[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku AZE"] [Date "2023.08.22"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2690"] [BlackElo "2835"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2021.07.30"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nf6 {Not one of Black's most commonly chosen moves, but Carlsen has had some fondness for this option.} (6... Nb6) (6... Bc5) 7. b4 (7. O-O h6 8. d3 (8. a3 Bd6 9. b4 O-O 10. d3 Re8 11. Bb2 {was the actual move order of the So-Carlsen game, given below. A 2023 Gukesh-Mamedyarov game - won by Black - also went this way. Here Mamedyarov played 11...Bg4.}) 8... Bd6 9. a3 a5 10. b3 O-O 11. Bb2 Re8 12. Rc1 Bf5 13. h3 Qd7 14. Kh2 Nd4 15. Nd2 c6 16. e3 Nb5 17. Nxb5 cxb5 18. Nf3 Rad8 19. e4 Be6 20. Bxe5 Bxe5 21. Nxe5 Qd6 22. f4 Qxa3 23. d4 Bxb3 24. Qd3 Qb4 25. d5 Rc8 26. d6 Rcd8 27. d7 Nxd7 28. Nxd7 Bc4 29. Qd1 Qe7 {0-1 Ding,L (2791)-Carlsen,M (2863) Chessable Masters Final chess24.com INT rapid 2020 (2.23)}) 7... Bd6 $146 (7... a6 8. a3 Bd6 9. Bb2 O-O 10. d3 Re8 11. O-O h6 12. Rc1 Bf5 (12... Be6 13. Na4 Qd7 14. Nc5 Bxc5 15. Rxc5 Bh3 16. Bxh3 Qxh3 17. Bxe5 Nd7 18. Bxc7 Rac8 19. Bf4 Nxc5 20. bxc5 Qe6 21. e3 Ne7 22. Nd4 Qd5 23. Bd6 b6 24. Bxe7 bxc5 25. Bxc5 Rxc5 26. Qa4 Rec8 27. Qxa6 Rc1 28. h4 Kh7 29. Qa4 Rxf1+ 30. Kxf1 Rc1+ 31. Ke2 Qh1 32. Qb3 Re1+ 33. Kd2 Rb1 34. Qc2 Qe1# {0-1 So,W (2769)-Carlsen,M (2835) Aimchess Rapid Div 1 W Chess.com INT 2023 (4.2)}) 13. Nd2 Qd7 14. Re1 Rab8 15. Nde4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bh3 17. Bh1 Nd4 18. Nc5 Bxc5 19. Rxc5 Bg4 20. Rd5 Qe6 21. Bxd4 exd4 22. Rxd4 Bxe2 23. Qd2 Qb6 24. Rh4 g5 25. Re4 Rxe4 26. dxe4 Bg4 27. e5 Be6 28. h4 gxh4 29. Qxh6 hxg3 30. Re3 gxf2+ 31. Kxf2 Bf5 32. e6 fxe6 33. Qg5+ Kf7 34. Bf3 Qd4 35. Bh5+ Kf8 36. Kf1 Rd8 37. Rg3 Qa1+ 38. Kf2 Qd4+ 39. Kf1 Qa1+ 40. Kg2 Qb2+ 41. Kg1 Qa1+ 42. Kh2 Qb2+ 43. Kh1 Qb1+ 44. Rg1 Qe4+ 45. Rg2 Qe1+ 46. Kh2 Qe5+ 47. Rg3 Qb2+ 48. Kh1 Qb1+ 49. Rg1 Qe4+ 50. Rg2 Qe1+ 51. Kh2 Qe5+ 52. Qg3 Qxg3+ 53. Kxg3 Rd3+ 54. Kf4 Ke7 55. Ke5 Rd5+ 56. Kf4 Kd6 57. Rg8 Rd4+ 58. Ke3 Ke5 59. Rb8 Rd3+ 60. Kf2 Rxa3 61. Rxb7 c6 62. Rb6 Be4 63. Be2 Bd5 64. Rb8 Kd4 65. Rh8 e5 66. Rh4+ e4 67. Rg4 Ra2 68. Ke1 Ke3 69. Rg3+ Kd4 70. Rg4 Ke3 71. Rg3+ Kd4 72. Rh3 Ra1+ 73. Kf2 Ra2 74. Kf1 Ra1+ 75. Kf2 Ra2 76. Ke1 Ra1+ 77. Bd1 e3 78. Rh4+ Kd3 79. Rh6 Bf3 80. Rd6+ Kc3 {½-½ Nepomniachtchi,I (2784)-Carlsen,M (2863) Legends of Chess Prelim chess24.com INT rapid 2020 (8.5)}) 8. b5 Nd4 9. Qa4 Nxf3+ 10. Bxf3 O-O 11. O-O a6 12. d3 h6 13. Ba3 Rb8 (13... Bh3 $1 14. Bxb7 (14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. Rfb1 axb5 16. Qxb5 Ra7 $11) 14... Bxf1 15. Rxf1 axb5 16. Qxa8 Qxa8 17. Bxa8 Rxa8 18. Bxd6 cxd6 19. Rb1 Ra3 20. Nxb5 Rxa2 21. Nxd6 Rxe2 $11) 14. Bxd6 cxd6 15. Rab1 (15. Rfb1 $142 $11 {/?}) 15... axb5 16. Qxb5 Bd7 $11 17. Qb6 Bc6 18. Qxd8 Rfxd8 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. Kg2 (20. Rxb8 Rxb8 21. Rb1 Rxb1+ 22. Nxb1 Kf8 $11 {is also equal. Sometimes an outside passed pawn in a knight ending is a huge advantage, but the rest of Black's position is so good, and the a-pawn is so far back, that he has no real problems here.