Magnus Carlsen waited three years to exact revenge on Wesley So, calling it “full circle” in the 2023 edition of the Champions Chess Tour Saturday in Toronto, Canada.
The 33-year-old Carlsen beat So on the second day of the finals, in the fourth game of a thrilling best-of-four rapid games match that ended 2.5-1.5, to win the championship, 2-0, and the $200,000 top prize.
Carlsen’s dominance of So was completed in the last game as scores were tied at 1.5-1.5. He sprung a prepared line against So’s Queen’s Gambit Berlin line as the Norwegian team’s preparations paid off, making great revisions right from the start.
“It has come full circle. Wesley beat me with the same Berlin line in 2020,” said Carlsen, who remembered well how So’s preparations worked for him just when he was turning 30 years old.
In a replay of the three-year-old game, it was obvious that Carlsen, playing white, had worked on a surprise to beat So for all the marbles.
So, now 30, blundered early on the 22nd move that allowed Carlsen to trap his rook in the queenside. Nine moves later, Carlsen accepted So’s resignation as he was poised to gain more material advantage.
Carlsen leaned back momentarily on his chair and shook So’s hands, completing a third Champions Chess Tour title and a symbol of dominance in faster time controls, away from the classical chess where he also reigned supreme before deciding not to defend his crown this year.
The win extended Carlsen’s dominance of So, whom he has beaten 34 times while losing 18 in previous meetings. 43 other games have ended in draws.
Michael Brancato, commissioner of the Champions Chess Tour, awarded a framed trophy which had an NFT (non-fungible token) attached to it.
Day Two started with Carlsen finally beating So’s new opening in the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, following disastrous games with the king’s pawn “e4” lines.
He gained a pawn in the middle game after unleashing a strong queenside attack with active pieces in the center — two knights, a bishop, queen, rook and pawns and won with relative ease.
So bounced back in Game Two with a victory with black in a Closed Sicilian and tied the match. He hoped to reach a sudden-death armageddon should he have salvaged a draw after four games.
