World Chess Championship: Carlsen loses Game 8 to KarjakinNovember 22, 2016 - 11:47 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - After seven straight draws, Sergey Karjakin of Russia, the challenger, claimed the first full-point on Monday, November 21 against titleholder Magnus Carlsen of Norway at the World Chess Championship, Business Insider reports. Game 8 was dense and difficult, and with the white pieces, Carlsen may have pressed too hard beyond what at one juncture looked like another draw. The opening was a fairly staid and initially symmetrical Queen's Pawn game — nothing surprising for Carlsen, who has in the WCC so far adopted a strategy of boring openings, aiming to test Karjakin in the middle and endgames. Carlsen had dodged a few bullets in previous games, but his approach caught up with him in Game 8. Karjakin barely made the so-called "time control," executing the first 40 moves in 100 minutes with just ten seconds to spare. Perhaps sensing the challenger's stress, Carlsen pressed on past several drawing chances, but blunders on both sides made for a tense spectacle until Carlsen's commitment to the win with white became his undoing on move 52. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |