[Event "Dubai op 6th"] [Site "Dubai"] [Date "2004.04.22"] [Round "4"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Vladimirov, Yevgeniy"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B67"] [WhiteElo "2552"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "Gofshtein,L"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2004.04.19"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [SourceTitle "CBM 101"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.07.27"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2004.07.27"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f3 Rc8 {Black has tried several moves in this position, for example: a) 9...b5 or b) 9...Nd4. The main idea of 9...Rc8 is counterplay on the queenside as soon as possible.} (9... Qa5) (9... Be7) (9... Nxd4) (9... b5 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. Ne2 Be7 12. Nd4 Rc8 13. h4 O-O 14. Kb1 d5 15. e5 Nd7 16. Qe3 Re8 17. g4 Qb6 $132 {0-1 McShane,L-Boidman,Y/Rethymnon 2003/CBM 98 (53)}) (9... Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Be7 11. g4 Bc6 12. Be3 O-O 13. g5 Nd7 14. h4 b5 15. Kb1 b4 16. Ne2 d5 17. exd5 Bxd5 $132 {1/2-1/2 Tal,M-Balashov,Y/Tallinn 1973/MCL (28)}) 10. Be3 {10.g4 was also played, which usually leads to the same positions with a different move order} (10. g4 Be7 11. Be3 Ne5 12. g5 Nh5 13. Rg1 Qc7 14. f4 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 $132 {1-0 Spivak,I-Aseev,K/Rostov 1993/TD (35)}) 10... Ne5 { Black decides not to exchange and keeping tension in the center. 10...Nd4 was also met with a further Bd7-c6 as was in the game given below.} (10... Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. g4 Bc6 13. g5 Nd7 14. h4 b4 15. Nb1 Qa5 $132 {Socko,B-Blehm,P/ Warsaw 2001/CBM 82/1/2-1/2 (121)}) 11. g4 h6 {Black is stopping the advance of the white pawns and prepares d6-d5.} 12. h4 (12. Kb1 b5 13. Qe1 b4 14. Nce2 Nc4 15. Bc1 Qc7 $132 {1/2-1/2 Romero Leon,A-Campos,J/Mondariz 1996/EXT 98 (28)}) 12... b5 (12... g6 13. Be2 b5 14. g5 Nh5 15. f4 b4 16. Nb1 Nc4 17. Bxc4 Rxc4 $132 {1-0 Rasmussen,C-Ziska,B/Aarhus 1991/EXT 98 (40)}) 13. Bd3 b4 14. Nce2 d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Nf4 Qa5 $5 $146 {Only this move is a novelty.} (16... Nxd3+ $5 17. Qxd3 Nxe3 18. Qxe3 Bc5 19. Nh5 O-O 20. g5 (20. Qe5 f6 21. Qe4 $13) 20... Qc7 $132 {0-1 Gazik,I-Popovic,P/Stary Smokovec 1991/CBM 26/[Boensch,U] (29)}) 17. Kb1 Nxf3 (17... Nxd3 18. Qxd3 Nxe3 19. Qxe3) 18. Qf2 $8 {[%mdl 512]} (18. Nxf3 Nc3+ 19. bxc3 bxc3 20. Qc1 Ba3 $19) 18... Nxe3 19. Qxe3 (19. Qxf3 Nxd1 20. Rxd1 Bd6 $19) 19... Nxd4 $5 (19... Bc5 20. Qxf3 Bxd4 21. Ng6 $1 $44) 20. Qxd4 Qc5 21. Qe4 {In spite of black's material advantage, white has a serious compensation. He has a development advantage and black's king is weak as well.} Qc6 {Black tries to remove the white queen from a central position. The tempting 21...Bc6 was bad as the next variations show.} (21... Bc6 22. Qe1 Bxh1 23. Nxe6 Qe7 24. Bf5 $3 $16 Bb7 25. Rd8+ $3 Rxd8 26. Nc7#) 22. Qe2 a5 (22... Bd6 23. Nh5 O-O 24. g5 $40) 23. Nh5 $44 {White activizes his pieces and brings them closer to the black king.} a4 24. Rhf1 $1 {[%CAl Rf1f7]} Rc7 {[%CAl Rc7f7] preparing the defence of f7} (24... Qc5 25. Qf3 Qe7 26. Qb7 $36) 25. Qf2 { [%CAl Rf2f7]} Bc8 26. Qd4 $1 {[%CAl Rh5g7,Rd4g7,Rd4d8] Further activizing the queen and creating concrete threats ro the black king.} Rd7 {Black is already not able to cope with the white's threats} (26... Rg8 27. Bb5 $18) 27. Nxg7+ $18 Bxg7 28. Qxg7 Rf8 29. Qxh6 {[%CAl Rg4g6] White's material advantage and an open position of the black king make black's position undefencible.} b3 (29... a3 30. Qg5 $36 {[%CAl Rd3b5]}) 30. axb3 axb3 31. cxb3 Ba6 {The exchange of the bishops doesn't change anything.} 32. Bxa6 Qxa6 33. Qf4 $1 Ra7 (33... Qb5 34. Qc4 $18) 34. Qb8+ Ke7 35. Qb4+ 1-0 [Event "Drammen Smartfish Masters"] [Site "Drammen"] [Date "2005.01.03"] [Round "7"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Shirov, Alexei"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C95"] [WhiteElo "2581"] [BlackElo "2726"] [Annotator "Wedberg,T"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2004.12.27"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "14"] [SourceTitle "CBM 105"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.04.11"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2005.04.11"] [SourceQuality "1"] {This game is no masterpiece, but it's a fighting game. The fact that young Magnus Carlsen manages to beat the great Alexei Shirov with his own methods is quite impressive.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. b3 c6 16. Bg5 Bg7 17. Qd2 Qc7 (17... Qe7 18. Rad1 Qf8 19. Nf1 h6 20. Bh4 Rac8 21. N1h2 exd4 22. cxd4 c5 $132 {1-0 Karjakin,S-Sasikiran,K/ playchess.com 2004/EXT 2005 (60)}) 18. a4 d5 $146 {[%mdl 8]} (18... Rad8 19. Bd3 Nf8 20. Qc2 Ne6 21. Be3 Nd7 22. Rec1 Qb8 23. axb5 axb5 24. b4 $14 {1-0 Acs, P-Gabriel,C/Germany 2004/EXT 2005 (43)}) 19. dxe5 Nxe5 20. Nxe5 Qxe5 21. Bf4 ( 21. f4 Qc7 22. e5 Nd7 $13) 21... Qe6 22. e5 Nd7 23. Bh6 Bh8 24. f4 Qe7 25. Re3 Nf8 26. Rf1 {White is looking for a knock out on the K-side but the black forces are well placed to withstand any attempts to storm.} c5 27. f5 d4 $5 ( 27... Bxe5 $5) 28. cxd4 cxd4 29. fxg6 $6 {[%mdl 512] A brave but incorrect sacrifice. From a psychological point of view this move is close to a winner.} (29. Qxd4 Bxe5 $13) 29... hxg6 $6 {Shirov accepts the calculations made by his young adversary. But he should have taken the R.} (29... dxe3 $1 30. gxf7+ Qxf7 31. Qxe3 Qc7 $1 32. Qg5+ Ng6 33. Bxg6 Qb6+ 34. Kh1 Qxg6 $19) 30. Nf5 $5 { Once you have your opponent on the defensive - throw everything at him. Shirov himself has made a nice career from that strategy.} gxf5 31. Rg3+ Ng6 32. Bxf5 Qxe5 33. Rg4 Bg7 (33... Qd6 34. Qd3 Re6 35. h4 $1 $40) 34. Bxg6 fxg6 35. Rxg6 Re7 36. Rf4 Be4 $4 {The deciding mistake.