33 moves: Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi tied in the shortest game of the match for the chess crown

On the eve of the fourth game of the match for the chess crown, Magnus Carlsen and Jan Nepomniachtchi were able to relax for the first time after three difficult games.

The reigning champion chose active recreation for himself and played barefoot football with his team members.

The applicant pampered himself with a Russian-style dinner, which was organized for him in Abu Dhabi.

“Thanks to our friends, we were able to taste such a familiar Russian cuisine at the Berezka restaurant.

Any part of the homeland always gives strength to fight! "

- Nepomniachtchi's coach Vladimir Potkin told RT.

The fourth game took place on Carlsen's birthday - on November 30, he turned 31 years old.

Once this significant date has already become happy for him.

Exactly five years ago, the Norwegian beat another Russian Sergey Karjakin in a tie-break and became the world champion for another two years.

He celebrated his anniversary last year in the Maldives and at the same time participated in an online tournament, but lost in the final to American Wesley So.

In Abu Dhabi, the world champion again got his white pieces at his disposal, and this time he began the game with the more familiar move to e4, deciding not to tempt fate, as in the second match.

In response, Nepomniachtchi suggested playing the Russian game in a slightly more aggressive variation with the bishop coming to d6 instead of the more cautious e7.

But then the chess players began to move the pieces in full accordance with the instructions of the computer, almost without wasting time on thinking.

One by one, the players exchanged knights, light-squared bishops and queens.

When the square was noticeably empty, Nepomniachtchi moved his pawn to a5, and Carlsen moved his knight to h4.

The challenger had to be distracted for a while to lock him in, but he quickly turned his attention to the free c3-pawn.

The fight for it ended with the elimination of the remaining bishops from the board.

A little over half an hour passed from the first move, and an endgame reigned in the game, in which Carlsen had a huge variety of options.

But first, he had to figure out what to do with the rook that had climbed to d3.

The pawn on a5, which threatened to cross the entire square, did not allow the exchange to be offered, and Carlsen moved his piece to e7, but the world champion could not decide what to do next.

He clearly did not want to play for a draw, and there was a lot of time left for thinking.

In the end, the Norwegian considered that the best option would be to move the knight further to e8 with the help of two checks, from where it would be possible in the future to threaten the rooks with a fork if the white pawn that appeared on d5 would become a desirable target for Nepomniachtchi.

The Russian responded by moving his pawn along the a-file and reached the third square.

Carlsen did not lose hope of avoiding a draw and thought about his next move for 33 minutes, but still resigned.

The chase after the black king, which Nepomniachtchi did not want to hide at all on h8, ended with a threefold repetition of the position and a draw on move 33.

The fight turned out to be even simpler and more calm than the previous one.

With one of his pawns on the file a, Nepomniachtchi made Carlsen go to celebrate his birthday as soon as possible, but before the players left the stage, they discussed the game for a long time and lively, which obviously gave the chess players ample food for thought.

Nepomniachtchi noted that for him a draw in the fourth game in a row can be considered a successful result, since he himself directed the game in a direction in which it would be difficult to expect a different result.

“The variation that appeared on the board is known to everyone who plays the Russian game.

The most important thing for me was not to do anything stupid, not to confuse anything.

As far as I know, there was a fairly calm line, I double-checked everything.

Since I played the Russian game, a draw for me is a normal result, "Nepomniachtchi said.

Carslen noted the preparation of the Russian, thanks to which he controlled the party and did not allow any unpredictable development.

The Norwegian admitted that it was too hard for him to count on winning on his birthday.

“Basically, I expected this debut.

Ian used it in the Candidates Tournament.

I could not imagine which line Ian would go to, but the Russian game was expected.

I tried to do something specific, it didn't work, but this is the normal result.

I didn’t expect Jan to go for some variation that I didn’t know.

He could have gone to some more complicated lines.

When such straightforward variations are played, it is difficult to avoid a draw.

I would like to win, but I could not think of anything.

It's a normal situation when the opponent is well prepared, ”said Carlsen.