Go HERE for the video analysis.
Let the festivities begin! American Movie star Woody Harrelson played the first move in the World Chess Championship 2016. Carlsen looked over at him and chose 1. d4! the Queen's pawn opening to start this 12 game match. Harrelson immediately stared down the challenger. Sergey Karjakin, daring him to reply. The game eventually ended in a draw but the game was far from drab.
The World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, came out swinging in round 1 with a novelty on move 6. For the non-chess players, a novelty is a move that has not been previously played in an opening system. Move 6 is very early for a novelty in the era of chess computers that top players use to work out openings nearly 20 moves deep. Karjakin was indeed put in some pressure and used a lot of time early in the game. But, he defended easily against the World Champion's assault and the game was agreed drawn on move 42.
Carlsen,Magnus (2853) - Karjakin,Sergey (2772)
Carlsen-Karjakin World Chess Championship 2016 Game 1 - 11.11.2016
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Bxf6 gxf6 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Bb5 [This is a novelty]
6...e6 [Karakin thought for 20 minutes here]
7.c4 [7.b4? a5 8.c3 Bd7 9.Bxc6 Bxc6–+]
7...dxc4 8.Nd2 [8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nd2 Kc7 10.Nxc4 Bxc5³]
8...Bxc5 [Looking at this position the Black king looks a little weak but I missed initially that castling kingside is still very safe.]
9.Ngf3 [White Does not need to recapture the c2 pawn as it is very weak. Development is better.]
9...0–0! 10.0–0 Na5 [10...c3]
11.Rc1 Be7 12.Qc2 Bd7! [Don't be too greed and try to keep the Bishop pair. It is not obvious how Black could activate the light squared bishop so it is better to trade it off!]
13.Bxd7 Qxd7 14.Qc3 Qd5 [Not an obvious move to see but the best defense.]
15.Nxc4 Nxc4 [15...Rac8? 16.Qxa5! Unpinning and losing a piece]
16.Qxc4 Qxc4 17.Rxc4 [Headed to an ending that is quite equal but Black has weaknesses and White is solid.]
17...Rfc8 18.Rfc1 Rxc4 19.Rxc4 Rd8 20.g3 Rd7 21.Kf1 f5 22.Ke2 Bf6 23.b3 Kf8 24.h3 h6! [24...h5 25.h4! Fixing the weakness on h5 may leave it open to attack at some point.]
25.Ne1 Ke7 26.Nd3 Kd8 27.f4 h5! [To prevent g4 and now that f4 has been played there is really no access to h5.]
28.a4 Rd5 [28...Rc7 29.Rxc7 Kxc7 30.Ne5 Bxe5 31.fxe5 Kc6 32.Kf3 Kc5 33.Kf4 Kb4 34.e4 fxe4 35.h4 Kxb3 36.g4 hxg4 37.Kxe4 Kxa4 38.h5 White Queens first. Analysis ala GM Alexander Delchev]
29.Nc5 b6 30.Na6 Be7 31.Nb8 a5 32.Nc6+ Ke8 33.Ne5 Bc5 [Now it is very hard for White to penetrate]
34.Rc3 Ke7 35.Rd3 Rxd3 36.Kxd3 [A draw is innevitable]
36...f6 37.Nc6+ Kd6 38.Nd4 Kd5 39.Nb5 Kc6 40.Nd4+ Kd6 41.Nb5+ Kd7 42.Nd4 Kd6
½–½