It's underway!
Game 1 was a rollicking joy, a seven-hour battle between two of the finest chess players on the planet.
Caruana had the white pieces, and opened e4 (after Woody Harrelson showed up to tip the king over to get the match underway :) ).
Carlsen played the Sicilian (c5), which is, I think, a slight surprise. But Carlsen plays more openings than anyone alive, so it's just how it goes with him I think?
The midgame was dramatic and intense, FAR above my comprehension, as Carlsen sacrificed a pawn for a ferocious attack.
Caruana ended up giving back the pawn, then another, and then continued to defend, and defend, and defend.
After seven hours, and 115 moves, the result was a drawn game.
I think Caruana probably feels happy about this, even though he had the advantage of the first game with the first move, for he is certainly the newcomer in this situation and now those first games jitters are gone.
I watched the game on chess.com, but let me recommend the wonderful coverage over at the Guardian, which never ceases to surprise (is The Guardian the finest English-language website operating right now? If not, it's among the top.).
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