[Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D78"] [WhiteElo "2830"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,83,23,-12,-15,-15,23,23,23,23,20,16,17,11,9,-2,-1,-1,-24,-29,-11,-31,7,49,24,41,61,61,40,36,98,106,106,97,88,108,90,35,28,24,21,9,12,12,19,28,18,0,-47,4,1,-12,-3,-26,19,14,11,3,10,8,0,39,37,25,25,0,-58,-58,-54,-35,-41,-18,0,-25,-28,-28,-29,-188,-147,-12,0,-118,-112,-616,-618,-565]} 1. g3 {Quiet chess?} d5 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. c4 c6 6. O-O O-O {Really quiet chess? Not for long.} 7. Nc3 $5 dxc4 8. e4 b5 9. Qe2 {Carlsen has had excellent results here, going 4/4 with this in games played in 2022.} a5 10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. d5 cxd5 12. e5 b4 13. exf6 Nxf6 14. Nb5 Bd7 $146 (14... e6 15. a4 Ba6 16. Nfd4 Bxb5 17. axb5 {was the move order of the Carlsen-Mamedyarov game, given below.}) 15. a4 Bxb5 16. axb5 {A funny state of affairs: Black has all eight pawns, but somehow White has a passer (rather than none) while Black has only one passer.} e6 17. Nd4 a4 $146 {=} (17... Re8 $2 18. b3 $16 cxb3 19. Ra4 Nd7 20. Nxb3 Nb6 21. Rxa5 Rxa5 22. Nxa5 Na4 23. Nc6 Nc3 24. Qd3 Qb6 25. Re1 Qxb5 26. Qxb5 Nxb5 27. Bxd5 Bc3 28. Re2 Kg7 29. Bc4 Nd6 30. Bd3 Rc8 31. Na5 e5 32. Kg2 f5 33. Rc2 Kf6 34. Nb3 g5 35. Ra2 {1-0 Carlsen,M (2859)-Mamedyarov,S (2741) Meltwater Tour Final chess24.com INT rapid 2022 (3.1)}) 18. Nc6 Qb6 19. Nxb4 Qxb5 20. Bd2 Nd7 {Heading to c5 and from there to b3 or (on a good day) d3.} 21. Bc3 Nc5 22. h4 ({While watching the game I wondered about} 22. Nxd5 {, which is a playable option.} exd5 {is of course forced, and now White has many lines that are equal (but not more), including the following:} 23. Bxg7 (23. Bxd5 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Rae8 25. Qg4 $11 (25. Bxc4 $11) (25. Qxc4 $11)) 23... Kxg7 24. Rxd5 $11 (24. Bxd5 Rab8 $11)) (22. Bxd5 exd5 23. Nxd5 $11 {is also possible.}) 22... Nb3 23. Bxg7 (23. Ra3 d4 $1 24. Bc6 (24. Bxa8 dxc3 25. bxc3 Rxa8 {may be okay for White according to the computer, but it doesn't look good for humans.}) 24... Qc5 25. Bxa8 dxc3 26. bxc3 Bxc3 27. Rxa4 Bxb4 28. Be4 c3 29. Rb1 Nd4 30. Qe3 Rb8 $11 {is a complicated mess that's equal - but good luck proving it at the board, especially in a rapid game.}) 23... Kxg7 24. Qe5+ f6 25. Qxe6 Qxb4 26. Rxd5 Ra7 $5 (26... Rae8 {is safer for Black, but safer for White as well. The game would be headed for a draw after} 27. Qd7+ Re7 28. Qxa4 Qxa4 29. Rxa4 $11) 27. Rad1 Re7 28. Rd7 Rff7 29. Rxe7 Rxe7 30. Rd7 Rxd7 31. Qxd7+ Kh6 $8 32. Bd5 {Looking to scare up a mating attack with Bg8. Two can play at that game:} Qe1+ 33. Kg2 Nd2 34. Qa7 $1 {The only move, as Black threatened 34...Qf1+ followed by 35...Qxf2+.} (34. Bg8 $4 Qf1+ 35. Kh2 Nf3#) 34... Qe5 35. Qc5 Kg7 {Not forced, but safest. The move invites a repetition that Carlsen spurns, suspecting, as he admitted after the tournament, that it was a bad idea as Firouzja tends to trick him in wild positions like this.