}) 20... Ra8 21. Rb6 Rdc8 22. Rc1 d5 23. Rc2 Nd7 24. Rb1 Nc5 25. Rbc1 Ra5 26. Nb1 Ne6 27. Nd2 (27. Rxc6 Rxc6 28. Rxc6 Rxa2 $11) 27... Rca8 28. Nf3 e4 29. dxe4 dxe4 30. Nd2 e3 31. Nc4 Rxa2 32. Nxe3 Nd4 33. Rxa2 Rxa2 34. Rc4 c5 35. Rxc5 Rxe2 {In classical chess, not even Magnus Carlsen is going to cause Pragg any difficulties in this ending.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku AZE"] [Date "2023.08.22"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Abasov, Nijat"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E05"] [WhiteElo "2632"] [BlackElo "2782"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "2021.07.30"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,51,38,29,33,27,27,-4,-11,-40,3,14,9,14,-3,-13,-14,-14,13,-9,-3,-3,-3,0,0,-9,11,-1,10,10,5,-9,4,4,4,4,15,15,33,17,35,17,11,26,61,43,75,7,22,84,84,84,578,571]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bg5 (10. Bf4 {is the alternative, which we've already seen in at least two of Caruana's earlier games in this tournament, against Robson and against Pragg.}) 10... Nbd7 11. Nc3 h6 12. Bf4 (12. Bxf6 {is more common - and Caruana has had this position a couple of times in 2023 as well, against Duda and So.}) 12... Bd6 13. Qd3 {Almost a novelty, and new to GM play.} ({So played} 13. Bd2 {a couple of times in 2020 (draws with Nakamura and Aronian), while Vidit and Vachier-Lagrave took}) (13. Ne5 {for a test drive (against Harikrishna and Dominguz, respectively). Vidit lost and MVL drew.}) 13... Bxf4 14. gxf4 a5 $146 (14... Qe7 15. e4 Rad8 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qe2 f5 18. exf5 Rxf5 19. d5 Bxd5 20. Nxd5 Rxd5 21. Ng5 Nge5 22. Bxd5 exd5 23. Rae1 hxg5 24. fxe5 Nc5 25. f4 gxf4 26. Rxf4 Ne6 27. Rf2 Qh4 28. Ref1 a5 29. b3 b6 30. Rf7 d4 31. R7f3 Qe7 32. Rh3 Rd7 33. Kh1 Qe8 34. Qg4 Rf7 35. Rxf7 Kxf7 36. Qh5+ Ke7 37. Qxe8+ Kxe8 38. Rg3 Kf7 39. Kg2 Nc5 40. Kf3 Ne6 41. Ke4 Ke7 42. h4 Kf7 43. Rf3+ Ke7 44. Kd3 Ke8 45. Kc4 Ke7 46. Rf2 Kd7 47. Kd5 Ke7 48. Rf1 d3 49. Kc6 Kd8 50. Rd1 {1-0 Kornyushin,N (2291)-Oren,I (2211) EU-ch 2018 pr11 email ICCF email}) 15. Kh1 {If you weren't sure what White was up to, there's no doubt now. The rooks are going to the g-file, and White wants to attack.} Bxf3 (15... Qe7) (15... Nd5) 16. Bxf3 c6 {Black's last two moves are positionally well-founded and common in the 8.a4 Catalan. It does seem to help White a little in this case, however, as he can safely and quickly play e4 and he has sped up White's play down the g-file.} 17. Rg1 (17. e4) 17... Kh8 18. e4 Qe7 (18... Ne8 $1 {was best, readying ...f5.}) 19. Rg3 $14 (19. e5 $142 $16 {and now White is ready for a quick f5.}) 19... Rad8 (19... Ne8 $1) 20. Rag1 Rg8 21. e5 Nh7 22. Qe3 $6 (22. Ne4 Nb6 23. f5 $1 exf5 24. Nd6 Rxd6 25. exd6 Qe6 26. Qd2 Qxd6 27. Qxa5 Qxd4 28. Qxf5 Nf6 $8 29. b3 Qxf2 30. Qe5 $14 {/?