[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.01.18"] [Round "4"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D78"] [WhiteElo "2865"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 c6 7. b3 {Carlsen used a version of this solid line to defeat Nepomniachtchi in their final test before their world championship match.} Bf5 {The main line.} 8. Bb2 Nbd7 9. e3 {This is the new trend, according to Megabase, that outshines the older 9.Nbd2. } Ne4 {The most typical maneuver for the line. Black opens up his dark-squared bishop and prepares to swap a pair of light pieces.} ({White definitely had a pull in another top game:} 9... b5 10. cxb5 cxb5 11. Nc3 b4 12. Na4 Rc8 13. Qd2 a5 14. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 15. Rxc1 Qa8 16. Ne5 Rc8 17. Nxd7 Rxc1+ 18. Qxc1 Nxd7 19. Qc7 {and Black's position is unpleasant due to the difference in activity of the queens, Artemiev,V (2704)-Aronian,L (2782) chess24.com INT 2021}) 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Be4 {This is possible thanks to the previous maneuver.} 12. Qe2 e6 13. Rfd1 {In the meanwhile, the world champion clears the f1-square to avoid the trade of the light-squared bishops. Without them, there is no hope of an edge.} a5 {Black uses the given time to prepare counterplay on his own.} 14. Bf1 Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Nc5 {This maneuver is also possible thanks to the ...Nf6-e4-xc3 one. So many possibilities, just because a pair of light pieces have been traded!} 16. Be1 Ne4 17. Bd3 $146 {This is a novelty.} ({In the predecessor:} 17. a4 f5 18. Qe2 Rf7 19. Bg2 Bf8 20. f3 Nf6 21. Bc3 Bb4 22. Bb2 Qe7 23. e4 fxe4 24. fxe4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 dxe4 26. Qxe4 {White seemed to have a slight pull, but Bu quickly executed e6-e5 and the game petered out into a draw, Ganguly,S (2644) -Bu,X (2711) Liaocheng 2017}) 17... f5 {Van Foreest is shifting into a Stonewall where Black has kept a valuable pair of light pieces alive.} 18. Rac1 {Still, Carlsen has a serious plan in stock: the preparation of the e3-e4 break. Black's next maneuver is designed to stop this for good.} g5 19. Qe2 { And after some thought, Van Foresst went for} g4 $3 {Thus sacrificing a pawn!} 20. Bxe4 fxe4 {The point.} ({The move in the game is needed as} 20... dxe4 { would lead to a quick collapse in the center due to} 21. d5 $1 exd5 22. cxd5 cxd5 23. Rc5 d4 24. exd4 {and the game opens in White's favor. In fact, the machine evaluates this as a winning edge for the first player.}) 21. Qxg4 { I browsed through the games at that point and a quick glance at the position, count of the pawns, and a peek at the computer bar made me think that Van Foreest had badly messed up.} Qe8 {None of the above is true! Black has solid compensation thanks to the half-open files on the kingside, and the holes on the light-squares only facilitate his play.} 22. cxd5 {In order to open a file for his rooks.} ({It also made sense to bring the bishop out as soon as possible.} 22. b4 $5 h5 ({Black cannot lock the flank with} 22... a4 23. cxd5 exd5 {due to} 24. b5 $1) 23. Qh3 axb4 24. Bxb4 Rf6 25. Rd2 {There are two files on which the white rooks can work now, but what's more, he can eventually maneuver his bishop toward the e5 square.}) 22... exd5 23. Rc5 { The logical follow-up.} ({Though} 23. b4 $5 axb4 24. Bxb4 h5 25. Qh3 Rf6 26. Rc2 {was still possible.}) 23... h5 ({There was also} 23... b6 $5 24. Rc2 h5 25. Qh3 Rf6 {when Black can later shift his second rook toward the kingside via the a7-square.}) 24. Qh3 Qf7 {Van Foreest keeps the queenside stable.} ({ Here} 24... b5 $5 {looked attractive and after} 25. Rdc1 Rf6 {the black rooks can attack along the sixth rank while defending the c6 weakness.}) 25. Qg2 { Now the a5-pawn is in danger.} (25. Rc2 $5) 25... a4 26. b4 ({It is only Black who can benefit from the opening on the queenside at the moment.} 26. bxa4 Rxa4 27. Rc2 Rfa8) 26... Qd7 27. b5 (27. Rdc1 Rf6 28. b5 {would have likely transposed.