I was deeply impressed by Magnus play from almost zero to almost winning.But perhaps Karjakins defence is what our ancestors will apreciate.Fot him it must have been a tremendous boost and as you mentioned:it goona be very interesting to see tonight if he will use this boost for aggression on the board or...???

Hope you can keep yourself awake,I´ll try the same,but also have to admit that 24.15 I was prettymuch shure that K would draw and a good nights sleep was more important than 2 kids toying around with lifeless wood ;)...I was right and I was wrong.Everyone happy. Especially one of my best friends who got he best message from the doctors to day..No Big C ! Life is good.And fair,sometimes.

See YOU around too.

Just a short notice as I am cooking(meatballs with mashed potatoes and salat.A house classic).

Yes they do the armageddon in all championship matches.And I guess it will be that way many years from now.

And another great escape from Karjakin!
Can he go on ?? Tonight Carlsen will most likely give his all as SK is going to have white in the next 2 games.Carlsen will probably play some offbeat stuff(please no Berlin,Caissa)and I´ll give him around 50% winning chances.

Hope all is fine at your place and send you all my best regards,including that it will be an enjoyable game without too much ZZZZZZZZZZ ;)

Is he playing mind games? Trying to get Karjakin (whose strength he openly conceded) to believe he's nervous/desponded and out of ways to find a win - only to punish him later? Or is magnus really experiencing a state of disbelief in face of an unpredicted stubborness (and even strength) of his opponent)? We are yet to find out.

Very curious how tonight's game will unfold. Will Sergei's apparent joy bring also a decrease in his careful, wait-and-see attitude, and push him to start an attack, an initiative of some sort? I have a hunch that tonight I will not sleep before move 30 :)

Oh, and I didn't like Carlsen's attitude at the very end of the press conference - rushing out of the scene, in front of Karjakin. Even if he was in a hurry, say, for the toilet. It was a bit forced, I don't know, a bit like: I don't care what you all think, just leave me alone!

But at least, like others said: we have a match. In both the acceptions of the word - Magnus found his match in a WCC. Still, 7 games to go for Serghei to prove he's a real match for the champion. For this, he needs to win some.

And thanks for your repport which seems to me to a fine summary. I dont think Carlsen is playing mindgames(though I see it as a possibilte)Rather a master searching for shrinks in the opponents armor(almost succeeeded twice).Trying to avoid the Berlin and Queens indian.

I ahven´t seen the pressconference.But I remember when on few occasions he has acted a bit spoiled.But normally he uses it to come back in the game.Is that what is in store today ? Or has Karjakins stubborn defence taken some confidence out of the monster from Norway.We shal see tonight,perhaps.

Hope you will stay tuned ;)

Let us wish for a great game with some fighting.Especially after the 6th almost nongame.

Let us enjoy and I hope you have had a nice weekend.

So long and all the best !

The darkness falls quickly here,starting now around 16.00.But that is fine,just very different from September which was like summer,not so long time ago.Cousy it is,just 4 hours before they will play the 8th game.

It takes a lot of patience to watch this match as yesterday was another nongame.Sometimes it is good to be a nerd ;)...there is always a lot of action between the lines.As in life as such. Tonight I guess that Carlsen will go all out,but aint got much of an idea as how this will crystalize ...? Any idea ? And BTW:How is your chess doing for the moment !? I recall mine was often more inventive and in some ways better,when inspired and influenced by big names and matches/tournaments.

I hope you are right about your 95%.Have 80 euros on a draw,7:1.Not bad :)

Anyway let us enjoy and a cautios/bold prediction from here : Magnus will go 1.D4 and win the game.This you can take all the way to the bank,where I dont hope they will laugh too much at you ;)

Well, I've read the tweets on Chessbase and before replaying the game I can tell I surely didn't expect Carlsen to lose with white - or rather, that the first non-draw result will be a defeat of his. And he didn't attend the press conference(not that it didn't happen already in other WCC)! How this state of mind will affect his concentration for the remaining games? Hopefully the rest day today will be a good advisor and recovery for him.

The match is now indeed turned to fire - Magnus must win, AND, if possible, not let Sergey win another one! It's gonna be tough, and it's gonna be highly exciting for the spectators. But...what if he will indeed win one, and after 12 games they will still be equal? Tie break time...and added excitement :) And nerves and comments and speculations. But first of all, an acknowledgement: we have a match!

What a day,what a game and what a match!With four nervewrecking games to go and Carlsen in a must win situation.As we have never seen before in a WC ship match.And I am really curious to se how the loss and the loss of the pressconference(Buuhh Magnus)will affect him.Chesswise and psycologically.Perhaps tonights game will give an answer,but most likely IMHO they will play a draw and then he will try hard(er)in the 2 remaining white games.But everything is possible and everyone has his idea...