} 36. Qa5 (36. Qa7+ Kh6 37. Qc5 {repeats, though Firouzja could continue if he likes with moves like} Kh5 (37... f5) ({or even} 37... a3 {, an idea we'll see in the game.})) 36... a3 $1 37. bxa3 c3 {It is White who must save the game, notwithstanding the engine's benign "0.00".} 38. Qa7+ Kh6 39. Qc5 c2 {Putting White to the test. At this point, the Chess.com assessment tool said that both players had an accuracy level over 99%, which is extraordinary given the complexity of the game and the short time control of 10'+2". Carlsen's next move added to his accuracy, and it's only on the next move that he finally makes an error.} 40. Qf8+ (40. g4 {is a more forcing way to make the draw. The immediate threat is 41.Qf8#, and if Black's king retreats to g7 White checks on a7 and there will be a repetition of one sort of another. Black has one other legitimate try:} Qxd5+ $5 41. Qxd5 c1=Q {, but White saves the day with} 42. g5+ $1 {Capturing the pawn leads to an immediate perpetual, as does 42...Kg7. That leaves} Kh5 43. gxf6+ Kxh4 {, though it's not clear who's taking a bigger risk given the f6-pawn's proximity to the queening square. Here's one path to a draw:} 44. Qd3 {Covering f1.} Qc6+ 45. f3 $8 Qxf6 46. Qxd2 {Threatening mate on h6. On top of that Black must avoid a trade of queens as his king is too far from the a-pawn to prevent its promotion.} g5 47. a4 Kh5 48. a5 Qa6 $8 $11 {This is a draw, but there's no reason for Black to head for a line like this.}) 40... Kh5 {Now White has only one way to stay alive, and with mere seconds on the clock it's not surprising that he didn't find it.} 41. Qf7 $2 (41. g4+ $1 {This keeps equality, but without forcing a draw.} Kxh4 (41... Kxg4 42. Qb4+ Qf4 43. f3+ $8 Kf5 (43... Kh5 44. Qxf4 c1=Q 45. Qg4+ (45. Qxf6 Qf1+ 46. Kg3 Qg1+ 47. Kh3 (47. Kf4 $2 Qh2+ 48. Ke3 Nf1+ 49. Kd3 Qd2+ 50. Kc4 (50. Ke4 $2 Qe3#) 50... Ne3+ $19) 47... Qh1+ 48. Kg3 Qg1+ $11) 45... Kh6 46. Qf4+ Kg7 47. h5 $11) 44. Qc5 c1=Q $8 45. Qxc1 Qd4 $11) 42. Qh6+ Kxg4 43. Qxd2 Qg5 44. Qxc2 Kf4+ 45. Kh2 Qxd5 $11 {The adventures would have continued.}) 41... h6 {The only move, but it wins.} 42. Qd7 {and Carlsen resigned before Firouzja promoted.} 0-1 [Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [BlackElo "2830"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 a5 6. a4 Nd7 7. O-O f6 8. Bf4 Ne7 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Bd3 Ng6 11. Bg3 Bd6 12. Re1 O-O 13. Nbd2 Bxg3 14. hxg3 Ng4 15. Nb3 b6 16. Qe2 Qf6 17. Bxf5 exf5 18. Qe6+ Qxe6 19. Rxe6 Rf6 20. Rae1 Rxe6 21. Rxe6 Rc8 22. Nc1 f4 23. Nd3 fxg3 24. fxg3 Nf6 25. Nde5 Nxe5 26. Nxe5 c5 27. Rxb6 cxd4 28. Nc6 Kf7 29. Rb7+ Ke8 30. Nxd4 Rc4 31. c3 Rxa4 32. Rxg7 Ra1+ 33. Kf2 Rb1 34. Rb7 Ne4+ 35. Ke3 Nxc3 36. Kf4 Na4 37. b3 Re1 38. Kf5 Nc3 39. Rxh7 Rg1 40. Ke6 Kf8 41. Nf5 Re1+ 42. Kf6 Ne4+ 43. Kg6 Ke8 44. Re7+ Kd8 45. Re5 Rd1 46. g4 Kd7 47. Ne3 Rb1 48. Nxd5 Nc5 49. Nc3 1-0 [Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "2830"] [BlackElo "2760"] [PlyCount "101"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nd2 e6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. f4 cxd4 9. cxd4 O-O 10. Ngf3 b6 11. a3 a5 12. Qe2 Bb7 13. O-O Ne7 14. Rac1 Rac8 15. g4 Ne4 16. Ng5 Nxg5 17. fxg5 Rxc1 18. Rxc1 Nc6 19. Ba6 Bxa6 20. Qxa6 Ne7 21. Nf3 Ng6 22. Qb7 e5 23. Rc6 Qd8 24. dxe5 d4 25. Rd6 Qe8 26. Qxb6 Nxe5 27. Nxe5 Qxe5 28. Qxd4 Qxg5 29. Kg2 Qb5 30. Kf2 f5 31. g5 f4 32. Qd5+ Qxd5 33. Rxd5 fxe3+ 34. Kxe3 Rb8 35. Rd2 Rb3+ 36. Ke2 Kf7 37. Kd1 Kg6 38. h4 Kh5 39. Kc2 Rh3 40. Rd7 Kg6 41. Rd4 Kh5 42. Ra4 g6 43. Rxa5 Kxh4 44. b4 Kg4 45. a4 Kf4 46. Rc5 h5 47. gxh6 g5 48. b5 Rxh6 49. a5 g4 50. b6 g3 51. b7 1-0 [Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "4.4"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B70"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [BlackElo "2830"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f3 Nc6 7. Be3 h5 8. Bc4 Bd7 9. Qd2 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Bh6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 Rc8 13. Bb3 Qa5 14. O-O-O Qc5 15. Rhe1 b5 16. e5 Qxe3+ 17. Rxe3 dxe5 18. Rxe5 a6 19. a4 Rb8 20. axb5 axb5 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Rexd5 Rb7 23. Kd2 e6 24. Rd4 h4 25. Kc3 Ke7 26. Kb4 g5 27. Ra1 Bc6 28. Rd3 Rd7 29. Rxd7+ Bxd7 30. c4 bxc4 31. Bxc4 h3 32. g3 Bc6 33. Rf1 Kd6 34. Kc3 Rc8 35. f4 Bg2 36. Rf2 g4 37. Rd2+ Bd5 38. b3 Ra8 39. f5 Ra1 40. fxe6 fxe6 41. Be2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "2830"] [BlackElo "2760"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. e3 c5 4. Nd2 Nc6 5. c3 cxd4 6. exd4 h6 7. Bh4 Bf5 8. Ngf3 e6 9. Be2 Bd6 10. O-O Qc7 11. Bg3 Bxg3 12. hxg3 h5 13. Re1 g6 14. Nf1 Ng4 15. Qd2 O-O-O 16. b4 Kb8 17. a4 f6 18. Nh4 g5 19. Nxf5 exf5 20. Bd3 Ne7 21. f3 Nh6 22. Re6 Rhf8 23. Rae1 Nc8 24. a5 Nd6 25. a6 b6 26. Ne3 Qd7 27. Nxd5 Ne4 28. Rxb6+ axb6 29. fxe4 Ka7 30. b5 fxe4 31. Bxe4 Qxb5 32. c4 Qa5 33. Nb4 Rc8 34. Nc6+ Rxc6 35. Qxa5 bxa5 36. Bxc6 Nf5 37. d5 Kxa6 38. c5 Rd8 39. Re6 Nd4 40. Ba4+ Ka7 41. Re7+ Kb8 42. d6 Rc8 43. Re4 Nf5 44. Kf2 Rxc5 45. Re8+ Kb7 46. d7 Rd5 47. d8=Q Rxd8 48. Rxd8 1-0 [Event "Chessable Masters Div 1 W"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2024.02.07"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [BlackElo "2830"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2024.02.02"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Be7 7. Bg3 d6 8. a4 a5 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 g6 11. h3 Re8 12. Nc3 Bf8 13. Bh4 Bg7 14. Nd5 Be6 15. c3 Bxd5 16. Bxd5 g5 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Bg3 Rb8 19. Qc2 Nh5 20. Bh2 Nf4 21. d4 Qf6 22. dxe5 dxe5 23. Nd2 Qe6 24. b3 Bf8 25. Nc4 Bc5 26. Nxa5 g4 27. h4 Nh5 28. Kh1 Qf6 29. Bg3 Nxg3+ 30. fxg3 Qf2 31. Qxf2 Bxf2 32. Reb1 f5 33. b4 Rbd8 34. Nxc6 Rd6 35. b5 fxe4 36. Rb4 e3 37. Re4 Rd2 38. Rf1 Rf8 39. Kh2 e2 0-1