Chess by Shelby Lyman
on April 9, 2016 – 12:01 AM
It should be a signature chess event.
A 12-game world championship match in which Magnus Carlsen of Norway will defend his title against Sergey Karjakin of Russia. The match – organized by AGON corporation – is set for Nov. 11-30 in New York City.
At 12 years of age, Karjakin became the youngest ever to earn the grandmaster title – a unique status he still maintains.
Carlson boasts a 40-point advantage in international rating points, a modest spread in such dynamic encounters.
More important, they have played a telltale sum of 19 games against each other: three of four decisive in favor of Carlsen, the remaining 15 drawn – the numbers, a sign of proximate equality.
After discovering chess at the age of 5, Karjakin immediately understood it would be central to his life. Carlsen approaches it with no less fervor.
The latter is known for his insatiable desire to win. Typically, he presses forward relentlessly, hardly allowing his opponent to catch his breath.
He admittedly imitates Bobby Fischer who put his trademark on this kind of play.
Karjakin is no patsy himself.
In his last game in the qualifying candidates match – playing aggressively for the win – he defeated Fabiano Caruana of the U.S. with a bold but risky central thrust that turned the tables in his favor, earning the right to play for the title.
More here.