Baku: Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa lost the first tie-break game to Magnus Carlsen in the FIDE World Cup final here Thursday.
In a game where fortunes swung from one side to another, the 18-year-old Indian sensation surrendered the point after coming under time pressure.
Carlsen won game 1 in 45 moves and will have the advantage of white pieces in the second game, leaving Praggnanandhaa in a must-win situation.
Praggnanandhaa, playing with white, made the first move -f e4 – and got into a better position due to some careful maneuvering. Carlsen responded with an e5 at the start of the contest.
Meanwhile, Fabiano Caruana scored a convincing victory with black over Nijat Abasov in their first tie-break game and now only needs a draw in the second to clinch third place.
PTI