Carlsen: "Having enough energy will be extremely important. I am not going to say I am old, but it's easier as a 21-22 year old than as a 27-28 year old to be able to float on youthful energy. I have to be more conscious about these things now."
Carlsen: "On paper this is my absolute worst opponent. That's why I think the match will be different than previously."
Carlsen says he will prepare differently this time: "It's clear that Anand and Karjakin was very much based on preparations, while Caruana thinks different and doesn't depend on preparations as much."
Carlsen on Caruana's greatest stength: "His middle game! He will likely feel that he in some middlegames can navigate better than me. That's what he will aim for."
Carlsen: "In long endgames, I still think I have an advantage against Caruana. He can work on it, but I don't think he can equalize my edge in only a few months."
Carlsen: "I have an advantage that eventually will be gone, but if I get a few punches in the beginning - not necessarily speaking about winning games - then the pressure on Caruana will become worse."
Carlsen on Anand-Carlsen in Chennai in '13: "Even though it was my best WC match until now, the first three games sucked. If Anand had used his opportunity there, history could've been very different."
Carlsen: "No WC title can be taken for granted, not in any format. It would be huge for me if I am able to win again."
35...Qxf3!! [Nguyen shows his great understanding of the game by this positional queen sacrifice. Black has no weaknesses to attack.]
[35...Qd2 36.Bc4+ Kh8 37.c6 Rg8 38.Bxg8 Qg2 39.Rfh3 Kxg8 40.Qf3 Qxf3 41.Rxf3 Kf7³; 35...Qg4 36.Rg3 Qf4 37.Rf1 Qh6=]
36.Bc4+ Qd5 37.Bxd5+ Nxd5 38.c6 Nec7 39.Qh3 h6 40.Qg2 [40.Qb3 Rxf5+–]
40...Rxf5 [40...Rxf5 41.Rxh6 Ne3–+]0–1
[35...Qd2 36.Bc4+ Kh8 37.c6 Rg8 38.Bxg8 Qg2 39.Rfh3 Kxg8 40.Qf3 Qxf3 41.Rxf3 Kf7³; 35...Qg4 36.Rg3 Qf4 37.Rf1 Qh6=]
36.Bc4+ Qd5 37.Bxd5+ Nxd5 38.c6 Nec7 39.Qh3 h6 40.Qg2 [40.Qb3 Rxf5+–]
40...Rxf5 [40...Rxf5 41.Rxh6 Ne3–+]0–1
49.Rhh6! [49.Rg5+!? Kd4 50.Rb5 Kc4 51.Rf5 Rxf5 52.gxf5 b5 53.f6 Kc5 54.Re7 Kd6 55.Kg5 b4 56.Re2 Rg8+ 57.Kf5 Rg3 58.Rd2+ Kc6 59.h4 Rf3+ 60.Kg5 Rg3+ 61.Kf4 Rg1 62.h5 Rf1+ 63.Kg5 Rg1+ 64.Kf5 Rf1+ 65.Ke6+–; 49.Rgg7 Rc8 50.Kg5 Rc5 51.h4 Ke4+ 52.Kg6 Kf4 53.g5 Kg3 54.Rf7 Rxf7 55.Kxf7 Rc7+ 56.Kg6 Rc8 57.Kf5 Rc5+ 58.Ke6 Kg4 59.g6+–]
49...Rb3 [49...b5? 50.Rb6 Rff8 51.Rh5+ Kd4 52.Rhxb5+–]
50.Kg5 b5 51.h4 b4 52.h5 Rh3 53.Rb6 Rxb6 54.Rxb6 b3 55.h6 Kd4 56.Kg6 Kc3 57.h7 b2 58.Kg7 Kc2 59.h8Q Rxh8 60.Kxh8 b1Q 61.Rxb1 1–0
49...Rb3 [49...b5? 50.Rb6 Rff8 51.Rh5+ Kd4 52.Rhxb5+–]
50.Kg5 b5 51.h4 b4 52.h5 Rh3 53.Rb6 Rxb6 54.Rxb6 b3 55.h6 Kd4 56.Kg6 Kc3 57.h7 b2 58.Kg7 Kc2 59.h8Q Rxh8 60.Kxh8 b1Q 61.Rxb1 1–0