In a sensational display, Daniil Dubov knocked out Magnus Carlsen with a checkmate in the third game of the second set for a 2.5-0.5 verdict on the way to the semifinals of the $200,000 Airthings Masters online rapid chess tournament.
The young Russian, who drew the opening game of the first set in the semifinal against Azerbaijan’s Teimour Radjabov on Thursday, won twice with white pieces in the second set to end Carlsen’s campaign. In the first set, Dubov had hit back in the third game to force a 2-2 draw.
The day also saw the other three pre-match favourites — Hikaru Nakamura, Tour leader Wesley So and Ian Nepomniachtchi follow Carlsen out of the tournament.
Armenia’s Levon Aronian, winner of the opening game of the semifinal against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, blanked Nakamura 2-0 to close the second set, having won the first.
Vachier and Radjabov followed a similar course to the semifinal. In their decisive Armageddon games, Facing So, Vachier drew with black pieces, much like Radjabov did against Nepomniachtchi.
The results: Semifinals: Set One, Game One: Teimour Radjabov (Aze) drew with Daniil Dubov (Rus); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) lost to Levon Aronian (Arm).
Quarterfinals Set Two: Dubov bt Magnus Carlsen (Nor) 2.5-1.5 (Dubov wins the match 1.5-0.5); Radjabov drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus) 2-2 and 1-1 in blitz games; Radjabov wins the match after drawing the Armageddon game with black pieces); Aronian bt Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 2-0; (Aronian wins the match 2-0); Wesley So bt Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 2.5-1.5; (Vachier wins after drawing the Armageddon game with black pieces, following two drawn blitz games).
