For some particularly spectacular games in its history, chess has come up with a very honorable title. “Immortals” are the names of these rare duels in which a combination or a character sacrifice was so phenomenal that it should never be forgotten. For example, there is the Polish immortal, Rubinstein’s immortal or Kasparov’s immortal, and in particular the original immortal from 1851, when Grand Master Adolf Anderssen gave the queen and both towers to his rival Lionel Kieseritzky in order to win.
When the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen and his rival Jan Nepomnjaschtschi played the sixth game of their World Cup duel in Dubai on Friday, it wasn’t the one brilliant combination or the one spectacular victim that was the defining moment of the evening. But in its own way, this game also has the right to be counted among the immortals.
The two sat opposite each other for almost eight hours, until shortly after midnight local time. They completed 136 moves, a record for World Cup games, which exceeded the previous record of Anatoli Karpow and Viktor Korchnoi (124 moves / 1978). Carlsen was the winner of this epic duel, which perfectly illustrated the style with which the 31-year-old Norwegian wore this era. And there is much to be said for the thesis that this was the preliminary decision in his attempt to defend the world title for the fourth time. After six out of a maximum of 14 possible games, he is not only one point ahead, but now has the moment to have decided this special and energy-sapping evening for himself.
It is the first win in a regular World Cup game since 2016
It was a duel that couldn’t have come at a more appropriate moment. Because victories in regular games have become rare in World Cup matches. The last one was from 2016, when Carlsen defeated the Russian Sergej Karjakin in the tenth game. In 2018 against Fabiano Caruana all regular games ended in a draw, and in 2021 the first five against Nepomnyashchi again – not because they play so badly, but because they practically don’t make any mistakes. The debate has long arisen as to whether another mode might be needed to reduce the number of draws. Some people moaned about unnecessary boredom again, the end of classic chess – which was inappropriate on closer inspection because there was already a lot of sharpness in the first games in Dubai. And then such a spectacle.
Nepomnyashchi comes off the opening slightly better, but Carlsen is stabilizing. It is noticeable early on that he has made up his mind: he swaps his queen for two towers, which often leads to complicated positions. Its disadvantage: it takes a lot of time to think it over. Each opponent has two hours for the first 40 moves, but this time the Norwegian calculates so long that he only has five minutes left for the last ten moves before the time control. So it is almost logical that he no longer finds the perfect moves. Nepomnyashchi has two opportunities to gain an advantage. To capture the pawn on b4 with the bishop, that is the solution – but the Russian decides differently in each case, and then runs out of time himself. For a few moves it goes back and forth like blitz chess. After all, after the 40 moves there is another time surcharge of one hour and 30 seconds per move.
Jan Nopmnjaschtschi knows: Every move needs to be noted – that’s what the rules want it to be.
(Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP)
This wear and tear fight goes on and on, 50 moves, 60, 70. After 80 moves, Nepomnjaschtschi has next to his king his queen and a pawn, Carlsen rook, knight and three pawns. It’s a very asymmetrical and exciting constellation. In the meantime, the time supply has already been used up. They still have a mini contingent of three or four minutes, plus the 30 seconds that are served as a serve after each movement of the figure.
Every player has to note every move – even after eight hours of play
Usually players get up every now and then in a game to take a few steps, but now there is no time for that. They stay in place for hours, at best they straighten their backs a little. The commentators on the various Internet platforms roll over each other, the cameras fix the faces of the increasingly tortured-looking players. And they have to be annoyed with the official brutality of chess on top of that: The regulations stipulate that every player has to write down every move on a piece of paper. Also the 100th and 110th
Carlsen has long since arrived in a position he loves. Kneading the opponent is what the scene calls it when the Norwegian slowly builds up the pressure. But Nepomnyashchi cannot be kneaded, he always finds good defensive moves. But in the eighth hour, something is happening. Two more pawns fly off the board, after 115 moves Nemponjashchi’s queen is still standing against the rook, knight and two pawns.
Positions with so few stones can be calculated by the computers running right through to the end. Now they indicate: “theoretical draw”. But it’s so difficult to defend, and once the Russian makes a somewhat imprecise move with the lady. That’s enough. Carlsen’s moment has already come, as if by magic, his advantage grows from move to move. After 125 moves the experts believe in a victory for the first time, after 130 it looks very good for the Norwegian, after 135 the computer reports that if the moves are perfectly executed, a mate would be possible for Carlsen – in 46 moves.
It doesn’t get that far. Nepomnyashchi gives up soon. But naming this immortal just after her winner would not do the evening justice either.
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