The sanction is far-reaching: In April, an official removed a player’s Russian flag during a world checkers championship match. The International Chess Federation (FIDE), the sport’s governing body, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and therefore operates under the auspices of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which sanctioned Russia over its state-sponsored doping program. But in any case, despite his roots in Bryansk and home in Moscow, Nepomniachtchi reportedly won’t be able to play under the Russian flag. And while Norwegians cheer on their dynastic countryman, Russians may hope for a return to the chess hegemony that the country enjoyed for much of the 20th century.
In another recent Norway-Russia match, the 2016 world championship, reporters strained to find “geopolitical overtones” hovering above the chess, pointing to the countries’ 100-plus miles of shared border and Russia’s military buildup. It’s tempting to situate an elite chess match within some broader political or cultural milieu, to set it on a stage so that the complex, abstract game and the intricacies of its tactics and theories - often incomprehensible to the viewer (yours truly included) - absorb some larger, digestible, relatable meaning. In an interview with this month, Nepomniachtchi said he and his team had done an “insane amount of work” and that he hoped he was “ready enough.” However, he added, “I never had a good feeling playing against him because you always feel like he’s the one applying pressure to you rather than the other way around.” “If I can be at my best, I will have very, very good chances to win,” Carlsen said in an interview in September.
If, in reality, a player reaches more than half the total points midmatch, the title is clinched and no further games are played.) (Wins are worth 1 point and draws half a point. Both were ultimately decided by faster tiebreaker games. In 2016, the regulation games saw just one win apiece and 10 draws, while 2018 featured 12 draws in a row. This year’s match will feature two more games than previous editions - 14 rather than 12 - in part, perhaps, so that these games are more likely to decisively deliver a champion in regulation.
Simple computer simulations, based solely on the players’ current Elo ratings, give Carlsen a significant edge: Across many alternate universes, the Norwegian wins the match outright 83 percent of the time, while the rest of the time is roughly split between a Russian victory and a need for tiebreakers. However, two of Nepomniachtchi’s wins came when the pair were children, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The two have met 13 times before in the sort of long, slow games that will decide the world championship, and Nepomniachtchi holds a 4-1 edge alongside eight draws, a remarkable score against the best in the world - and perhaps the best there’s ever been. “Ian could get totally destroyed if he plays like himself - or he could win a lot of games and win the match if he plays like himself.”Īs it happens, Nepomniachtchi has found success versus Carlsen in the past. “ style is opposite to Magnus’s, which is good,” said Ben Finegold, an American grandmaster, in his match preview.
1 Observers are celebrating this clash in styles, hoping that it will lead to sharp, decisive and entertaining games. Nepomniachtchi, on the other hand, is known for his aggressive offense and blazing speed over the board - he essays risky strategies while accumulating large time advantages over his opponents. Carlsen is known for his determined exactitude - he grinds down opponents meticulously, doggedly pursuing small edges to eventual victories. The world championship match promises to showcase two contrasting styles wielded by players at the height of their craft.