The FIDE Chess World Cup final of 2023 has set the stage for a thrilling showdown between the reigning World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen, and the 18-year-old chess prodigy from India, R Praggnanandhaa. Despite initial expectations, the clash of generations has been somewhat tempered by fatigue. However, with the impending tie-breaker rounds, the grand finale, set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan on Thursday, August 24, promises an exhilarating conclusion.

In the contest for third place, World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana orchestrated an impressive comeback against local hopeful Nijat Abasov. Caruana managed to secure victory with the white pieces, forcing the tie into the tie-breakers. Meanwhile, in the heart of the championship, GM Praggnanandhaa and GM Carlsen battled to draws in their classical time control matches held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

During the highly anticipated opening day of the final, Praggnanandhaa was held to a standstill while playing as white. Carlsen, in a post-match disclosure, attributed his subpar physical condition to a recent bout of food poisoning, affecting his performance. In the subsequent classical time control game, Carlsen's strategy of aiming for a draw right from the initial move surprised even the seasoned Viswanathan Anand. Despite wielding the white pieces, Carlsen opted to extend the match to the tie-breakers, affording himself an additional day to recuperate and prepare for the final phase of the championship. In contrast, Praggnanandhaa showcased his formidable tenacity by delivering a resolute performance with the black pieces, effectively denying Carlsen any exploitable openings.

As the final chapter commences, both contenders, seeking their inaugural World Cup titles in their debut final appearances, will engage in two rapid games. The time control for these games will be '25+10,' allowing each player 25 minutes to complete the game, with a 10-second increment per move right from the outset.

Should the final score remain tied after the first set of rapid games, an additional two rapid games will follow, governed by a time control of '10+10.' Should parity persist even after this second set of rapid games, the final battle will progress to a third set of rapid games, featuring a time control of '3+5'.

Chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa stuns Fabiano Caruana, meets Carlsen in final

Kejriwal extends his Greetings to Praggnanandhaa for entering the final of Chess World Cup