Quelle: chess.com

CCT Semi-Finals: Carlsen Blunders His Queen—But Still Wins The Match

GMs Magnus Carlsen and Nodirbek Abdusattorov took the lead on day one of the 2023 Champions Chess Tour Finals semi-finals and are now hot favorites to make it to the title match.

In his match against world number-two GM Fabiano Caruana, Carlsen even recovered from a lost position—after losing his queen. Then, after losing the next two games, the world number-one won twice to steal the set.

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Carlsen said after game one: „At some point I started pushing my pawns, maybe lost my queen, but somehow I managed to win. I have no idea!“

Caruana was less impressed. „The first game was a disgrace, to put it mildly,“ the U.S. champion said. Caruana went on to with the next two before Carlsen hit back to level the set 2-2. Needing to win on demand with the black pieces in the last game, Carlsen delivered.

With the score locked at 2-2, the set went to armageddon. Carlsen played for the win with black and managed it.

After the match, Carlsen explained: „I just didn’t want to be in a situation where I get ground down. I didn’t have the energy or the nerves at that point to play a long game at all. I just wanted to get a quick fight and see what happens,“ adding that Caruana probably didn’t expect him to take such a sharp direction with Black.

Abdusattorov, meanwhile, lost his first game against GM Wesley So but then won two consecutive games to live up to his name, the comeback kid.

With a draw in the final game, Abdusattorov won the set. „This is my first match win against Wesley, it feels great!“ he said afterward. „I played good chess in every game. I’m just satisfied with my result today.“

Carlsen and Abdusattorov can now go through to the title match if they win the first set of tomorrow’s second day of the semis. Caruana and So, however, face an uphill task.

The semis resume on Thursday, December 14, starting at 12 p.m. ET / 18:00 CEST / 22:30 p.m. IST.

You can watch the Champions Chess Tour Finals 2023 on Chess.com/TV, our Twitch channel and catch all our live broadcasts on YouTube.com/Chess. The games can also be followed from our Events Page.

Adapted from NM Anthony Levin’s report for Chess.com. Read the full report with game analysis here.