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World No 1 Magnus Carlsen narrowly avoided forfeiting his third-round game against Roberto Garcia Pantoja at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary due to a late arrival.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, added an unexpected twist to Norway's match against Colombia.
Carlsen's decision to bike to the playing hall independently led to the delay. Tournament regulations stipulate that players must be present within 15 minutes of the round's start or face a default.
Unaware of the delayed start, Carlsen believed he had already forfeited the game.
However, a chance encounter with photographer Maria Emelianova, who guided Carlsen to the playing arena in time, ensuring he could avoid the default.
"I was sure I had lost," Carlsen admitted later. "It was a bit of a mess. I am in a different hotel from the others, so they were supposed to pick me up. Then, they suddenly told me that traffic was horrible and they would be at my hotel at five to three. At that point, I thought I couldn’t get there in time by car, so I decided biking might be faster."
Carlsen narrowly escaped default when the third round's start was unexpectedly delayed.
His victory over Pantoja was a relief for the Norwegian team.