} (36... Rc8 $1 37. Rfg4 Rcc7 $17) 37. Rg5 $1 Qe6 38. Bxg7 $18 1-0 [Event "Corus-B"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2005.01.28"] [Round "11"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Nikolic, Predrag"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C08"] [WhiteElo "2553"] [BlackElo "2676"] [Annotator "Psakhis,L"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "2005.01.15"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "13"] [SourceTitle "CBM 105"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.04.11"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2005.04.11"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 c4 6. b3 cxb3 7. axb3 (7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2+ Qe7 9. Bxd7+ Nxd7 10. axb3 Nh6 (10... f6 11. Nf1 Qxe2+ 12. Kxe2 Bd6 13. Ne3 Ne7 14. Ba3 Bxa3 15. Rxa3 Kf7 16. Ne1 Nf8 17. Nd3 Ne6 18. c3 Rhd8 19. Kd2 Nc6 20. Rd1 Rac8 {1/2-1/2 Adams,M-Nikolic,P/BIH t-ch Neum 2002/}) 11. Ra5 Nb6 12. Nf1 Qxe2+ 13. Kxe2 Nf5 14. c4 f6 15. c5 Nc8 16. Ne3 Nxe3 17. fxe3 a6 18. Kd3 Na7 19. Bd2 g6 20. Ng1 Nb5 21. Ne2 Kd7 {1/2-1/2 Beliavsky,A-Nikolic,P/ Belgrade INV 1991/ChessBase (40)}) 7... Bb4 8. Ne5 $5 (8. Bd3 Ne7 9. O-O Nbc6 10. Ba3 O-O 11. Qc1 Bxa3 12. Qxa3 Bf5 13. Bxf5 Nxf5 14. c3 a5 15. Rfe1 Qd6 16. Qa4 f6 17. Qb5 Qd7 18. Nf1 Rfd8 19. Qd3 Nd6 20. Ne3 Qf7 21. Nh4 Rac8 22. Re2 b5 {0-1 Nevostrujev,V-Andreev,A/RUS-sf Novosibirsk 2002/ (60)}) (8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Qe2+ Qe7 (9... Ne7 10. O-O O-O 11. Ba3 Bxa3 12. Rxa3 Bxb5 13. Qxb5 Qc7 14. Re1 Qxc2 15. Qxb7 Nbc6 16. Raa1 Rab8 17. Qc7 Rfc8 18. Qf4 h6 19. h3 Ng6 20. Qg4 Nb4 21. Rxa7 Nd3 22. Rf1 Ndf4 {1/2-1/2 Korneev,O-Garcia Martinez,S/Mislata op 1999/ (49)}) 10. Ne5 Nf6 11. O-O O-O 12. Bd3 Nc6 {1/2-1/2 Sarakauskas,G-Alekseev,V/ Pelaro op 2002/}) 8... Ne7 (8... Nf6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O Bc3 11. Ra4 Bd7 12. Nxd7 Nbxd7 13. Nb1 Ba5 14. Bd2 Bc7 15. Nc3 Re8 16. Qf3 Nb6 17. Raa1 h6 18. Rae1 Qd6 19. g3 a6 20. Re3 Qc6 21. Rfe1 Bd6 22. Nd1 Rxe3 23. Nxe3 {Svidler, P-Kortchnoi,V/Groningen 1996/ 1-0 (39)}) 9. Bd3 $146 (9. c3 Bxc3 10. Qf3 Bxd2+ 11. Bxd2 O-O 12. Bd3 Nbc6 13. Ra4 Ng6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. O-O Bd7 16. Ra6 Qh4 17. Be3 Rfb8 18. Rb1 Rb6 19. Ra5 Bg4 20. Qg3 Qxg3 21. hxg3 Ne7 22. Rb2 f6 {1/2-1/2 Bondarets,V-Hryhorenko,N/Lvov-8 2003/}) 9... Nbc6 10. O-O {[%mdl 512] Showing a clear intention to sacrifice the pawn d4 if necessary.} (10. Bb2 $5) 10... Bc3 {[%CAl Gc3a1,Gc3d4] This tempting move wins a pawn at the cost of development.} ({Worth considering} 10... O-O 11. Bb2 $14) 11. Ra4 $1 Bxd4 ( 11... Nxe5 $5 12. dxe5 Bd7 (12... Bxe5 13. Qh5 Bf6 14. Re1 $44 {[%csl Gh5] [%CAl Ge1e8]}) 13. Ra2 Nc6 14. Ba3 $14) 12. Nxc6 Nxc6 13. Ba3 $1 {[%csl Ga3, Re8][%CAl Ga3f8]} Be6 14. Nf3 Bb6 $6 (14... Bf6 $142 15. Re1 Be7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Rh4 $44 {but it was lesser evil.}) 15. Qa1 $1 {[%CAl Ra1g7] Immediately begins an offensive against Black's king.} Qc7 (15... f6 16. Re1 Kf7 17. Rf4 $40) 16. b4 $5 (16. Qxg7 O-O-O {[%CAl Cd3h7,Gh8g8]} 17. Qf6 $36) 16... f6 $2 ( 16... O-O $5 17. b5 Ne7 18. Re1 $44) 17. Re1 Kf7 $5 (17... Nd8 18. b5 Kf7 19. Qd1 $40 {[%csl Rf7]} (19. Bb2 $5)) ({Good or bad, but Black had to play} 17... Ne5 $142 $5 {otherwise White will attack in a very comfortable situation. Continuation could be :} 18. Nxe5 fxe5 19. b5 $5 (19. Qxe5 Qxe5 20. Rxe5 Kd7 21. b5 $36) (19. Rxe5 O-O $1 20. Rxe6 $140 Bxf2+ 21. Kh1 Qd7 {[%CAl Rd7a4, Rd7e6]}) 19... Qf7 (19... d4 20. f4) 20. Re2 (20. Rxe5 Bxf2+ 21. Kh1 O-O-O 22. Bb2 $36 {[%CAl Gb2d4]}) 20... Qf6 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Rxe5 {with clear advantage of white, but at least black king doesn't afraid of direct attack.