“I did not want to play him” Magnus Carlsen on Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup
Author: Maria Fragaki
Round 3 of the FIDE World Cup started with a huge number of games ending in a draw, Magnus Carlsen and Leinier Dominguez Perez being the only victorious top-rated players in Game 1 against Aryan Tari and Gadir Guseinov respectively, and Daniil Dubov facing a terrible loss with the white pieces against Daniele Vocaturo.
In the opening encounter of Round 3, the FIDE World Cup witnessed a strategic clash involving the two Norwegian competitors, each vying to prolong their campaign. GM Aryan Tari demonstrated a masterful display of defensive prowess against the esteemed former World Champion, Magnus Carlsen. Tari adeptly navigated the complexities, concluding the game with a noteworthy composition of five pawns and a knight, poised against Carlsen’s formidable arrangement of a rook and three pawns. Notably, Carlsen, renowned for his exceptional acumen in endgame scenarios, meticulously unraveled Tari’s defensive configuration. Through a methodical progression, Carlsen artfully dismantled the opposition’s defences, transitioning into a winning pawn endgame, a testament to his standing as one of history’s premier endgame strategists.
“Last time I played Aryan in the World Cup, he was there with Giri, they were hanging out and working together, so he was more of a natural enemy then. But now we’re having meals together, we’re very good friends, so I did not want to necessarily play him.” Magnus said after his first win against Tari at the FIDE World Cup.
The major upset of the day was GM Daniele Vocaturo (2609) defeating GM Daniil Dubov (2716) with the black pieces. “I am really happy to win such a complex game against the king of complications” Daniele said, who now needs a draw to eliminate Dubov from the World Cup and move to Round 4.
