World Champion Magnus Carlsen shares his nerves after the draw, while Nepomniachtchi’s flag change adds drama off the board.
The highly anticipated World Chess Championship match between reigning champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi began with a 45-move draw, as tension mounted both on and off the board. The match, which forms part of a 14-game series with a €2m prize fund, kicked off at the Dubai Exhibition Centre amid a surprising turn of events involving the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
Ahead of the first move, Wada warned chess’s governing body, Fide, that Russia’s flag could not be used during the championship, as per a ban that has been in place since December 2019. Russia’s flag, anthem, and name are prohibited in international sporting events, leading to a last-minute change to Nepomniachtchi’s flag, which was originally labeled “Chess Federation of Russia.” It was swiftly altered to “CFR” to comply with the regulations.
The match itself saw Carlsen, who admitted to feeling “a little bit shaky,” facing off against Nepomniachtchi in what promised to be an exciting battle. Despite both players showing resilience, the game ended in a draw, and the drama surrounding the flag controversy added unexpected intrigue to the event.