}) 18. b5 Na5 (18... Nd8 $5) 19. Qd1 $1 $18 {[%CAl Rf3g5]} (19. Nd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 $40) 19... Rae8 (19... Nc4 20. Bf5 $1 Ne5 21. Bxe6+ Kxe6 22. Nxe5 fxe5 23. Qg4+ $18) ( 19... g6 20. Ng5+ $1 fxg5 21. Qf3+ Kg7 22. Rxe6 Rhf8 $5 (22... Rhe8 23. Qf6+ Kg8 24. Bxg6 $1 $18) 23. Bxf8+ Rxf8 24. Qxd5 Rxf2 25. Kh1 $18) 20. Ng5+ $1 { This heavy blow is a signal to the decisive assault.} fxg5 21. Qf3+ Kg8 22. Rxe6 {The rook is untouchable in view of the mating threat} 1-0 [Event "Gausdal GM-A"] [Site "Gausdal"] [Date "2005.04.21"] [Round "9"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Lie, Kjetil A"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E62"] [WhiteElo "2548"] [BlackElo "2495"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2005.04.13"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "10"] [SourceTitle "CBM 107"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.08.01"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2005.08.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. c4 c6 7. Nc3 Qb6 8. h3 ( 8. Qc2) ({or} 8. e3 $5 {are better tries to fight for an edge.}) 8... Qa6 9. b3 b5 10. Bg5 $5 {[%mdl 512] A rare sacrificial alternative. White needs some new ideas to enliven the position, as currently the whole line is considered rather innocuous. The main moves are:} (10. cxb5 cxb5 11. Qd3 b4 12. Ne1 { runs into} Bxh3 $1 $11 {/~~ and Black is fine.}) (10. Nd2 bxc4 11. Nxc4 Be6 12. Ne3 (12. Nd2 Nd5 (12... d5 $6 13. Bb2 Nbd7 14. Na4 Ne8 15. Nf3 f6 16. Ne1 Bf7 17. Nd3 Nd6 18. Rc1 Rac8 19. Rc2 Rfe8 20. Qc1 $36 {Safin,S-Strikovic,A/Yerevan olm/1996/}) 13. Ndb1 Nxc3 14. Nxc3 Nd7 15. Bb2 Rab8 16. Qd2 Rfc8 17. Rac1 Nb6 18. Kh2 Qa5 19. Rfd1 Qb4 20. Ne4 Qxd2 21. Rxd2 a5 22. Ng5 Bh6 23. f4 {1/2, Gorelov,S-Titov,G/Moscow/1986/} Bxg5 24. fxg5 a4 $11) (12. Qd3 Nbd7 (12... Nd5 13. Bb2 Nb6 14. d5 Nxc4 15. bxc4 Bf5 16. e4 Bd7 17. Rab1 Qa5 18. Ne2 Na6 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Qd4+ f6 21. Rb2 Nc5 22. f4 Rab8 $132 {Szmetan,J-Tempone,M/Villa Ballester/1996/}) 13. Ne5 Qxd3 14. Nxd3 Nb6 15. Bb2 Rac8 16. Rfc1 a5 17. e3 g5 18. e4 Nfd7 19. Nd1 f5 20. Ne3 fxe4 21. Bxe4 c5 $11 {Dautov,R-Smirin,I/BLR-ch Minsk/1987/}) 12... Nbd7 13. Bb2 Rfc8 (13... Rac8 14. Nc2 Rc7 15. e4 Nb6 16. Kh2 Rb8 17. Rb1 Qc8 18. f4 c5 (18... a5 $5 $13) 19. d5 Bd7 20. Qd2 Ne8 21. Rfe1 a5 22. Na3 c4 23. Rec1 Rc5 24. Bf1 cxb3 25. axb3 {Fancsy,I-Wells,P/Budapest/ 1994/} Qb7 $132) 14. Rc1 Rab8 15. Qd2 Nb6 16. f4 c5 17. d5 Bd7 18. Ra1 Qa5 19. Kh2 Ne8 20. f5 Nf6 21. Qd3 Be8 22. fxg6 hxg6 23. Rac1 c4 $1 24. bxc4 Nbd7 $44 { |^,Agdestein,S-Bischoff,K/Dortmund/1987/}) 10... bxc4 11. bxc4 Qxc4 12. Rc1 Ba6 (12... Nbd7 13. e4 $44 {[%CAl Re4e5,Rc3d5] /\Nd5,e5}) (12... h6 $5 13. Bd2 (13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Ne4 Qxa2 15. Nxf6+ exf6 16. Ra1 Qe6 17. Qd2 Kg7 $44 {/=/+ White has some compensation, but it's barely enough for two P.