For the fifth time, the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen becomes the world champion in chess. The Russian JanNepomnyashchi’s challenger fell in the eleventh game after Carlsen managed to exchange a pawn for a queen.

The Russian challenger started the eleventh game with an Italian opening, taking an early lead in the decisive match. But Carlsen, who played black, turned around.

Pawn to g3 was the mistake that brought down Nepomnyashchi.

Then it was time for the Russian. The Norwegian marched with his pawn to the opposite side in a final game and exchanged it for a queen. Carlsen thus became the first to reach 7.5 points and once again a world champion. Nepomnyashchi finished on 3.5 points.

– There were probably many ways to win, but I chose the safest possible manner, says Magnus Carlsen to the Norwegian news agency NRK.

– It is, of course, fantastic. A relief to make it happen. Fun to do it in a more convincing way than the previous times, he continues.

Carlsen managed to relax his grip on his challenger in the sixth game, after five games that ended in a draw. The key match was also the longest in the competition’s history. Carlsen won after 7 hours and 47 minutes.