Top German player Arkadij Naiditsch defeated the world champion Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the GRENKE Chess Classic, that is currently ongoing in Baden-Baden.
Carlsen stunned his opponent with a bold piece sacrifice on move 10. He got two pawns and compact structure in return. But Naiditsch reacted brilliantly, seizing the initiative with a couple of energetic moves.
Later, heading for a complicated endgame, Naiditsch committed an inaccuracy that dropped the advantage, but Carlsen returned the favour and white proceeded to convert into full point.
Naiditsch also beat Carlsen in their previous encounter at the Chess Olympiad in Tromso.
In the other decisive games Fabiano Caruana defeated Levon Aronian, while Michael Adams won against David Baramidze.
Well, that's my fourth third round loss in a row #funfact
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) February 4, 2015
Thursday is a rest day, next round is on 6th February.
Round 3 results:
Bacrot Etienne 2711 – Anand Viswanathan 2797 ½ – ½
Aronian Levon 2777 – Caruana Fabiano 2811 0 – 1
Adams Michael 2738 – Baramidze David 2594 1 – 0
Naiditsch Arkadij 2706 – Carlsen Magnus 2865 1 – 0
Round 3 standings:
1-2. GM Caruana Fabiano ITA 2811 and GM Naiditsch Arkadij GER 2706 – 2,0
3-6. GM Adams Michael ENG 2738, GM Carlsen Magnus NOR 2865, GM Bacrot Etienne FRA 2711 and GM Anand Viswanathan IND 2797 – 1,5
7-8. GM Aronian Levon ARM 2777 and GM Baramidze David GER 2594 – 1,0
Round 4 pairings:
Anand Viswanathan 2797 – Carlsen Magnus 2865
Baramidze David 2594 – Naiditsch Arkadij 2706
Caruana Fabiano 2811 – Adams Michael 2738
Bacrot Etienne 2711 – Aronian Levon 2777