}) 13... Qe6 14. Re1 Ba6 (14... Nbd7 15. e4 Nb6 16. e5 Nfd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5 18. Bf4 $44) 15. e4 Bc4 $13) 13. Re1 $146 (13. e4 h6 14. Bd2 e5 (14... Qe6 $5 15. Re1 {-12...h6!?}) 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Nd5 $5 cxd5 $6 (16... Qxa2 $1 {/\} 17. Ra1 Qb2 $8 18. Rb1 Qa2 $11 ) 17. Rxc4 Bxc4 18. Nxe5 $1 Bxf1 19. Kxf1 Nxe4 $2 (19... dxe4 20. Qb3 $32 {|^}) 20. Bb4 Rd8 21. Nxf7 $1 Nc6 22. Nxd8 Rxd8 23. Ba5 {1-0,Berkes,F-Stokke,K/ Stockholm/2003/}) 13... Qb4 (13... Nbd7 $6 14. e4 $36 {[%CAl Rg2f1,Ye4e5] / \Bf1,e5}) (13... h6 {still seems better.}) 14. e4 $32 {[%csl Gd4,Ge4] |^[+]} e5 $6 {Returns the P, but doesn't relieve the pressure - now White will have equal material and a positional advantage.} (14... Rd8 15. Bd2 (15. Qc2 $5 $44) 15... Qb7 16. e5 $36) 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Nxe5 Qa5 (16... Re8 17. Nxc6 Nxc6 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Nd5 Qd6 20. Rxc6 $1 Qxc6 21. e5 Rxe5 22. Ne7+ (22. Rxe5 Kg7 $11) 22... Rxe7 23. Bxc6 $16) 17. Nxf7 $6 {Was this really necessary?} (17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nxc6 $1 Nxc6 19. Nd5 Be5 20. Rxc6 $16 {gives White a healthy extra P and reasonable chances to convert his advantage.} Qxa2 $140 $2 21. Nb4 $18) 17... Rxf7 18. e5 Nbd7 $2 {[%mdl 8192] Black buckles under the pressure and returns the extra piece immediately. The only consistent move was} (18... Ne8 { I don't see anything concrete for White, who must still prove he has enough for a whole piece after, e.g.,} 19. Bd8 Qb4 20. e6 Rf5) 19. exf6 Nxf6 (19... Qxg5 20. fxg7 {[%CAl Rc3e4] /\Ne4+/-}) 20. Bxf6 (20. Be3 Rd8 21. Qa4 $36) 20... Bxf6 (20... Rxf6 21. Nd5 $1 $16) 21. Ne4 Be7 {Black is more or less forced to give the > with} ( 30. f4 $142 $1 $40 {as now Black can't simplify:} Qd4 $2 31. Qxd4 Bxd4 32. Bd5 Rf5 (32... Kg7 33. R6e4 $18) 33. Rxg6+ Kh8 34. Rd6 $18) (30. Rc6 $5 $40) 30... Qd4 $1 (30... Qxa3 $2 31. Rc6 {[%CAl Rg2d5] /\Bd5+-}) 31. Qxd4 Bxd4 32. f4 Kg7 $14 {[%csl Gd4] /+/-,_|_^- Black has survived the worst and can fight on in the _|_.} 33. Bd5 Bf6 34. h4 Rd7 35. Be4 Rfd8 36. Kh3 Rd6 37. Rxd6 Rxd6 38. Rc2 Rd7 39. Kg4 Be7 40. a4 Rd4 41. Bc6 h5+ $6 {[%csl Rg6] > against the K in the [+]. A blow against a heavily protected point is usually very effective - if not otherwise, than at the very least psychologically. In the following course of the game Aronian initially defends quite well, but later practically inexplicably falls to pieces.} (15. Qa4 Bb4 16. Ba3 Nd5 17. e4 (17. Be4 $5 {Marin}) 17... Nb6 18. Qb3 Qe7 19. Rab1 Bxa3 20. Qxb6 Bb4 21. Ne1 O-O 22. Nc2 Rfd8 {is too tame - White regains the P, but his |^ evaporates.} 23. Nxb4 axb4 24. Qxb4 Qxb4 25. Rxb4 Ba6 26. Bxa6 $11 {1/2, Gelfand,B (2733)-Kramnik,V (2769)/WCh Mexico City/2007/}) ({Interesting, but not quite clear is} 15. e4 $5 Bb4 16. Qc2 Nd7 17. Rfd1 (17. d5 cxd5 18. Bxg7 Rg8 19. Bd4 Rc8 $132) 17... Rc8 18. Qb1 O-O 19. d5 cxd5 20. exd5 Nf6 $2 (20... Bxd5 $1 21. Bxh7+ Kh8 $13) 21. dxe6 Qe7 22. Ng5 h6 23. Bh7+ Kh8 24. Bxf6 Qxf6 25. Nxf7+ Rxf7 26. exf7 Qxf7 27. Be4 $18 {Moiseenko,A (2632)-Illescas Cordoba, M (2603)/ESP-chT Cala Mayor/2008/ This game was played only a few days earlier, than ours.