Stavanger [Norway], May 28 : The much-anticipated clash between World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura began with a deceptively quiet classical game, as per a release from Norway Chess.
Carlsen emerged satisfied from the opening, noting in the confessional booth that "White had to prove equality". However, after a series of precise moves on both sides, the game inevitably dissolved into a draw.
In the Armageddon, Magnus Carlsen got a dangerous attack out of the opening and seemed to have everything under control. However, Armageddon can be unpredictable, and after a mistake in the endgame, Hikaru Nakamura found a brilliant move, winning the game.
Fabiano Caruana responded to his opening round setback, grinding out an impressive black-piece victory against China's Yi Wei in a complex battle. The American grandmaster showcased his trademark precision in a game that balanced on a knife's edge before tilting in his favour, the release said.
The all-Indian encounter saw Arjun Erigaisi prevail over World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a tension-filled contest. Erigaisi seized early initiative, but Gukesh's resilient defence created a somewhat equal endgame. As the clock became a decisive factor, the position erupted into chaos before Erigaisi finally broke through to secure the victory, it added.
Anna Muzychuk claimed a convincing victory over Humpy Koneru in today's Norway Chess Women action. The Ukrainian star gained a structural advantage from the opening and methodically increased the pressure. However, both players made several mistakes in the endgame. Eventually, it was Koneru who made the last mistake, as a result of which Muzychuk won the game.
The other two games, Vaishali Rameshbabu against Tingjie Lei, and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh against Ju Wenjun, ended in a draw. Both Lei Tingjie and Wenjun Ju won their Armageddon games, winning the extra points.
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