The World Chess Championship is all tied after 11 games - and it's been nothing but draws going into the final game before tiebreaks

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Draws, draw, and more draws.

• The 2018 World Chess Championship is dead-even after 11 consecutive drawn games.
• That's never happened before.
• Game 12 will be a test of whether American challenger Fabiano Caruana wants to risk it all with the white pieces against three-time champ Magnus Carlsen of Norway or take the match to tiebreaks.

After an unprecedented 11 draws, the 2018 World Chess Championship has come down to a final classical game, being played today in London between defending champ Magnus Carlsen of Norway and challenger Fabiano Caruana of the United States.

The No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world are separated by just a year in age and a few ranking points: 27-year-old Carlsen is at 2835, and 26-year-old Caruana is at 2832. So the march of equal results shouldn't entirely be a surprise, although it's never happened before. In 2013 and 2014, Carlsen was able to defeat former World Champion Vishy Anand of India with decisive wins over the board in classical time controls, without going to rapid or blitz tiebreakers.

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That wasn't the case in 2016 when Russian's Sergey Karjakin challenged Carlsen and won a single game (Carlsen also won a game, the remainder were draws, and Carlsen defended his title in the "Armageddon" rounds that followed).

On Monday, Caruana has the white pieces and a slight statistical edge, but the big question is whether he'll press for a win, overextend himself, and hand the title to Carlsen; or whether he'll angle for a draw and take his chances in the tiebreaks. The latter is risky, as Carlsen is the world's best rapid and blitz player, while Caruana is ranked notably lower.

Read more: American challenger Fabiano Caruana missed his best chance to win a game against Magnus Carlsen at World Chess Championship

Caruana's preparation for the match has generally been better than Carlsen's, but while both players have enjoyed good winning opportunities, neither has converted. Caruana, not an aggressive player, has sought to negate whatever small advantages Carlsen has snared - a major difference from Anand's brand of power chess, where he countered Carlsen's talents by launching redoubtable assaults from his side of the board.

Caruana's preparation versus Carlsen's uncanny ability to find the right responses, even when he's in trouble

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Carlsen in 2016.

In the competitive games for the WCC, we've seen Carlsen repeatedly caught in Caruana's superior opening preparation, but able to find the best moves to equalize. Caruana, meanwhile, has missed some tactical shots - or, if you accept that he possesses computer-like calculating skills, followed such moves down their lines of play and decided they were too risky.

The 11-all scoreline has set off the usual bout of complaints that there are too many draws in super-Grandmaster chess. The Carlsen-Caruana draws have been fascinating studies in peaceful outcomes, and there have even been a few novelties uncorked, as well as many Sicilian Defences with the black pieces (the Sicilian is regarded as one of black's best chances to play for a win). But the chess has been rather studious, and it's proven that at the top level, the use of analysis engines means that it's difficult to rattle the best competitors.

For many fans, a decisive result on Monday would be thrilling and would make up for the march of draws; America would also have its first World Champion since Bobby Fischer in 1972.

But coming off a rest day, neither player should be prone to a blunder brought on by stress, so one of these guys is going to have to go for it. The prospect of a sharper Sicilian looms, as that was the opening employed Game 12, now showing an advantage for white after 12 moves, the result of an early punch thrown on the kingside by Carlsen with the move 12. h5.

Sharp Sicilians are notorious for getting out of hand for black - and Carlsen, having trounced Karjakin in the tiebreaks two years ago and knowing the Caruana is the lesser "fast" player, could aim for a draw, although the initial moves of Game 12 suggest he might have winning on his mind.