Fifth Game Also Drawn At New York

By Arvind Aaron

After 51 moves, the fifth game was headed for an opposite colour bishop ending and this made the champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia to agree for a draw on November 17, 2016.

The 12-match series is tied at 2.5 – 2.5 and seven games remain to be played. The venue is New York and the prize giving with be on Nov 30, 2016 when Carlsen will turn 26 years.

Carlsen played the Giuoco Piano opening with the white pieces and black equalised comfortably. In a queen, rook and opposite colour bishop ending, the Russian sacrificed a pawn for space and some play.

It was thought to be dangerous for white and this was the worst Carlsen allowed in this match so far. This tiny advantage obtained by the challenger should have excited the Russians.

Nevertheless, the next two games will see Karjakin sit behind the white pieces and chess fans can hope Carlsen, the favourite will be made to suffer. So, from the opening angle, only new openings are played each time and no repetition of openings.

Carlsen won the title for the first time in 2013 at Chennai and retained it in Sochi (Russia) 2014. Karjakin is playing in the world championship match for the first time.