Starting from Chess960 position 87, the first game saw Caruana take an aggressive stance, sacrificing a pawn with the flamboyant 5…g5!? to unsettle Carlsen. Despite the bold play, Carlsen showcased his brilliance by capitalizing on critical moments, particularly a daring pawn grab on b7 that transformed the game in his favor. After a series of tactical subtleties, the resulting good-knight-versus-bad-bishop endgame displayed Carlsen’s ability to convert positional advantages into a decisive win.

Carlsen reflected on his success, praising the game’s “free-flowing and fun” nature, which he believes encapsulates the spirit of Freestyle Chess. “This is what we should play freestyle for,” he said, highlighting the tactical complexity and creative opportunities the format offers. For Caruana, however, the loss puts him in a must-win situation in the second game, scheduled for Friday, November 22. Caruana will have the white pieces and another unfamiliar starting position to navigate in his bid to force a tiebreak.

This victory adds to Carlsen’s momentum, following his success in a “Head and Hand” exhibition match played earlier in the week. Partnering with Tania Sachdev, Carlsen swept the team of Caruana and Maurice Ashley in the friendly 2-0 event, held at the SKAI Loft in downtown Singapore.