FIDE World Cup 2023 winner and third place to be decided in tiebreaks today

MAGNUS CARLSEN made a quick draw with the white pieces against Praggnanandhaa in their second game of the finals. With both games ending in a draw, the decision of who will be the World Cup winner will be made in the tiebreaks on Thursday.

The game between Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa lasted just 30 moves and was over in slightly more than an hour. In the Four Knights Game, neither side managed to get even a slight advantage. The game progressed quickly – by move ten both sides exchanged two pairs of minor pieces and the queens. The two then proceeded to exchange the other heavy pieces and finished in an endgame with same-colour bishops and a symmetrical pawn structure, an article on fide.com said.

It seems that the Norwegian has still not fully recovered from the food poisoning he experienced a few days back, which has impacted his willingness to play. Everything now depends on the tiebreaks on Thursday.

As the tiebreaks approach on Thursday, all eyes are on Carlsen's potential recovery. The day will begin with a two-game rapid match, a format in which Carlsen, as the reigning World Rapid Champion, is seen as the favourite. However, his ability to regain strength and focus remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa, who recently turned 18, has displayed remarkable skills and confidence, unsettling many top-world players despite his young age.

In the match for third place, Fabiano Caruana staged a comeback, defeating Nijat Abasov with white pieces in a hard-fought game where the American had initiative throughout but had to fight hard to win.