CHESS

Leonard Barden

Magnus Carlsen has never won the $1.9m World Cup, and his early exit at his last attempt in 2017 still rankles. It was soon clear that the 2021 version of the 206-player knockout was made for the No 1 as he sailed through the majority of his matches.

Carlsen’s round of 16 match against Andrey Esipenko was an epic. The 19-year-old from Novocherkassk made his mark at Wijk aan Zee in January when he finished third, ahead of the world champion, and beat him in their individual game.

At Sochi, Esipenko drew both classical slow games and both rapids, fought back to win on demand in the second blitz game, and was eliminated only in the second pair of faster blitz games. Carlsen tweeted: “World

3774 Murshed v Short, Dhaka v London, 2012. White to move. White played 1 Bxf6, expecting a resignation. Was he right?

Cup is as unforgiving as it is exciting! Great match against a most worthy opponent.” Esipenko is still rated only 27th in the world, 14 places beneath France’s Alireza Firouzja, who is a year younger. In style Esipenko is a classical player while Firouzja relies on his tactical skills, like the contrast between Boris Spassky and Mikhail Tal half a century ago.

Black for easily winning both Qd5+ Kxd2 7 Rxd2+ Rd2 6 to or Qxd7 and Qd1+ Kd3? 6 to leads Rxa2+ Rxa2 5 Rxa2+ Ke2 4 Qh1+ Kf1 3 while ahead, piece a Black leaves Nxf6 4... and Ng4+ Kxh2 3 when Qh2+! 2... into run would Qxf6 2 planned his that realise White did then Only gxf6. Bxf6 1 after occurred that resignation own his was it ;Yes 3774