Carlsen Draws After 'Absurd' Game, Faces Armageddon in Norway Chess

Magnus Carlsen salvaged a draw against Vincent Keymer in the second round of Norway Chess, but only after a game described by experts as "absurd" and riddled with uncharacteristic errors. The Norwegian grandmaster appeared to be heading for a victory before making a critical mistake late in the match, which TV 2 commentator Jon Ludvig Hammer called a "gigantic blunder."

However, Keymer quickly followed suit with a "sensational blunder" of his own, prompting Hammer to remark that it was "some of the worst I've seen from players at the top level in recent times." The chess expert, visibly shocked, labeled the encounter a "catastrophe game" for Carlsen, emphasizing that the former world champion should have won the classical game.

Both players were under time pressure as the game concluded in a draw. Carlsen, who had already lost his first-round match to Alireza Firouzja on Monday, now faces an armageddon tie-breaker to determine the victor of this particular match. The Norway Chess tournament is being held in Bjørvika, Oslo.