Gukesh had a mountain to climb to beat Fabio Caruana with the Black pieces, but he came remarkably close after being under severe pressure. A miscalculation with seven seconds remaining gave the game to the American, when a draw might have meant a play-off for the title had Carlsen lost.
But ultimately Arjun versus Carlsen decided the World Champion’s destiny.
For a long time, Carlsen’s position looked desperate, and he was forced to sacrifice his queen for rook and knight. But the World no.1 fought ferociously, spinning a mating net with his rook and knights. Casting anxious glances at the Caruana versus Gukesh game as his time ticked down, Carlsen allowed a draw by threefold repetition rather than risk defeat. His relief was palpable: ‘It was a great fight.’
Carlsen had retained his half-point lead to secure his seventh Norway title, ahead of Caruana who overtook Gukesh to take second place.
Interviewed after the game, Carlsen did not discount a classical match with Gukesh but his mind was focused on his imminent honeymoon. His loss to Gukesh had been his biggest disappointment of the event, and he paid tribute to the World Champion, saying that he is still growing: ‘Gukesh is on track – he’s where I was in 2008/9’ (five years before Carlsen took the world title).
Carlsen is still the world’s best player but Gukesh is hot on his heels.
Koneru Humpy, needing a win to keep her title hopes alive, rocked Ju Wenjun with a neat combination.
It netted a pawn but, as the pieces were exchanged to bishops of opposite colour, the World Champion held the draw with ease. Anna Muzychuk secured victory by having the better side of a draw in her classical game with Vaishali Rameshbabu. A well-deserved triumph for the solid Ukrainian whose skill in the speed tiebreaks set her apart.
Lei Tingjie outplayed Sara Khadem to take clear second place ahead of Humpy.
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