This Saturday is Russia Day at EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

Politicians and business leaders flew in over the weekend.

Some of them visit Hall 2 South, only a few minutes' walk away from the Russian Pavilion, where their compatriot Jan Nepomnjaschtschi is supposed to recapture the world title for the self-proclaimed motherland of modern chess.

Of the 16 world chess champions so far, six come from Russia and three from other parts of the former Soviet Union.

Every game day begins with a photo session. The first move is made by a prominent guest. Then hands are shaken, the figure is put back in the basic position, and the game can really begin. On Friday the ceremonial procession was carried out by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, on Saturday by Andrei Guryev, the CEO of the fertilizer manufacturer Phosagro, which sponsors both the World Cup and the challenger. Nepomnyashchi did not give the Russian guests of honor much joy on these days.

At 0.17 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, he had to admit defeat in the longest World Cup game in chess history by moves. Ten minutes earlier it would have been a draw with the best defense. His next game began at 4:30 p.m. When it ended in a draw after a relatively sluggish course, Nepomnyashchi pointed out to the press that for the first time at a World Chess Championship, two games were being played on the same day. Did he mean to explain his powerless game? A reporter asked about his energy levels. All good, assured Nepomnyashchi, but because the game ended late, he got a little less sleep than usual.

In a Spanish opening, the challenger, who played with white, was the first to deviate from the previous games for the first time in this match. It was enough for a small benefit. You shouldn't expect more nowadays in a duel after months of preparation, emphasized Carlsen after the game. Some commentators criticized the fact that Nepomnyashchi himself swapped knights instead of maintaining the tension, and that on move 20 he put the wrong rook on the c-file. That would have been more ambitious, agreed the Russian, "but it would probably have come to the same thing". The game was just balanced and boring.

With the match score of 3: 4 from his point of view, he is of course not satisfied with the chances that have already been presented to him, but there is no lack of fight, says Nepomnjashchi.

When does he want to attack?

"My chance is coming!" As expected, Carlsen's half-time record is more positive: "The match is going well, but there is still a long way to go."