The World Championship took an unexpected turn last week, as the current champion, Magnus Carlsen, lost a very strange game No. 8.
The loss put his Russian challenger, Sergey Karjakin, up a point and very much in the driver’s seat with a mere four games to go. To add insult to injury, a visibly upset Carlsen left the post-game news conference after a minute or so, failing to wait for Karjakin to show up. This may have violated his contractually required post-game press conference clause. And there is talk that FIDE and Agon (the match’s organizer) will fine Carlsen up to $60,000.
On Thanksgiving Day, Carlsen earned a win against Karjakin with two more left in the series.
As we follow Sam Sevian’s career, we find him in Dallas, playing in the University of Texas Dallas’ Fall FIDE Open. He started third on the rating chart behind Texas native and current US Junior Champ Jeffrey Xiong and Andrey Stukopin of Russia. After a spirited finish where Sevian won an improbable last round game from a very equal position, he finished in a tie for first with Xiong and Hernandez Carmenate Holden with 7 points out of 9.
The World Senior Championships are ongoing in the Czech spa city of Marianske Lazne. In the 50+ section, Newton’s Alexander Ivanov is one of the favorites, though he is off to a slow start with three draws in the first five games. In the 65+ group, Watertown’s Bill Kelleher is very much in contention with 4 points after five rounds. Both groups are 11 rounds.
Coming events: Dec. 3, Boylston Quads, www.BoylstonChess.org; Dec. 4, Pillsbury Memorial, Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, 181 Boston Post Road, West, Marlboro, www.MassChess.org.
Winners: 2nd Spiegel Cup (Scholastic) Qualifier, 14 & Under: 1st: Alex Yu, 4-0, 11&Under: 1st-2nd: Ryan Wang, Nicholas Belous, 3.5-.5; 8&Under: 1st: Victor Feng, 3.5-5; U1200: 1st: Ian van Hulle, 4-0, U800: 1st: Apollo Fung, 4-0; U400, Alex Gutting: 4-0; Wachusett’s CC, Ernest E. Fandreyer Memorial, 1st: Brett Kildahl, 4.5-.5;
Answer to today’s problem: 1…Ne2+ 2.Kh1 Qxh2+! 3.Kxh2 Rh4+ mate
Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail.com.
