- Title: Chess World Championship final starts with Woody Harrelson mishap
- Date: 9th November 2018
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 9, 2018) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CHALLENGER FABIANO CARUANA WALKS IN / SHAKES HANDS WITH REIGNING CHAMPION MAGNUS CARLSEN / TAKES A SEAT AHEAD OF THE FIRST GAME OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL CLOSE OF CARUANA AND PREPARING PIECES MEDIA FILMING AND TAKING PICTURES AT VENUE CLOSE OF CARLSEN AT VENUE CLOSE OF CARUANA CLOSE OF AMERICAN ACTOR WOODY HARRELSON AT VENUE TO MAKE CEREMONIAL FIRST MOVE ON CARUANA'S BEHALF CLOSE OF HARRELSON / CLOSE OF CARUANA CARUANA TELLING HARRELSON WHAT HIS FIRST MOVE IS / HARRELSON THEN PROCEEDING TO ACCIDENTALLY KNOCK OVER CARUANA'S KING (A MOVE TYPICALLY DONE WHEN A PLAYER CONCEDES THE GAME) / HARRELSON APOLOGISES AND RETURNS THE KING AS CARUANA LOOKS IN BEWILDERMENT BEFORE HARRELSON THEN GOES ON AND MOVES THE WRONG PAWN (NOT THE ONE CARUANA HAD WANTED) WHILE LAUGHING AND WINKING AT CARLSEN / CARUANA REACTS WITH SURPRISE AND INDICATES WITH HIS FINGER THAT THE WRONG MOVE WAS MADE BEFORE SEEMINGLY JUST SETTLING FOR THE WRONG MOVE CARUANA BEING ALLOWED TO CANCEL THE INCORRECT OPENING MOVE BY HARRELSON HARRELSON COMING IN A SECOND TIME TO MOVE THE CHESS PIECE TO OPEN PLAY / THIS TIME MOVING THE CORRECT PAWN CLOSE OF CARUANA MOVING HIS BISHOP CARLSEN MOVING A PAWN IN FRONT OF A KNIGHT CLOSE OF CHESS PIECES PLAYERS WRITING NOTES / CARLSEN KILLS CARUANA'S BISHOP WITH A PAWN CLOSE OF CARUANA CONTEMPLATING NEXT MOVES / CARLSEN LOOKING ON CARLSEN MOVING HIS KNIGHT CHILD WATCHING GAME THROUGH GLASS WHERE SPECTATORS CAN VIEW GAME PROGRESSION CLOSE OF BOARD
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2018 16:12
- Keywords: Chess World Championships Magnus Carlsen Fabiano Caruana Woody Harrelson
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Chess,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00195SBTXB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: American actor Woody Harrelson dropped a king before moving the wrong pawn on behalf of chess challenger Fabiano Caruana on Friday (November 9) after being handed the honour of a performing a ceremonial first move to start the World Championship final.
The comical mishap saw Harrelson first reach over to try and pick up a pawn as his hand leaned back to knock over Caruana's king - a move traditionally signalling a player conceding the game - before apologising, returning the piece to its spot but then going on to move the wrong pawn that exposed Caruana's king - all to the confusion and bewilderment of Caruana.
Caruana initially politely pointed out the error discreetly but appeared to shrug his shoulders with the intent of carrying on despite the huge disadvantage handed to him by Harrelson's error. The American was however allowed to return the piece and get Harrelson to make the correct move to start the match against reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen.
Carlsen and Caruana are scheduled to play up to 12 matches during November, with the first player to reach 6.5 points winning the title. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None