[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku"] [Date "2023.08.19"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Abasov, Nijat"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B30"] [WhiteElo "2835"] [BlackElo "2632"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] {[%evp 9,85,8,37,32,31,0,4,-16,0,-16,26,21,39,31,48,36,24,-18,37,32,28,18,27, 29,13,12,52,44,52,55,64,77,73,71,71,69,66,73,65,67,69,25,37,29,71,49,45,45,39, 47,36,11,10,21,26,19,18,0,0,-292,104,13,104,104,124,105,163,163,242,82,100,0, 284,273,481,395,748,731] This is one of the most intense games I have seen. Early castling is not an option where both want to initiate pressure in the opening stage. World Champion Magnus Carlsen felt the strong play of the young Super GM Abasov, he must play carefully and calculate accurately to win. Let's find out.} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:15]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:30]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 4. Bxc6 { [%emt 0:00:07]} bxc6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 5. b3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:06] } 6. e5 {[%emt 0:00:14] B30: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5, lines without ...g6.} dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:07] [#]} 7. d3 $146 {[%emt 0:00:09]} (7. Nxe5 $5 {[%CAl Rd1f3] } Qg5 8. Ng4 $11) ({Predecessor:} 7. Nxe5 Qg5 8. Nf3 Qf5 9. O-O Ne7 10. Re1 Ng6 11. Nc3 Be7 12. Ne4 O-O 13. d3 Rd8 {0-1 Fedoseev,V (2686)-Howell,D (2650) Titled Tuesday intern op 26th Jul Late blitz 2022 (10)}) 7... f6 {[%emt 0:01: 01]} 8. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:00:10] The position is equal.} Nh6 {[%emt 0:02:04] THE ASSIGNMENT: Most players castle automatically because the position requires it. But World Champion Carlsen does not think that way, he has much more to dig at a deeper level such as the move 9. Rg1.} 9. Rg1 {[%emt 0:00:59]} Ba6 {[%emt 0: 09:14]} 10. g4 {[%emt 0:04:10][%mdl 1024] White has compensation.} Nf7 { [%emt 0:00:16]} 11. Qe2 {[%emt 0:10:08]} Be7 {[%emt 0:11:20]} 12. Bb2 {[%emt 0: 12:20]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:01:53]} 13. c4 {[%emt 0:04:42]} g5 {[%emt 0:02:59]} ({ Black should try} 13... Nd6 $11) 14. h4 $14 {[%emt 0:01:14]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:59] } 15. Rh1 {[%emt 0:01:57]} O-O-O {[%emt 0:02:51]} 16. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:59]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:21:46]} 17. Ne4 {[%emt 0:02:14]} gxh4 {[%emt 0:04:47]} 18. Nxh4 { [%emt 0:01:03] Ng6 is the strong threat. A dynamic duo of knights.} Rhg8 { [%emt 0:00:06] [#] Repels Ng6} 19. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:09:19]} exf4 {[%emt 0:03:00]} (19... Kb8 20. f5) 20. Nxf6 {[%emt 0:05:33]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 21. Qxe6+ { [%emt 0:00:50]} Kb8 {[%emt 0:03:37]} 22. Qxf6 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Bc8 {[%emt 0:00: 08]} 23. Rde1 {[%emt 0:08:10] Black must now prevent Re7. White is more active. } Rd6 {[%emt 0:06:42]} 24. Qxf4 {[%emt 0:00:24] aiming for Rhf1.