The Chess World Cup 2023 final has reached a nail-biting juncture, with the much-anticipated clash between Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Magnus Carlsen heading into a tie-breaker. The thrilling contest, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, has witnessed two consecutive draws in the classical format, compelling the finalists to resolve the winner through rapid and blitz games.
Rapid tie-breaker
The tie-breaker will kick off with the rapid format, where both Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen will have 25 minutes each, with an additional 10 seconds per move, commencing from the very first move. Should this round fail to produce a winner, the intensity will rise as the contenders dive into two more games, but this time with a reduced time control of 10 minutes per player. The 10-second increment per move will still be in play, upping the pressure.
What next?
If the deadlock persists, the tempo will shift to two more games, where the time control dwindles to 5 minutes per player. The increment narrows to 3 seconds per move in this round, potentially leading to more aggressive play. And if the contest remains unresolved, the blitz portion of the tiebreaker, akin to sudden death, will come into play. A single game with a time control of 3 minutes, coupled with a 2-second increment per move, will unfold until a victor emerges.
Praggnanandhaa vs Magnus Carlsen
Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable journey in the Chess World Cup has not only secured him a spot in the finals but also an entry into the Candidates 2024 tournament, making him the third-youngest player ever to achieve this feat, following the footsteps of chess legends Bobby Fischer and Magnus Carlsen.
Despite Carlsen’s greater experience, Praggnanandhaa is poised with confidence due to his past victories over the world champion in rapid and blitz matches during 2022. With impressive wins against Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, he is etching his name in history as the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to grace the finals of the Chess World Cup. Anand, who secured victory in the 2000 and 2002 World Cups, remains an inspiration for the emerging talent.
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Updated: 24 Aug 2023, 01:08 PM IST