CHESS

Alexander Baburin

THE World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana started two days ago in London. Twelve games are scheduled, with additional games and shorter time controls, if needed for the tie-break. The total prize purse of this match is €1m — which may sound generous but is actually on the lower side for such events.

The contestants are No.1 and No.2 on the world’s rating list, with just three points between them, so most experts predict a very close match in which the reigning champion may be a small favourite. You can follow it at www.worldchess.com as well as other popular chess websites.

Meanwhile, the World Women’s Chess Championship is in progress in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Sixty-four players started in this knockout tournament, which has a prize fund of €250,000. The following game was played in the opening round of this competition: As often happens in chess, a king stuck in the centre causes its owner’s defeat: 17...b6! 18.cxb6 Rxe2+! 19.Qxe2 Qxd4 20.Qe8+ Kh7 21.0–0 Qxb6 22.Re1 Qg6 23.g3 Bb7 0–1