Reigning chess champ Carlsen says need to step up game against US challenger

Reuters - Reigning chess world champion Magnus Carlsen said on Thursday (November 8) on the eve of his world championship defense against American Fabiano Caruana that he feels he needs to step up his game if he is to have a chance of defending his title. The Norwegian was below standard at the European Chess Club Cup last month with a total of 3.5 points out of a possible six, though he voiced confidence that he can regain his form of old in time to continue his recent dominance of the world championship, having won the past three. Caruana, a dual American-Italian national representing the United States, booked his spot in the world championship after winning the Candidates tournament in Berlin in September, finishing a full point ahead of his rivals. The 26-year-old has already been compared to legendary American Bobby Fischer who became a chess grandmaster in his teenage years and went on to win the world title in 1972. Caruana said he was flattered with the comparison but felt it was too early. At the world championship in London, Carlsen and Caruana are scheduled to play 12 matches, with the first player to reach 6.5 points winning the title. If it reaches 6-6, they will play a tiebreak of four rapid games - followed by two further tiebreak methods if required - to decide who takes the title and the roughly one million Euro prize fund.