Chess: Carlsen’s record hunt starts badly while bizarre opening shocks pundits

Magnus Carlsen announced recently that his main chess target this year will be a fresh attempt to reach an all-time record rating of 2900, a level which narrowly eluded the world champion in 2014 and 2019.

The 31-year-old Norwegian achieved 2882 in both years on the official Fide monthly rating lists, and peaked at 2889 on the unofficial 2700chess daily ratings. Carlsen also stated that he will only defend his world championship crown in 2023 if his opponent is Alireza Firouzja, 18, the world No 2 former Iranian who now represents France, or another from the teenage generation.

Expectations were high that after such a forecast Carlsen would aim for a fast start at Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee, the “chess Wimbledon” which he has won a record seven times. In the event, the early Wijk rounds have been a tale of missed opportunities for the Norwegian, 31, and in one case for his opponent.

On Thursday evening after five of the 13 rounds, Carlsen was joint fourth on 3/5 with just a single win and four draws, while the world champion’s rating had dropped more than four points. With eight rounds to go, a grandstand finish is still possible, but even 6/8 for a total of 9/15 would only gain one rating point. In short, the ascent of 2900 is going badly.

Carlsen began by drawing with Andrey Esipenko, the 19-year-old Russian who defeated him at Wijk 2021, after missing a chance for a strong central pawn push. Round two was a fine victory against the world No 7, Anish Giri. A draw against Poland’s World Cup winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda was followed by a wild game against Jorden van Foreest, the Dutchman who won Wijk 2021 and then joined Carlsen’s team for the world title match in Dubai. Carlsen missed an improbable win in the complications