Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi settle for 43-move drawContestants are all square at 2½-all in world title matchup‘It is not biology’: Women’s chess hindered by sexismCarlsen plays 15. ... Bd6 and Nepomniachtchi spends nearly six minutes before responding with 16. Qc2. The
Russian challenger’s longest think of the game so far by some distance after blitzing out his opening moves. Carlsen then spends eight minutes before the prophylactic 16. ... h6. Nepomniachtchi, who appears to still be in his prep, immediately answers with 17. Nf1. Carlsen continues to take a lot more time with somewhat uneasy body language.
Carlsen plays 13. ... d5, which appears to be the first new move of the game. Nepomniachtchi responds quickly with 14. Nbd2 followed by an exchange of e-pawns (14. ... dxe4 15. dxe4). The challenger, who’s yet to spend more than a half-minute on any of his moves, is already more than 20 minutes ahead on the clock.