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CHESS VANT NORWAY: Magnus Carlsen. Photo: Carina Johansen
It seemed to go against a draw, but Magnus Carlsen defeated Alireza Firouzja and with Thursday’s victory he is the winner of Norway Chess 2020 before the last round.
The party ended in a final farmers game where Carlsen had two farmers against one from Firouzja. Despite the Iranian only having a few seconds left on the clock, he seemed to stay away, but a big mistake led to Carlsen’s party.
– I am very happy to win the tournament. The game has gone up and down a bit. Today should have been a draw, but it was a win because I met a young man who was terribly nervous, Carlsen told TV 2.
With a draw, Firouzja would join the battle for victory, and then Carlsen might have to beat Levon Aronian on Friday to stay away.
– The only thing that gave me optimism was his nervousness and use of time. If he had seen something else in his body language, he probably would have stopped trying to win, Carlsen said.
– He was clearly uncomfortable. He sat shaking, and I think it was a little coincidence where the king ended up.
After winning many of this summer’s online tournaments, the world champion again triumphed in the first tournament during the pandemic, where players sit face to face at the chessboard, despite Jan-Krzysztof Duda breaking his long series of 125 chess games without losing.
WIN AGAIN: This is the third time that Magnus Carlsen has won the Norway Chess tournament, which was held for the first time in 2013. Photo: Carina Johansen
Regretful
Firouzja went on the offensive with white pieces and put pressure on the Norwegian world champion, but Carlsen seemed well suited for the 17-year-old Iranian’s strategy and delivered quick counterattacks. He got a pretty clear lead on the clock. Still, he was not happy.
– I’m very sorry for my choice of opening. This seems very annoying. He hoped he wouldn’t accept what he did. Now it will not be very exciting and there is little chance of playing for the win, Carlsen said in the “confessional” after 50 minutes on the board.
Half an hour later he looked brighter on him, among other things after Firouzja on the 15th move made a running move that chess computers didn’t like.
– I am much happier now that he has given his pair to run. That he swapped runners for my runner was a bit strange, said Carlsen, who recounted the attacking strategy he envisioned.
– If so, you may have such a big advantage (pointing with separate thumb and forefinger), but this will most likely disappear in a draw.
Shock jerk
Carlsen carried out his plan and played with a small advantage. He had a much better time than Firouzja, who on move 33 moved the farmer where Carlsen wanted and suddenly seemed to lose the game. Chess computers gave Carlsen a significant advantage, but he abandoned it when he got too eager.
– I had overlooked a simple detail. I saw almost immediately that I had fooled myself, Carlsen told TV 2 about it.
In the peasant endgame, Firouzja seemed to have saved a draw, forced Armageddon and kept the tension alive, but then came the shocking game-deciding losing move after 69 plays and just over three and a half hours.
With a four-point lead over Firouzja, no one can catch up to Magnus Carlsen, who for the third time has won the long chess tournament at Norway Chess.
– I am very happy to have won three of the four games since I lost to Duda. So I can take away that I can play even better, Carlsen said.
– Not least, I will try to play well on Friday, despite having won the tournament.