}) 27... h4 $1 {Black is consistent with his plan.} ({He should certainly avoid} 27... cxb5 28. Qf1 $1) 28. Rdc1 ({Or another transposition after} 28. bxc6 bxc6 29. Rdc1 Rf6 30. g4) 28... Rf6 29. bxc6 bxc6 30. g4 $1 { A tough decision! Carlsen tries to seal the kingside, but his opponent is alert.} ({After} 30. Bb4 hxg3 31. hxg3 Raf8 32. R1c2 Rh6 {Black will soon prepare infiltration along the h-file.}) 30... h3 $3 {A second pawn is offered for even more files.} 31. Qxh3 Raf8 $1 ({Correctly not craving the g4-pawn, as after} 31... Rg6 32. Qh5 $1 Rxg4+ 33. Kf1 {the white king escapes and Black's attack fizzles.}) 32. Qg2 ({Here} 32. Qh5 $2 Rh6 33. Qg5 Rff6 {makes no sense for White.}) ({And if the king leaves} 32. Kf1 Rh6 33. Qg2 Rh4 {the white pawns will be in trouble.}) 32... Rg6 {The most obvious attempt gives Carlsen some addiitonal chances.} ({The other file might have been more important! After} 32... Rh6 $5 33. h3 Rf3 {attacks the h3-pawn at once. True, White still has} 34. g5 {and may even win a third pawn at once after} Rh4 35. Rxc6 { at least for a moment. Nevertheless, after} Rfxh3 36. Rc8+ Bf8 37. R1c7 Qf5 { Black has enough threats to secure a draw, as in this pretty line} 38. Bb4 Rh1+ $1 39. Qxh1 Qg4+ 40. Qg2 Qd1+ 41. Qf1 Qg4+) 33. g5 $1 {Best! The pawns are further separated, but this bold move slows down Black's initiative.} ({ After the solid} 33. h3 {Black's attack may develop as in this line.} Rf3 34. Ra5 Rh6 35. Rxa4 $2 {And now} Rfxh3 36. Ra8+ Kh7 37. Rb1 R6h4 38. Kf1 c5 $3 { opens the a6-f1 diagonal, thus keeping the white king in mortal danger all the time. The threats may turn into a full point after, say,} 39. dxc5 Qc7 $1 40. Ra5 Rh2 41. Qg3 Qxg3 42. fxg3 Rh1+ 43. Ke2 R4h2+) 33... Rf5 {Once again, the most obvious move.} ({However, there was a strong argument for} 33... Rf3 { The difference here, in comparison with the line from above, is that White can defend with} 34. h4 Rh3 35. Rxc6 Rxc6 36. Rxc6 Rxh4 {And with the rook on this exact square} 37. f3 $1 {becomes possible. Still, after} Qxc6 38. Bxh4 Qc1+ 39. Kh2 Qxe3 {Black has very little to worry about in the arising endgame.}) 34. h4 Bf8 35. R5c2 Be7 $1 {With the inevitable capture on g5, one way or the other!} 36. Rb2 $1 {Not just activating the rook, but avoiding the additional chances that the black queen might take. Also inviting Black to a self-pin.} ({As in the case of} 36. Kf1 Bxg5 (36... Qc8 $5) 37. hxg5 Rfxg5 38. Qh2 Qb7 $1) 36... Bxg5 {Van Foreest errs!} ({Strong was a rook capture} 36... Rfxg5 $1 {This, or the other one, it leads to the same after} 37. hxg5 Rxg5 38. Qxg5+ Bxg5 { With approximate equality, e.g} 39. Rb8+ Kf7 40. Rb6 Bxe3 ({Or} 40... Bd8 41. Ra6) 41. fxe3 Qg4+ 42. Kf1 Qf3+ 43. Bf2 Qh3+ 44. Ke2 Qf3+ 45. Ke1 Qh1+ 46. Kd2 Qg2 $11) 37. Kf1 Qa7 ({The computer claims that} 37... Qd6 {is the best defense, but then White escapes the threats with} 38. hxg5 Rgxg5 39. Qh3 Rh5 40. Qg4+ Rhg5 41. Qd1 $1 {and White keeps the extra material.}) 38. Qg4 { Alas, Carlsen transposes the moves, and misses the win!} ({In the line} 38. Ke2 $1 Qa6+ 39. Kd1 Qd3+ 40. Rd2 Qb5 {White does not have} 41. hxg5 $2 ({However, the strong} 41. Qg4 $1 {spoils the rooks' coordination, and apparently it wins. }) 41... Rfxg5 42. Qh3 Rg1 {and the threat of Rxe1+ and mate on the back rank forces White to give a perpetual.} 43. Qc8+) 38... Qa6+ $1 {Locks the king in!} 39. Kg1 {The world champion spots the deadly trap, just in time.} ({The trap is revealed in the line} 39. Qe2 Qc8 $1 40. Rcb1 Bd8 $1 {Making sure the queen is not pinned} 41. Rb8 {And now the fabulous} Rfg5 $3 {sacrificing almost every piece of his leads to a mate!}) 39... Rg7 40. Rb8+ {Now the forcing line} Bd8 41. Rxd8+ Rf8 42. Rxf8+ Kxf8 43. Bb4+ Kg8 44. Qxg7+ Kxg7 45. a3 {leads to a likely fortress.} Kg6 46. Kg2 Kh5 47. Rh1 {White threatens to transfer his rook to the third rank, therefore with} c5 {Van Foreest forces a perpetual} 48. Bxc5 Qg6+ 49. Kf1 Qa6+ 50. Kg2 Qg6+ 51. Kf1 Qa6+ 52. Kg2 1/2-1/2