}) ({As yet untested, but plausible altrnatives are} 15. Qb3 $5 Rb8 ( 15... Bb4 16. Ba3 {transposes into Moiseenko-Huzman above.}) 16. Bc3 Ba6 17. Qd1 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 $32) ({or} 15. Ne5 $44) 15... Nxd5 {Black must take the P.} ( 15... cxd5 $143 $2 16. Bb5+ Nd7 17. Ne5 Bc8 18. Rc1 (18. Qh5 g6 19. Qf3 $18) 18... Bd6 19. Rxc8 $18) (15... Qxd5 16. Qc2 (16. Qb1 $44) (16. Ne5 $44) 16... Qc5 17. Qe2 Be7 (17... Qh5 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Qb2 $36) 18. Bd4 Qd5 19. Rfd1 $32) (15... exd5 16. Nd4 $5 {[%csl Rc6][%CAl Yd4f5,Yd1a4] /\Nf5,Qa4,>>>, Carlsen,M (2826)-Topalov,V (2803)/Nanjing/2010/ White scored an impressive win in this game, for more details see the notes by Moradiabadi in CBM 139.}) 9. c3 O-O 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Re1 Re8 13. Nf1 (13. d4 exd4 (13... cxd4 $5 14. cxd4 Nc6 15. Bb3 h6 $132 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Nf1 Bg4 18. h3 Qxd1 19. Bxd1 Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Nd4 21. Bd1 Bb4 22. Bd2 Bxd2 23. Nxd2 Rac8 24. axb5 axb5 $15 {Werner,C (2315)-Tseshkovsky,V (2519)/Davos/2008/}) (13... Qc7 $1 {is indicated by Caruana as the simplest equaliser - Black has a good version of the Chigorin.}) 14. cxd4 Bg4 15. h3 Bh5 16. d5 Qc8 17. Nf1 Bd8 18. g4 Bg6 19. Ng3 b4 20. Nh4 b3 21. Bb1 {Caruana,F (2773)-Aronian,L (2816)/Sao Paulo/Bilbao/2012/} c4 $5 $13 { [%CAl Yc4c3]}) 13... Nc6 14. Ne3 b4 15. Bb3 (15. h3 Rb8 16. Nc4 Be6 17. Bb3 h6 18. Be3 bxc3 19. bxc3 d5 $1 20. exd5 Nxd5 $15 {McShane,L (2713)-Aronian,L (2815)/London/2012/}) 15... Na5 16. Ba2 Rb8 17. d4 $6 (17. Nd2 $11) 17... exd4 18. cxd4 Nxe4 19. Nd5 {Kamsky,G (2729)-Leko,P (2747)/Dresden olm/2008/} Bf8 $13 {/=/+}) 6... b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. d3 d6 9. a4 {was actually the move-order from Caruana-Aronian above.}) 5... b5 {In 2010 I wrote a 2 part article about the C77 5.d3 Ruy Lopez, which was published in CBM 136-137. Part 1 featured mainly the text move.} ({Part 2 in CBM 137 concentrated on the more restrained, but quite reliable} 5... d6 6. c3 g6 {Carlsen hasn't been able to get anything tangible here after} 7. O-O (7. Nbd2 Bg7 8. Nf1 O-O 9. Bg5 d5 10. Qe2 Qd6 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Ne3 Ne7 13. Bb3 c6 14. h4 Be6 15. Ng5 Bd7 16. Rd1 Rad8 17. Qf3 h6 18. Nc4 dxc4 19. dxc4 Nd5 20. Nh3 h5 21. Qg3 Bg4 22. Rd2 Bxh4 23. Qxh4 Qf6 24. Qxf6 Nxf6 25. Ng5 c5 $15 {Carlsen,M (2810)-Caruana,F (2675)/Wijk aan Zee/2010/ See the notes to this game by Postny in CBM 135.}) 7... Bg7 8. Re1 (8. h3 Bd7 9. Re1 O-O 10. Nbd2 Qe8 11. Nf1 Nh5 12. Bb3 Kh8 13. d4 f5 14. exf5 gxf5 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Be3 e4 17. Ng5 h6 18. Nf7+ Rxf7 19. Qxh5 Rf6 20. Qxe8+ Rxe8 21. Bf4 Ne5 22. Bxe5 Rxe5 23. Rad1 {1-0 Alekseev,E (2683)-Efimenko,Z (2689)/ Germany 2012/CB42_2012 (61)} Bc6 $132) 8... O-O 9. Nbd2 Kh8 (9... b5 $5 { is the more usual choice - Black was doing fine after} 10. Bb3 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nf1 h6 