‘Pragg defended well’: Magnus Carlsen after needing Armageddon to defeat Praggnanandhaa
After fireworks in their previous game at Norway Chess, the second clash between Praggnanandhaa and Magnus Carlsen idled into a draw on Tuesday with the Norwegian grandmaster winning the Armageddon clash to claim the additional half point.
Five-time world champion Carlsen will go into the second rest day of the tournament with a full point lead over Hikaru Nakamura, who squandered a winning position against Alireza Firouzja in the classical game before resigning in their Armageddon battle.
Firouzja was staring down the barrel at one stage but as GM David Howell pointed out on Chess dot com’s live broadcast, he found 20 consecutive top moves (moves that the engine suggests are the best moves), including a few “only” moves, just after crossing the time control where his time had withered ...