Nos morituri

Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, those two gladiators of the mind, will duel in London during the remainder of this month for the title of world chess champion.
 
Twelve games will be played, and if no clear victor emerges there will be a rapidplay tie break on November 28. It is my prediction that in spite of the fact that their ratings are very close (Carlsen 2835, Caruana 2832), the more artistic Caruana will succumb to the extreme pragmatist Carlsen, by the score of 6½ to 4½.
 
Should Caruana somehow escape to a level score after the stipulated dozen games, then I hold out little hope for him in the speed chess tiebreak on 28 November. Carlsen has hitherto dominated Caruana in quick games and I foresee no miraculous reversal of this trend.
 
Caruana-Carlsen: Wijk aan Zee 2015
(see diagram 1)
 
White is actually OK if Black takes the exchange here with 31 … Bxa1.