After analyzing first two games of the Carlsen – Karjakin tiebreaks, in this post I will fill the picture and analyze the remaining two games, which both ended in decisive results.
The analysis can be found below. (Hint: Click on any move, and the pop-up board will appear).
TIEBREAKS – GAME THREE
GAME ANALYSIS
TIEBREAKS – GAME FOUR
GAME ANALYSIS
MATCH SUMMARY
Finally, we have arrived at the end of another World Championship match. It has been another fascinating struggle and very close encounter where nerves proved to be at least as important as the things happening on the chessboard.
First of all, I think it is rightfull to say that Magnus deserved the victory. You might say that I am biased as a Magnus fan, and you may well be right, but the truth is that he played the better chess. While Karjakin was awaiting ‘wait and see’ defensive tactics, Magnus was trying to play for the win, and actually most of excitement happened mainly through his efforts to extract more out of the positions where most of us would have agreed a draw.
And although it might seem that I am belittling Karjakin’s efforts here, it is not true. I think that he is a great player, and his behaviour and comments during the course of the match have won him many admirers throughout the chess world, the author of these lines included.
However, I don’t agree completely with Machiavelli’s thoughts, because I think that in sports the style in which the accomplishment was achieved is as important as the accomplishment itself. And that there is reason why events such as Greece winning the European football championship in 2004 are more of an exception than a regularity.
The match itself was much more difficult and closer than Carlsen’s matches with the Anand. While Anand was never leading the match, Karjakin was only three games away from taking the title out of Magnus’ reach. If he had found a draw in the game ten, maybe chess history would have taken a completely different course.
Therefore, Carlsen continues to be “lucky” in the World Championship match. And for the first time the chess world has witnessed how he copes with serious pressure and how he plays when things are not going according to the plan. As he admitted in the post match interview, he is aware that this is the area where he has to work more seriously to improve further.
Finally, I hope that he will not behave similarly as Kasparov throughout his chess career, especially in his older and declining years. His bad handling of the loss in the game eight hasn’t won him many admirers. And additionally, it has disappointed alot of chess fans. It is perfectly understandable that after such an important loss it is hard to compose yourseslf, but I think a world champion should be a role model to everyone in the world, and especially younger generations. And how will they learn such an important feat if even their hero is behaving in the same way as them.
Anyway, it has been real pleasure to follow and analyze the games, I think that the standard of the play was very high, that the games were fascinating and that every chessplayer could learn alot from the material these two players provided us with.
For the end, you can always take a look at Carlsen’s own thoughts about the match.
If you have any thoughts or comments, please express yourself freely below 🙂