Round 7 of the FIDE World Championship was performed at present between the reigning champion, GM Magnus Carlsen and his challenger, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi.

(title picture – FIDE / Niki Riga)

Lichess is offering a broadcast of the strikes being performed in real-time. Additionally, GM Nijat Abasov is offering recreation annotations and insights on the video games day by day. Round seven’s recreation annotations could be discovered beneath.

After such a gruelling recreation in Round 6 – stretching on for a number of hours and setting a brand new report when it comes to transfer quantity – each gamers understandably gave the impression to be fatigued throughout Round 7. Nepomniachtchi, with the white items, once more opened 1. e4, and each gamers once more opted for a closed Ruy Lopez. This was the fourth time a closed Ruy Lopez was performed, with barely totally different transfer orders distinguishing it from video games 1, 3 and 5.

https://lichess.org/examine/embed/RoBvWqfx/u8DwbJm4#0

On this event, white appeared to get a barely much less nice place than they’d in earlier clashes. Nepomniachtchi didn’t appear to get the benefit he was searching for out of the opening – and accepted affords from Carlsen to commerce down and stop any issues in a short time. Many commentators have highlighted that Nepomniachtchi’s technique seems to be to goal for a bonus out of the opening after which preserve it – very similar to his play in Round 2.

By transfer 30, each gamers had similar pawn constructions and king placement, with a rook every. There was no important try to significantly play additional, with 2.5 strikes of a threefold supplied earlier than a change of place, adopted by an agreed draw on transfer 41. Carlsen, with the black items, was proud of a draw, given he’s at the moment within the lead.

Interestingly, the sport seems to have changed Round 3’s recreation as probably the most correct recreation (as assessed by Stockfish 14 NNUE) to have ever been performed in World Championship historical past.

Nepomniachtchi considers his place within the recreation and match (Photo: FIDE/Niki Riga)

In different information! We had a Blitz Titled Arena! The time management was barely sooner and the occasion was considerably extra on-line when in comparison with the World Championship. It was received by GM David Paravyan for the primary time ever, though he’s a daily in these occasions and at all times completed near the highest. Paravyan held off second-place GM Daniel Naroditsky who made his return to Titled Arena play after a 2month absence. IM Laura Unuk offered reside commentary.

The subsequent World Championship recreation shall be performed tomorrow, 5 December 12:30 UTC. For extra particulars on the match, you possibly can evaluation our first spherical recap which has extra info. The Next Titled Arena can have a 1+0 time management and be on December 18th.

(GM Nijat Abasov achieved the GM title at simply 15. He was Azeri nationwide champion in 2017, additionally profitable the Baku Open the identical 12 months. He has performed the Tata Steel Challengers and the Grand Swiss (twice), amongst many different tournaments, reaching his all-time peak ranking of 2670 in February 2020. He not too long ago represented Azerbaijan on the European Team Championships, profitable a board prize with a efficiency ranking of 2760).