What a fun and fiery game between Carlsen and Nakamura!
Magnus surprised everyone right from the start, choosing the Smith-Morra Gambit against Hikaru’s Sicilian Defense, a bold and entertaining choice from the newly crowned champion!
We saw tactical fireworks early on, with both players showing incredible calculation and creativity. The position exploded in the middlegame, but as the dust settled, both found the right moves to steer the game into an equal endgame.
It ended in a draw, and while Hikaru couldn’t score a win, he did what no one else managed today, stopping Carlsen’s winning streak!
Rematch coming next, Hikaru gets the White pieces!
Magnus Carlsen has already secured the title, a phenomenal performance, winning all his games so far today and clinching the championship with two rounds to spare! What a display of dominance from the World No. 1.
Now, as we head into the final stretch, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana are locked in a race for second place.
Magnus takes the White pieces against his longtime rival Hikaru, expect fireworks, fighting spirit, and some creative play from both sides as they close out this incredible event in style.
Let’s dive into Carlsen vs Nakamura: a classic matchup to end the show!