“I find classical chess stressful and boring” Magnus Carlsen
Author: Maria Fragaki
Despite a serious lapse that offered GM Vincent Keymer a significant opportunity to secure the match against Magnus Carlsen, the World’s No.1 showcased his resilience by winning the second game of Round 4 to sustain his aspirations in the 2023 FIDE World Cup.
“Progressing in the World Cup is one thing.. Honestly, almost since day one I’ve been wondering ‘What am I doing here? Why am I spending all this time playing classical chess which I just find stressful and boring?’ [...] That was my thought yesterday. If I lose, if I burst out tomorrow, it’s going to be another humiliation in the World Cup that I know I’ll forget about it in a couple of days, but still it’s less than ideal.” GM Magnus Carlsen said after his win on demand against GM Vincent Keymer in the second game of Round 4 in the 2023 FIDE World Cup.
The game
In the second game, the former World Champion maintained his customary practice of entering the scene just as the clocks commenced, occupying the white pieces.
The initial phase of the match proceeded favorably for Carlsen, effectively taking Keymer off his preparation. However, a crucial misjudgment arose when Carlsen made the move 16.a3?, leading him to realize the imminent jeopardy to his World Cup campaign.
“He kind of flinched when I played 16.a3?, and then I thought, ‘Oh, what’s the problem?’ and then I immediately saw Nxe4, and I thought, yeah, that’s the World Cup! So I just went to the bathroom more in disbelief than anything else, and when I came back he played 16...Bxc3, I took back (17.Qxc3), and I expected that to be that, but then he took on c3 (17...Qxc3?) and honestly, I was so shocked!” Magnus explained afterwards.
Despite the precarious situation that ensued from this nearly balanced position, Carlsen demonstrated superior play, ultimately clinching victory against his younger adversary. This triumph propelled him into the tie-breaks phase, a challenge he still regards as formidable.