} Rxg4 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 25. Qe3 {[%emt 0:04:04]} Re6 {[%emt 0:02:14]} 26. Qd2 {[%emt 0: 03:22]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:10:21][%CAl Yg4h4]} 27. Kc2 {[%emt 0:03:43]} (27. Re3 $5 { [%CAl Rd2e2]} Nf7 28. Rxe6 Bxe6 29. Re1 Rxh4 30. Rxe6 $16) 27... Kb7 {[%emt 0: 00:04]} 28. Re3 {[%emt 0:03:56] Prevents Rg3.} Qe7 {[%emt 0:01:48]} 29. Nf5 { [%emt 0:05:43][%csl Ye7,Yh6]} Qg5 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 30. Bxe5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} ( 30. Rxe5 $5 Rxe5 31. Qxg5 (31. Bxe5 Rg2 $11 {[%mdl 64] Pin}) 31... Re2+ 32. Qd2 Rxd2+ 33. Kxd2 Rg2+ 34. Ke3 Bxf5 35. Be5 $16) 30... Rg2 {[%emt 0:02:39]} 31. Re2 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rxe2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 32. Qxe2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Qxf5 { [%emt 0:00:28]} 33. Rh5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:05:22]} 34. Qh2 $2 { [%emt 0:06:18][%mdl 8192]} (34. Kc3 $11 {and White has nothing to worry.}) 34... Rg6 $2 {[%emt 0:00:40]} (34... Qf1 $19 {Threatens to win with ...Rg6.} 35. Qd2 (35. Rxh6 $2 Rxh6 36. Qxh6 Qe2+ {[%mdl 64] Skewer, Double Attack} 37. Qd2 Qxe5 $19) 35... Rg6) 35. Bf4 {[%emt 0:04:14]} ({Better is} 35. Rxh6 $16 { And now Rh7 would win.} Rxh6 36. Qxh6) 35... Rf6 {[%emt 0:00:28]} (35... Qg7 $11 36. Bd2 Qa1) 36. Be3 $16 {[%emt 0:01:22]} (36. Bxh6 $2 {loses.} Bg4 37. Re5 Rf2+ $19) 36... Bf5 {[%emt 0:02:02]} 37. Bxc5 {[%emt 0:02:34]} Qg6 {[%emt 0:00: 43] Black is weak on the dark squares} (37... Re6 $16 {keeps fighting.}) 38. Kc3 $18 {[%emt 0:02:27]} Re6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} (38... Bg4 $142 39. Re5 Re6) 39. Rh4 $2 {[%emt 0:01:07]} (39. Bxa7 $18 {and White stays clearly on top. White threatens Qb8+ and mate.} Re8 40. a4 (40. Rxh6 Qg5 $18)) 39... Bg4 $16 { [%emt 0:07:20] [#]} 40. Bxa7 $40 {[%emt 0:03:06][%mdl 128] Black needs to defend precisely.} Qf6+ $2 {[%emt 0:01:09][%mdl 8192] [#]} (40... Kxa7 $2 41. Qg1+ c5 42. Qxg4 (42. Rxg4 Qf6+ 43. Kc2 Re2+ 44. Kd1 Rh2 $18) 42... Qf6+ 43. d4 $18) (40... Qg7+ $1 $11 {and Black stays safe.} 41. Bd4 Qg5 42. Rxg4 Qxg4) 41. Kb4 $1 $18 {[%emt 0:07:12]} (41. Bd4 Qg5 42. Rxg4 Qxg4 $11) 41... Re5 $2 { [%emt 0:01:06]} (41... Qf8+ {was worth a try.} 42. Bc5 Qg7) 42. d4 {[%emt 0:03: 23]} Qe7+ {[%emt 0:04:58]} (42... Re8 43. Rxg4 (43. Rxh6 Qe7+ 44. Qd6 Kxa7 $18) 43... Qe7+ 44. c5 (44. Bc5 Qe1+ 45. Ka3 Qc1+ 46. Kb4 Qe1+ 47. Ka3 Qc1+ 48. Kb4 Qe1+ $11) 44... Kxa7) 43. c5 {[%emt 0:00:26] Elegant game!!! Both wanted to win, but the black's weak pawn structures was the deciding factor. I applaud Super GM Nijat Abasov for his effort and fighting skills to play his best against "THE GOAT" Magnus Carlsen.} 1-0