Hope all is well on your part!Here it is relatively calm in an ok/fine sense. Going to town to see KJ as is custom on wednesdays and then game 9.Hope Magnus will be in cloud 9 too:),but no doubt Karjakin got some new fans lately.

Welcome in my house.

Yeah I really enjoyed your blog.
And on a second thougth it brought me back to the 3-4 centuries ago when I was editing the local chessmagazine. And I do miss in NIC,which I otherwise estimate dearly,that there are notations,comments to games that not are too dry and too technically.As it is not sufficient when Giri puts a smiley behind a wording and then talk a little more about him self...

Larsen used to be one of the best with his depth,wit,honesty and not being afraid to put all kind of stuff into the notations,as long as he kept the common thread.(Just ask Aronian).

Well keep up the good work and keep comming back if you like.

And I hope the above post makes sense !?

All is fine here.Had the most delightfull sleep last night/morning and feel like a 40 year old again :)

Carlsen fighting with the back to the wall and barely escaped in yesterdays drama.Now we are entering the final phase were every single move can be tha last one.So if it is too tense to enjoy.Then let us stay tuned !

Hope all is well.

Ciao and på gensyn.

But maybe not. Haven't replayed Magnus' victory and last night I followed only until move 18 or so (that long think of Sergey after Bc4). I've seen at the press conference that there's an appeal pending, presumably against a Fide decision regarding Carlsen missing the 8th game press conference?

There certainly was a lot of cheering in this house :)But I had to wait till morning cause I got to have my sleep and usually it is a little past midnight.But at that time,aMgnus had and edge and it feelt like he would bring home the victory,as he did.Good to see him happy again and we certanly have an open match and so far one of the best in my lifetime...

Tomorrow we will go to town and be with another couple at "Kleine Bierstube"..We always have a good time together.You can google it if you like(Fredriks Alle,8000 Århus).The other place is Tir Na Nog,same street,same town ;).And TNN has a kind of google view inside.Just click at the frontpicture.

So all the best for your visit at the local theatre and the weekend as well,from my wife too.

Game 11 comming up and as spectators we also sometimes need a rest day :)

The problem is that I don't drink. Hardly at all. Reason: I get headaches. Sometimes I don't, but it's rare. Of course, it's not a problem.

Hope you are ready for the crucial game 12th that could very well be the last,though a tiebreaker is not far away.I lean to that Carlsen will try to get a risk free edge and try to grind it from there.And it is very exciting that after 2 ½ weeks intense play we are so close to the finnish line.And yes, few predicted an even match,but after a lot of consideration I ended up putting 40 euros on the match tied (6:1),so a draw would be most welcome :)Otherwise I cheer for Carlsen...

So let us enjoy the thril!

Did some homework this morning and then we will enjoy 5 free days, while wife will go to Onesti I'll stay at home (driving licence suspended). Tomorrow never knows. Normally (given past results) Magnus should win, but...who can ever tell the future? No one.

Not much of a game last time !? But we will have the grand final tonight and that is thrilling and a bit scary.Carlsen may even loose the whole thing ): Besides from having followed him from when he just left his dibers,he is IMHO the best ambassador for chess,so GO Magnus !!,who clearly believed in his chances in the tiebreak,as ortherwise he would have tried something in the 12 th.---If Larsen and Bronstein still were around,they would wish the Berlin would be abandonded :)

Otherwise thing are ok/fine here,after a wonderfull sleep tonight.Looking forward to see KJ again.After all it is wednesday ;) Wifes hand is healing ok and she is lovely as ever.

In the end it was a worthy WCC, with some very good and hard fought games. We saw a much tougher Sergey Karjakin then I have thought he would be, proving that in the classical part of the match he's unbeatable for 12 games. Great contender.

Yu ,congrats to the new champ.Who is the old champ.Carlsen did it again.As so many times before.Under the biggest pressusre he came out on top.After a long and even match,that was a great experience to me.So tense.With a mighty performace by the challenger ,so also a lot of kudos to him.

I am relieved,it was Carlsen who prevailed as he is an excellent ambassodor to our beloved chess sport. And with a Queensac on his birthday ! Almost fairytale stuff...With many thanks to his father who has been so devoted and supportive during the years.

And snow at your place ? Perhaps a little chrismasmood comming up ? Here all is ok/fine but no snow,yet,but rather grey and windy.Not so poetic as snow can be,but it has it own "charm".Part of the whole package:)

Take care and see you around !