The World Chess Championship remains tied, 2-2, as another long game with the World Champion pressing to win ends in a draw. Game 4 was the second straight game that Karjakin made a mistake and had to defend against the best endgame player in the world,Magnus Carlsen. Despite the long odds of holding on, Karjakin did just that. He defended move after move until Carlsen slipped just slightly enough to even the game. 

In the postgame press conference Carlsen said, "In general I am not a very big believer in fortresses in chess." This comment stunned the entire room as moments before the game was agreed drawn because of just that reason. Carlsen made it easy for Karjakin to set up a fortress. Karjakin was visibly relieved as the match remains tied with 4 straight draws. 

Despite Karjakin's miracle defense in Games 3 & 4, it is clear that he is on the ropes and in trouble. If he does not improve his play, it is nearly guaranteed that Carlsen will break through for a win. Carlsen has the White pieces in Game 5 so the first move is his and he will have a chance to press for a strong advantage. Look for Carlsen to go straight for Karjakin in a direct solid attack. Can Karajkin keep defending or will he be able to strike himself?

Game 4 Notes: 

Karjakin,Sergey (2772) - Carlsen,Magnus (2853)

Carlsen-Karjakin World Chess Championshi+p

New York, New York 15.11.2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 c6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Qd7 11.Nbd2 Rfe8 12.c3 Bf8 13.Nf1 h6 14.N3h2 d5 15.Qf3 Na5 16.Ba2 dxe4 17.dxe4 Nc4 18.Bxh6 Qc6 [Bc1 is necessary as the next move is positional suicide.]

19.Bxc4 bxc4 [Optically Black's c-pawns are weak but there is no way to attack them. Plus, White has a weakness on b2 and the c4–pawn controls d3.]

20.Be3 Nxe4 21.Ng3 Nd6 22.Rad1 Rab8 23.Bc1 f6 24.Qxc6 Bxc6 25.Ng4 Rb5 26.f3 f5 27.Nf2 Be7 28.f4 Bh4 [A nice manuever helping to unstack the c-pawns.]

29.fxe5 Bxg3 30.exd6 Rxe1+ 31.Rxe1 cxd6 [Now White can do very little as the king will be tied to defending the g-pawn for many moves.]

32.Rd1 Kf7 33.Rd4 Re5 34.Kf1 Rd5 35.Rxd5 Bxd5 [After this rook trade Black is near winning. The White king must still be tied to defending the g-pawn and there are really no good squares for the White knight.]

36.Bg5 Kg6 37.h4 [This seems to be the only way to free the Knight.]

37...Kh5 38.Nh3 Bf7 39.Be7 Bxh4 40.Bxd6 [Both players agreed in post mortem that this trade is good for Black. Now he has a kingside majority.]

40...Bd8 41.Ke2 g5 42.Nf2 Kg6 43.g4 Bb6 44.Be5 a5 45.Nd1 f4 [This is a gross mistake. Now White can set up a fortress. Carlsen said "I really don't believe in fortresses..." which is quite appalling. Carlsen tries for nearly 50 more moves but no avail.]

46.Bd4 Bc7 47.Nf2 Be6 48.Kf3 Bd5+ 49.Ke2 Bg2 50.Kd2 Kf7 51.Kc2 Bd5 52.Kd2 Bd8 53.Kc2 Ke6 54.Kd2 Kd7 55.Kc2 Kc6 56.Kd2 Kb5 57.Kc1 Ka4 58.Kc2 Bf7 59.Kc1 Bg6 60.Kd2 Kb3 61.Kc1 Bd3 62.Nh3 [Without any way for Black's dark squared bishop to penetrate White can just wait by moving the bishop or king depending on the position.]

62...Ka2 63.Bc5 Be2 64.Nf2 Bf3 65.Kc2 Bc6 66.Bd4 Bd7 67.Bc5 Bc7 68.Bd4 Be6 69.Bc5 f3 70.Be3 Bd7 71.Kc1 Bc8 72.Kc2 Bd7 73.Kc1 Bf4 [This is the only try for a win but it is not enough.]

74.Bxf4 gxf4 75.Kc2 Be6 76.Kc1 Bc8 77.Kc2 Be6 78.Kc1 Kb3 79.Kb1 Ka4 80.Kc2 Kb5 81.Kd2 Kc6 82.Ke1 Kd5 83.Kf1 Ke5 84.Kg1 Kf6 85.Ne4+ [An excellent move keeping teh king from getting to g5 and transfering the Knight to d2.]

85...Kg6 86.Kf2 Bxg4 87.Nd2 Be6 88.Kxf3 Kf5 89.a4 Bd5+ 90.Kf2 Kg4 91.Nf1 Kg5 92.Nd2 Kf5 93.Ke2 Kg4 [93...Ke5 94.Ke1 Kd6 95.Kf2 Kc5 96.Nf3 Bc6 97.Nd4 Bxa4 98.Kf3=]

94.Kf2

½–½