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. a4 Be6 15. Ne3 Qd7 16. Bb3 Rfb8 17. Bxe6 Qxe6 18. h3 c4 19. Qe2 Na5 20. axb5 axb5 21. Rad1 Rc8 $132 {Areshchenko,A (2694)-Efimenko, Z (2701)/UKR-ch Kiev/2011/}) 10. Nf1 Ng8 11. Bg5 f6 12. Bh4 Qe8 13. d4 Bd7 14. d5 Nd8 15. Bxd7 Qxd7 16. N3d2 Nf7 17. f3 f5 18. c4 a5 19. Bf2 Nf6 20. c5 fxe4 21. Nxe4 dxc5 22. Nxc5 Qxd5 23. Qxd5 Nxd5 24. Rad1 c6 25. Ne3 Rfd8 $11 { Carlsen,M (2814)-L'Ami,E (2628)/Wijk aan Zee/2011/}) 6. Bb3 Bc5 {Aronian opts for the more active developing move.} ({Earlier he preferred} 6... Be7 7. a4 b4 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Nc4 ({More flexible is} 9. O-O {The resulting positions are similar to those, mentioned above in the note to White's 5th move.}) 9... d6 10. h3 Be6 11. O-O Nd7 12. Be3 Bf6 13. c3 bxc3 14. bxc3 Rb8 15. Rb1 d5 16. Ncd2 Nb6 17. Re1 Re8 18. Qc2 Qd7 19. Bc5 Na5 20. Ba2 Qxa4 21. Qxa4 Nxa4 22. exd5 Rxb1 23. Rxb1 Bxd5 24. Bxd5 Nxc5 25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 $44 {Ivanchuk,V (2786) -Aronian,L (2757)/Dresden olm/2008/}) ({After} 6... Bb7 7. O-O Bc5 {Carlsen already used} 8. Nc3 $5 {with great effect:} d6 9. a4 Na5 10. Ba2 b4 11. Ne2 Bc8 12. c3 bxc3 13. bxc3 Bb6 14. Ng3 Be6 15. d4 Bxa2 16. Rxa2 O-O 17. Bg5 exd4 18. Nh5 dxc3 19. Nh4 Kh8 20. Nf5 {1-0, Carlsen,M (2625)-Beliavsky,A (2626)/ Wijk aan Zee-B/2006/ For more details see the notes to this game by Mikhalevski in CBM 111.}) 7. Nc3 $5 {One of the less usual reactions, but actually I recommended it in CBM 136.} ({More regular is} 7. c3 d6 {, now} 8. Bg5 {led to complex play after} ({The article in CBM 136 concentrated mainly on } 8. O-O h6 $5) 8... h6 9. Bh4 Bb6 ({Black postpones castling, after} 9... O-O 10. O-O g5 {he has to reckon even with the sacrificial} 11. Nxg5 $5 $44 { Note how later on Aronian postpones g5 only after White has castled, but his K is still on e8.}) 10. Nbd2 Rb8 11. Qe2 a5 12. a4 b4 13. O-O g5 14. Bg3 (14. Nxg5 hxg5 15. Bxg5 Rg8 $17) 14... O-O 15. Nc4 Ba7 16. Nfd2 h5 17. h3 h4 18. Bh2 Kg7 19. Kh1 Rh8 20. d4 $6 (20. Ne3 $1 Nh5 $13) 20... bxc3 21. bxc3 exd4 22. e5 dxc3 23. exf6+ Qxf6 {Kramnik,V (2801)-Aronian,L (2820)/Zuerich m rpd/2012/} 24. Ne4 Qe7 25. Ba2 d5 (25... Re8 26. Qh5 Qxe4 27. Nxd6 cxd6 28. Qxf7+ Kh8 29. Qh5+ $11) 26. Nxa5 Nd4 (26... Nxa5 27. Bxd5 $13) 27. Qd3 dxe4 28. Qxc3 $132) (7. O-O d6 {[%CAl Yc6a5] is only a transposition after} 8. c3) 7... O-O {A young Magnus had to face this position with Black.} ({He opted for} 7... d6 8. Nd5 h6 9. c3 O-O 10. O-O Rb8 (10... Bb7 11. a4 (11. Bd2 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Rb8 13. Qc2 Bb6 14. a4 Ne7 15. Bxb7 Rxb7 16. d4 Ng6 17. Rfd1 Qf6 18. Qd3 Rbb8 19. Be3 Rfd8 20. Qe2 Qe7 21. a5 Ba7 22. dxe5 Bxe3 23. Qxe3 Nxe5 24. Nd4 Re8 $132 {Vallejo Pons, F (2678)-Naumann,A (2538)/Bundesliga/2004/}) 11... Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Rb8 13. axb5 axb5 14. Qb3 b4 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. fxe3 bxc3 17. bxc3 Qe7 18. Qc2 Nd8 19. Rfb1 c6 20. Bc4 Ra8 21. Rxa8 Bxa8 22. Qa2 Ne6 23. Bxe6 fxe6 24. h3 c5 25. Rb6 $14 { Asrian,K (2602)-Fontaine,R (2537)/Moscow/2005/}) 11. Ne3 $6 (11. Re1 $5 { [%CAl Yd3d4] promises White better chances to fight for an opening advantage.