[Event ""] [White "Carlsen,Magnus"] [Black "Nakamura,Hikaru"] [Site ""] [Round ""] [Annotator "Havanur,Nagesh"] [Result "0-1"] [Date "2020.08.15"] [WhiteElo "2863"] [BlackElo "2736"] [PlyCount "90"] 1. d4 Nf6 {A flexible move that can transpose to a variety of openings. For a while Nakamura keeps his opponent guessing.} (1... d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {is the Queen's Gambit Accepted.} )2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 { Thus we have reached the Queen's Gambit Accepted by transposition.} 5. e4 b5 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nxb5 {White has regained the pawn. However, the Black pawn on c4 remains a thorn in his flesh.} Nb6 8. a4 {Carlsen had tried 8.a3 in a previous game and lost to Nakamura. So this committal move, yielding b4 and fighting for space on the queenside.} (8. Be2 {followed by 0-0 preserves White's options.} )(8. a3 Nc6 9. Be3 Na5 10. Qc2 a6 11. Nc3 Be7 12. Rd1 Bb7 {was seen in the game, the day before. Carlsen-Nakamura, Carlsen Tour Final, 2020 (0-1, 56 moves)} )Qd7 {This move prevents a4-a5 push dislodging the knight. But it loses a tempo in developing other pieces.} ({Subsequently the line} 8... Nc6 9. a5 Ba6 10. Na3 ({Or} 10. axb6 Bxb5 11. bxa7 Rxa7 12. Rxa7 Nxa7 $11 )Bb4+ {came to be preferred.} ({If} 10... Nxa5 $5 11. Nc2 Qd5 12. Bd2 c3 13. Bxa6 cxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Nc6 15. O-O $14 ))9. Be2 Nc6 10. O-O ({If} 10. a5 $2 Nxa5 $1 11. Rxa5 Bb4+ $19 )Na5 {"Black's position is ugly, with split pawns on the queenside and a knight on the rim; but modern chess is all about dynamics."- Simen Agdestein} 11. Ng5 ({The engine suggests} 11. d5 Nxd5 12. Bd2 Bb4 ({Not} 12... Nb3 $2 13. Bxc4 Nxa1 14. Bxd5 exd5 15. e6 $1 $18 )13. Bxb4 Nxb4 14. Qe1 Nbc6 $11 )h6 12. Ne4 Bb7 13. Nc5 ({The bishop on e2 has to keep the c-pawn in view. If he leaves his post with} 13. Bf3 $6 {there follows} Nb3 $15 )Bxc5 14. dxc5 Nd5 15. Ra3 ({Or} 15. Nd4 O-O-O $13 )a6 16. Nd4 Ne7 $1 {Making way for the queen to occupy the d5 post.} ({The immediate} 16... O-O-O {may be premature on account of} 17. Qe1 Nc6 18. Nxc6 Qxc6 19. Qa5 $14 )17. Qd2 ({The engine offes a wild tactical line with} 17. Rg3 O-O-O 18. Be3 Nac6 19. Nxc6 Qxc6 20. Qc1 Nf5 21. Rg4 h5 22. Bf3 Qxf3 23. gxf3 hxg4 24. fxg4 Rxh2 25. f3 Nxe3 26. Kxh2 Nxf1+ 27. Qxf1 Rd3 28. Qc1 Bd5 29. c6 Rxf3 30. b4 Bxc6 ({Not} 30... cxb3 $4 31. Qc5 $1 $18 )31. Qxc4 Kb7 $11 )Qd5 ({Or} 17... O-O-O 18. Qxa5 Qxd4 $11 )18. Rg3 Qxc5 19. b4 {This is risky.} ({Not} 19. Rxg7 $2 O-O-O $1 $19 )({Safer was} 19. Qf4 $1 Nd5 ({If} 19... Ng6 $2 20. Rxg6 fxg6 21. Nxe6 Qe7 22. Qg4 $18 )20. Qh4 Qe7 21. Qxe7+ Kxe7 $11 )cxb3 20. Ba3 $2 {Courting danger.} (20. Nxb3 $1 Nxb3 21. Rxb3 Qd5 $11 {was the safe option.} )Qxa3 21. Qxa5 Bd5 22. Rxg7 $2 {Tempting and wrong.} ({He had to try} 22. Rxb3 $1 Bxb3 23. Nb5 Qxa4 24. Nxc7+ Kd7 25. Qb6 Qc6 26. Nxa8 Qxb6 27. Nxb6+ Kc6 28. Rb1 Rb8 29. Rxb3 Rxb6 $15 )c5 $19 23. Bh5 cxd4 24. Rxf7 Kd7 25. Bg4 Kc6 26. Bxe6 Bxe6 27. Rf6 Kd7 $5 {The monarch defends the bishop. In retrospect it was not mandatory.} (27... Kb7 $1 28. Rxe6 Nc6 $19 {was immediately decisive.} )28. Qb6 Bd5 29. Rd6+ Ke8 $2 {This is only good enough for a draw.} ({Stronger was} 29... Kc8 $1 30. Qxd4 ({Or} 30. Rxd5 Nxd5 31. Qc6+ Nc7 $19 )b2 31. Rxd5 Nxd5 32. Qxd5 Ra7 $19 )30. Rxd5 Nxd5 31. Qc6+ Ke7 32. Qb7+ Ke6 33. Qc6+ Ke7 34. Qb7+ Ke6 35. Qc6+ Kf5 36. Qxd5 Qe7 37. e6+ $4 { It's incredible that this is a losing move.} ({He had a draw with} 37. Rc1 $1 Rhc8 ({Or} 37... b2 38. Qf3+ Kg6 39. Rc6+ Kg7 $11 {Black cannot escape from checks.} )38. Qf3+ Kg6 39. Qg4+ Kf7 40. Qh5+ Ke6 41. Qg4+ Kxe5 42. Re1+ Kd6 43. Qg3+ Kd7 ({He cannot venture too far with} 43... Kd5 $4 44. Qxb3+ Kd6 45. Qb4+ $18 )44. Rxe7+ Kxe7 45. Qe5+ {and draws by perpetual check.} )Kg6 38. Qe4+ {The queen can give only a few more checks before the time control.} ({If } 38. Qxd4 Qxe6 $19 {White cannot afford to lose this pawn.} )(38. Qxb3 { loses to} Rhd8 {followed by...Rac8 preparing the promotion of the d-pawn.} )Kg7 39. Qxd4+ Kg8 40. Qg4+ Qg7 41. Qc4 b2 42. f4 ({Or} 42. e7+ Qf7 43. Qg4+ Kh7 44. Qe4+ Qg6 $19 {White has no more checks.} )Rb8 43. Qe4 { Freeing the queen from shieding the king against checksand also joining the final effort to promote the b-pawn.} Rh7 $1 44. Rb1 Qb7 45. Qe2 Rc7 0-1