Sergey Karjakin, the challenger for Magnus Carlsen’s world title later this year, has announced in Bilbao, where he is contesting an elite tournament, that he wants to launch his challenge ‘anywhere but the USA!’ His stance poses an awkward problem for the World Chess Federation, which does not seem to have even contemplated an alternative venue, though no final arrangements have yet been announced.

Disagreements over world championship venues have bedevilled former contests, and although we do not know the precise reason for Karjakin’s complaint, once one of the two protagonists digs in his heels it can be hard to shift them.

So I propose that it is high time London hosted a world championship match. The most recent was Kasparov-Kramnik back in 2000. Since then, London has been mooted as host city but negotiations with World Chess Federation president Kirsan Ilumzinov fell through. Now he appears to be disgraced and in danger of impeachment at the Federation congress in Baku later this year. With Ilumzinov out of the picture, bolting on the world championship to the well-established London Classic set for December could be an attractive and cost-effective option for players and officials alike.

In any case, Karjakin has his work cut out to defeat Carlsen, as this week’s game, played a few days ago in Bilbao, amply demonstrates.

Carlsen-Karjakin: Bilbao 2016; Sicilian Defence
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 c3 Nf6 4 Be2 Setting a transparent trap. 4 … Nxe4 naturally failed to 5 Qa4+ forking king and knight. 4 … g6 5 0-0 Bg7 6 Bb5+ Nc6 7 d4 Qb6 8 Ba4 cxd4 9 cxd4 0-0 10 d5 Nb8 A new move in this position. 10 … Na5 has previously been played while if 10 … Ne5 then 11 Nxe5 dxe5 12 Nc3 followed eventually by Be3 gives White an excellent position. 11 Nc3 Bg4 12 h3 Bxf3 13 Qxf3 Nbd7 14 Rb1 Rfc8 15 Bc2 Ne5 16 Qe2 Nfd7 17 Bg5 h6 (see diagram 1) 18 Bh4 18 Bxe7 is possible when 18 … g5 19 Nb5 Ng6 20 Nxd6 Nxe7 21 Nxc8 Rxc8 leads to a dynamic balance. 18 … g5 This kind of weakening move around the king is acceptable but only if Black maintains very active piece play. If White is allowed to consolidate, the chickens will come home to roost around Black’s king. 19 Bg3 Qa6 20 Qd1 Rc4 Totally misguided. Now White organises his kingside attack. 20 … Nc4 would be fine for Black. 21 Kh1 Rac8 22 f4 gxf4 23 Bxf4 Qb6 24 Qh5 Nf6 25 Qf5 Qd8 26 Bb3 Rd4 27 Bxe5 dxe5 28 Rbd1 Qd7 29 Qf3 Rb4 30 Rd2 (see diagram 2) 30 … Rf8 This is too passive. The last chance for active counterplay was 30 … b5. Now Black gets rolled up on the kingside. 31 g4 a5 32 Rg2 Nh7 33 h4 Rb6 34 g5 Kh8 35 Rfg1 f5 36 Qh3 Rb4 37 gxh6 Bxh6 38 Qg3 White’s impressive tripling of his major pieces has led to a massacre in the g-file. White even threatens Qg8+ mating. 38 … Nf6 39 Qg6 Ng4 40 Rxg4 Black resigns

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