Magnus Carlsen, the top-ranked player globally, secured victory in the FIDE World Cup 2023 championship by defeating the young Indian prodigy, Praggnanandhaa, during the final match held in Baku on a Thursday.
In the decisive encounter, Carlsen managed to achieve a win while playing with the black pieces in the first game of the tiebreaker. Subsequently, in the second game of the day, he held Praggnanandhaa to a draw, thereby earning the championship title in Azerbaijan.
Prag, who secured the second position behind the 32-year-old contender, achieved a remarkable milestone nonetheless by becoming the tournament’s youngest finalist ever.
Along this impressive path, he conquered challenges like World No.2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No.3 Fabiano Caruana, setting the stage for his ultimate face-off against the Norwegian Grandmaster in the championship round.
On Wednesday, Carlsen appeared to be aiming for a draw to allow himself additional time for recuperation. He aimed to secure a draw and compel tiebreaks, possibly due to his health condition. Prag, having experienced several tiebreak situations throughout the tournament, approached the situation confidently. The championship was once again poised to be determined by another series of time-controlled tiebreakers.
Nevertheless, on Thursday, the Norwegian player outsmarted his Indian counterpart with a clever display of skill during the match, securing the highly sought-after championship.
Also Read | How to win Chess in 3 moves? Explained in Simple Steps