}) (22. Ne2 $1 $16) 22... Nb6 (22... f5 $1 $11) 23. Be4 (23. Ne4 $14) 23... Qb4 $4 {After more than 20 minutes' thought, Caruana blunders the game away. The ensuing attack is brutal and has some beautiful points, but nothing that Caruana wouldn't normally spot in a minute or two at most.} (23... f5 $1 24. exf6 {Not forced, but Black is also fine after other moves, with the b6 knight coming soon to d5.} Nxf6 25. Bf5 Nbd5 26. Qxe6 Rge8 (26... Qxe6 27. Bxe6 Rge8 28. Bxd5 Nxd5 29. Nxd5 Rxd5 30. Rxg7 Rxd4 $11) 27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. Rf3 Nb4 $11) (23... g6 $14 {isn't as good as ...f5, but Black's position remains playable here.}) 24. Bxh7 $1 Kxh7 25. Ne4 $18 {White has two giant threats: Ng5+, and f5 followed by Nf6+. There is nothing even close to a satisfactory or even tricky defense to these ideas.} Qe7 (25... Qxd4 26. Ng5+ Kh8 (26... hxg5 27. Rh3+ Kg6 28. Rxg5#) (26... Kg6 27. f5+ $1 {is the engine's way, leading to mate in at most five more moves.} (27. Nxe6+ {is the simple human way.}) 27... exf5 (27... Kxf5 28. Rf3+ Kg6 29. Nxf7+ Kh7 30. Rxg7+ Rxg7 31. Qxh6+ Kg8 32. Qh8#) (27... Kh5 28. Qf3+ Kh4 29. Rh3#) 28. Ne4+ Kh7 29. Rxg7+ Rxg7 30. Nf6+ Kh8 31. Qxh6+ Rh7 32. Qxh7#) 27. Nxf7+ Kh7 28. Nxd8 $18 ({The fancy} 28. Qxd4 Rxd4 29. Nxh6 $18 {is even more brutal, but it doesn't matter.})) (25... Nd5 {is another obvious move, and it makes excellent sense. Black attacks the queen and adds to the protection of f6. Unfortunately, it gets mated:} 26. Ng5+ $1 Kh8 (26... hxg5 27. Rh3+ Kg6 28. Rxg5#) (26... Kg6 27. Qe4+ f5 28. exf6+ Kxf6 (28... Kh5 29. Rh3#) 29. Qxe6#) 27. Nxf7+ Kh7 28. Qe4+ g6 29. Rxg6 $18 {It's mate next move.}) (25... Kh8 {is the best try, waiting for White to commit.} 26. f5 $1 (26. Ng5 $1 {also wins.}) 26... Qxd4 27. Qxd4 Rxd4 28. Nf6 $1 {wins the exchange - for starters. The attack will continue afterwards, too.} Rdd8 (28... Rgd8 $2 29. Rxg7 Rd1 30. Rh7#) (28... gxf6 $2 29. Rxg8+ Kh7 30. R1g7#) 29. Nxg8 Rxg8 30. Rb3 Nc4 (30... Nxa4 31. Rxb7 $18) 31. Rxb7 Nxe5 32. fxe6 fxe6 33. Rg3 $18) 26. f5 $1 (26. f5 $1 {is best, but by no means the only winning move.} Nd5 (26... exf5 27. Nf6+ $1 Kh8 (27... gxf6 28. Qxh6+ $1 Kxh6 29. Rh3#) (27... Qxf6 {is "best", but unless Caruana is getting paid by the move there's no reason to bother.} 28. exf6 g5 (28... g6 29. Qxh6+ $1 Kxh6 30. Rh3#) 29. Rxg5 $1 {and Black will be mated soon, all the same.}) 28. Qxh6+ $1 gxh6 29. Rxg8+ Rxg8 30. Rxg8#) (26... Qh4 27. Rh3 $18) (26... g5 27. fxg6+ Rxg6 28. Rxg6 fxg6 29. Nf6+ Kg7 30. Rxg6+ $1 Kxg6 31. Qe4+ Kf7 (31... Kg5 32. Qg4# (32. h4#)) 32. Qh7+ Kf8 33. Qg8#) 27. f6 Nxe3 (27... gxf6 28. Qxh6+ Kxh6 29. Rh3#) (27... Qf8 28. Ng5+ Kh8 29. Qe4 g6 30. Rh3 Rd7 31. Qh4 {and mate's coming once again.} h5 32. Qxh5+ $1 gxh5 33. Rxh5+ Qh6 34. Rxh6#) 28. Rxg7+ Rxg7 29. Rxg7+ Kh8 30. fxe7 Rb8 (30... Re8 31. Nf6 Rxe7 (31... Kxg7 32. Nxe8+ Kg6 33. fxe3 f5 34. Nf6 $18) 32. Rg8# (32. Rh7#)) 31. Rxf7 Kg8 32. Rf8+ Rxf8 33. exf8=Q+ Kxf8 34. fxe3 $18) 1-0