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Game 8 Opening Predictions

Good evening all! Today is Game 8 of the World Championship with the scores being tied 3.5-3.5. In the 2016 World Chess Championship Match, Sergey Karjakin won Game 8 (with the Black pieces!) and gained the lead. He almost dethroned Carlsen as the World Chess Champion. Caruana now has White and this game will be a testament of the trajectory of this Championship. Here are the reasons for this:
1.) Caruana is White with this being the second consecutive day when the players are playing. Carlsen has already been looking a bit weary after 4 hours of play and this gives even more reason for Caruana to press for more.

2.) Carlsen admitted in the Press Conference after Game 7 for him not being happy about the turn of events yet it not being a big burden on him as Black thus far has held quiet well with the Black pieces. His psychological framework however would considerably be distraught due to not being able to make much of his two White's.

3.) Caruana has already put Carlsen under considerable pressure after Game 1 itself having chances in Game 2(briefly), game 3( quiet a bit), game 6( computer like winning position). Carlsen and Caruana both agreed in the Round 7 Press-Conference that the win could be found in Game 6 only if one is told that there is a win. Christian Chirilla, Caruana's second, further added that Caruana has solved many studies for his preparations of the World Chess Championship Match. The pressure is definitely on the World Champion and the momentum definitely with the Challenger.


2018 World Chess Championship: Halftime

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Today definitely looks to be an extremely important day for the Challenger to strike while he would want to put Carlsen under considerable pressure.

I believe Caruana would stick to 1. e4 for today's game as trying 1. d4 while not knowing what Carlsen will play seems considerably risky to me. Also, as I had said, Carlsen may even have prepared the Semi-Slav Defense with his coach Peter Hienne Nielsen being an expert in this line.
I believe Carlsen would repeat with 1....c5 or he may even try the French Defense( further limitting Team Caruana's preparations and trying to get own preparations over the board). As I had said in one of my earlier report, this is a risky strategy as Caruana has an enviable record this year against the French Defence. Carlsen may try 1...e5 yet am quiet sure he would not as one of his principle strategies in this World Championship Matches has been to limit 1. e4 e5 which Caruana would have spent months analyzing with one of Carlsen's major strategies being to limit opponent's preparations, especially in the World Championship Matches. 
Against the Siccilian, I think Caruana would again repeat the Rossolimo. This is for the following reasons:
1.) Caruana is not playing the 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 option( seeing whether Carlsen plays the Sveshnikov or not) probably because of 3...g6!? Caruana against the Dragon ( 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4  cd4 4. Nd4 g6 plays 5. c4 extensively). He does not prefer to play 5. Nc3 while Carlsen has played the Dragon quiet some times and would be prepared for it. I do not expect Caruana to go for this as his games with 4. d4 here have not been convincing. Caruana however has played the Dragon with the Black pieces and may know quiet some things about the opening.
I expect Caruana to have improvements after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5. Re1 e5. I do expect that Carlsen will play the Dragon as Caruana is not totally convincing facing it. Caruana, if he does not find analyses convincing in the Rossolimo can try and switch to 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 to test whether Carlsen will go for the Sveshnikov Siccilian or 3...g6. On 3...g6 however Caruana can play 4.c4!? which am quiet sure Carlsen would not allow it at all! Maxime Vachier Lagrave said that he would be interested if there comes the Sveshnikov yet I now think Carlsen has probably prioritised the Dragon Siccilian. Carlsen can limit and not allow 4. c4 by playing 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6!? 5.Nc3 g6 wherein Caruana cannot get the ideal c2-c4 structures he desires.
Let's stay tuned for the action starting in more than 10 minutes. I am quiet sure that this will be a very interesting game! Caruana definitely has chances to take over the initiative here!


Today looks to be a litmus test for Caruana's power of Will. Sleek, focused and good preparations. He looks to have all the prerequisites for the highest today and today seems to me just the day for him to strike. As the saying goes- ' Strike the iron when it's hot'! Credits: Niki Riga

Carlsen( center) with his father Henrik( on his right) and second and coach Peter Hienne- Nielsen on the left. Team Carlsen would have to show quiet some mettle today and would want to show good preparations today. Preparations today look to be extremely important! Credits: Mike Klein

Let's stay tuned!
Thanks,
Aradhya Garg

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