[Event "Saint Louis Blitz"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2019.08.13"] [Round "4"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2882"] [PlyCount "109"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 {This is the Queen's Gambit. Solid opening and used by many grandmasters.} 4. Nc3 {Normal development for white.} Be7 5. Bf4 { GM Ding Liren specializes in the 5. Bf4 line and has many wins against top 10 grandmasters.} ({Other white move:} 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4) 5... O-O { As always, Queen's Gambit strategy is to castle early, unlike the Slav or Semi-Slav which develops first the pieces.} 6. e3 {Of course, white must bring out the bishop to castle.} b6 {World Champion GM Magnus Carlsen wants to develop his bishop at b7 or a6. Many times in Queen's Gambit set-up the bishop at c8 is stuck at c8 if black develops the knight at b8 to d7.} 7. cxd5 Nxd5 { Well, obviously black wants to take the important bishop at f4.} ({Other move is:} 7... exd5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O c5 10. Ne5 {Notice: The bishop at b7 is going to be inactive due to d5 pawn. Now, white's strategy here is to create a pressure at h7 and must control the center.}) 8. Nxd5 {True, white must take the knight but must be careful because white king is still unacastled.} exd5 { This line chosen by GM Carlsen is much quieter but there is a pressure in the c7 pawn. Let's see how GM Liren penetrates black's queenside.} ({If} 8... Qxd5 9. Be2 Bb4+ 10. Nd2 Bxd2+ ({If} 10... Qxg2 11. Bf3 Bxd2+ 12. Kxd2 Qxf2+ 13. Kc3 {This is tactical game}) 11. Qxd2 Qxg2 12. O-O-O) 9. Bd3 c5 ({If} 9... Bb4+ 10. Kf1 Bd6 11. Qc2 Ba6 12. g3 Bxd3+ 13. Qxd3 Bxf4 14. exf4 {Interesting position}) 10. b3 {White prevents black's c4 move, now the disadvantage of black's pawn structure at the center will be pressured slowly by white's piece activity.} Nc6 11. O-O Be6 ({If} 11... cxd4 12. Rc1 Bb7 13. exd4) 12. Rc1 {Slowly pressuring the c5 pawn} a5 13. h3 {Prophylactic move.} g6 14. Bb5 {GM Carlsen is feeling the pressure now as white is using both the two bishops in exploiting queenside weakness.} Qc8 {A bit awkward maneuver but the queen must go to b7 square to defend the knight at c6 and place the rook at c8.} 15. dxc5 bxc5 ({If} 15... Bxc5 16. Bh6 {White is having a good time here...}) 16. Nd4 Nxd4 ({if} 16... cxd4 17. Bxc6 dxe3 18. Qd4 exf2+ 19. Rxf2) 17. exd4 Qb7 18. a4 {LET'S STOP HERE: PLEASE ANALYZE THE POSITION. DO YOU SEE WHITE ADVANTAGE IN THIS POSITION? EVALUATE...} Rfc8 19. Re1 {The weakness at g7 square, the d5 pawn soon will become isolated plus the isolated pawn at a5 works well with white advantage.} cxd4 20. Qxd4 {Check the diagonal a1 to h8...sweet...} Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Rc8 22. Rxc8+ Qxc8 23. Bd2 {Truly, GM Ding Liren understands the subtleties and complexities of the 5. Bf4 line... Fantastic!!! I am learning a lot...} Qc7 24. Bc3 {Oops... that is trouble...} f6 {Forced...} 25. b4 { Here, white wants to take advantage of the dangerous a4 pawn to advance soon.} axb4 26. Bxb4 Bxb4 27. Qxb4 Kg7 28. a5 {Always push passed pawns...} d4 29. a6 Qb6 30. Qe7+ Kh6 31. a7 {This pawn is going for a HOMERUN...} Bd5 32. Bc4 { Clever...} Bb7 33. a8=Q {Now black is piece down...} Bxa8 34. Qf8+ Kg5 35. Qxa8 f5 36. Qd5 {This is over... time will tell..} Kh6 37. g3 Qf6 38. Kg2 {Making sure there is no perpetual check} Qb6 39. h4 Qf6 40. Qe6 Qd8 41. Qe5 Qb6 42. Qd5 Qf6 43. Bd3 Qb6 44. Qf3 Kg7 45. Qf4 {Now, this position is much clearer for white to penetrate the black king: CONTROL THEN EXPLOIT STRATEGY.} Qc6+ 46. Kh2 Qc5 47. h5 {You can not ever argue the value of a pawn!!!} Kf6 48. h6 { Creating a Qg7 ch. soonest...} g5 49. Qb8 Kg6 50. g4 {GAME OVER... Fantastic move.. black should resign now...} Kxh6 51. gxf5 g4 52. Kg3 Qd5 53. Qf8+ Kh5 54. Qe8+ Kg5 55. Qe7+ {Black Resigned: Due to  if  55... Kh6 then 56. Qh4 ch. 56...Kg7 then simply 57. Queen takes the g4 pawn.  The way GM Ding Liren plays the 5. Bf4 line is like a violinist... It is so charismatic...and mysterious, always based on structured play. THANK YOU FOR THIS GAME....I hope everyone enjoyed...it... Cheers...} 1-0