat his opponent on time in Armageddon.
In Armageddon, the white gets 10 minutes, while the black gets only seven, still Erigasi overcame the disadvantage to beat Wei.
With this, Erigaisi is on 1.5 points after the opening round, while Wei has one point.
In Norway Chess, players earn three points for a win in the Classical format, while a draw earns both players a point each. A win in Armageddon, earns the winner 0.5 points.