}) 11... Bb6 $1 12. Qe2 Ne7 13. Rd1 Ng6 14. Nf5 d5 15. h3 Re8 16. g4 $2 c5 17. c4 bxc4 18. dxc4 d4 19. Ba4 Re6 20. Ne1 Nf4 21. Bxf4 exf4 22. f3 g6 23. Nxh6+ Kg7 24. g5 Nh7 25. h4 Nxg5 $19 {Lahno,K (2500)-Carlsen,M (2625)/Wijk aan Zee-B/ 2006/ For more details about this game see the notes by Mikhalevski in CBM 111. }) (7... h6 8. Nd5 (8. a4 b4 9. Nd5 Na5 $5 10. Ba2 d6 $11) 8... O-O 9. O-O { and Black hardly has anything better than} d6 {, transposing to 7...d6.}) 8. Nd5 Nxd5 {A rare alternative.} (8... h6 9. O-O d6 {still transposes to 7...d6}) 9. Bxd5 Rb8 $146 {[%mdl 520] This novelty, connected with a pawn-sacrifice, is the best reaction.} (9... Qf6 10. O-O h6 11. Be3 Be7 12. d4 $16 {Michelle,C (2052)-Janani,J (1808)/Chennai/2011/}) (9... Bb7 10. O-O (10. Nxe5 $5 Qh4 11. g3 Qh3 12. Qg4 (12. Bxc6 dxc6 13. Qe2 Bd6 14. Nf3 c5 $44 {|^}) 12... Qg2 13. Qf3 Bxf2+ 14. Kd1 Qxf3+ 15. Nxf3 $14) 10... d6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. fxe3 Na5 13. Bxb7 Nxb7 14. b4 a5 15. c3 d5 $11 {Koski,C (1252)-Yehuda,B (1100)/corr/2009/}) 10. O-O Ne7 $5 (10... Qf6 11. c3 $14 {[%csl Rf6]} (11. Be3 Nd4 $5)) (10... Nb4 11. Bb3 $14 (11. Nxe5 {- 11...Ne7!?})) 11. Nxe5 {White accepts the challenge.} (11. Bb3 d6 12. Be3 Ng6 $5 $11 {seems too soft.}) 11... Nxd5 12. exd5 Re8 ({ Carlsen didn't like this move and preferred} 12... Bb7 $1 13. c4 Bd6 $5 (13... Re8 14. d4 Ba7 (14... bxc4 15. Nxf7 Kxf7 16. dxc5 $14) (14... Bf8 15. b3 { transposes back to the game.}) 15. b3 bxc4 16. bxc4 d6 17. Nf3 (17. Nc6 Bxc6 18. dxc6 Qh4 19. Be3 Qe4 $11) 17... Bc8 18. Bg5 f6 19. Be3 Bg4 20. Rb1 $5 $14) (13... d6 14. Nf3 c6 15. d4 Ba7 16. c5 $5 dxc5 17. Bf4 Rc8 (17... c4 $5 18. Bxb8 Bxb8 $14 {/~~}) 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. d6 $36 {[%csl Gd6]}) 14. Re1 Re8 15. Nf3 c6 $44) (12... Qf6 $5 13. d4 Bb6 $132 {[%CAl Yf6d6,Yc8b7]}) 13. d4 Bf8 14. b3 Bb7 (14... b4 15. a3 a5 16. axb4 axb4 17. Qf3 f6 18. Nd3 $36 {[%csl Rb4][%CAl Ya1a8]}) 15. c4 (15. Qf3 Qe7 16. Be3 (16. c4 d6 17. Nc6 (17. Nd3 $5) 17... Bxc6 18. dxc6 bxc4 19. bxc4 Qe6 20. d5 Qe4 $11) 16... f6 17. Nd3 Qf7 18. c4 bxc4 19. bxc4 a5 $14 {/<=>}) 15... d6 16. Nf3 (16. Nc6 Bxc6 17. dxc6 bxc4 18. bxc4 d5 19. c5 Qf6 $11 20. Qa4 $6 Bxc5) (16. Nd3 g6 $44 (16... bxc4 17. bxc4 c6 $5 18. dxc6 Bxc6 $44 {[%csl Gc6,Gf8][%CAl Gb8b1,Ge8e1]})) 16... Qf6 17. Be3 Bc8 18. Qd2 (18. Rc1 bxc4 19. bxc4 Bg4 $11) 18... Qg6 {White has consolidated his position, but it's difficult for him to make any progress.} 19. Kh1 h6 20. Rac1 Be7 21. Ng1 {This seems rather artificial.} (21. cxb5 axb5 22. Rxc7 Bb7 $44 { [%csl Rd5]}) ({White's doubled extra pawn doesn't count for much, but perhaps he is slightly better after} 21. Qa5 $14) ({A useful move, suggested by Carlsen, is} 21. Rfe1 $5 $14) 21... Bg5 (21... Bf6 {seems more natural, but Aronian has an interesting idea - exchanging the defensive Be3 activates Black's forces.}) 22. Bxg5 (22. Rfe1 Bf5 $5 $14 {/~~} (22... Bxe3 $6 23. Rxe3 $36 {is a better version of the B swap.})) (22. cxb5 $5 Bd8 23. bxa6 Bxa6 24. Rfe1 Qf5 25. Ne2 Qxd5 26. Nc3 Qf5 27. d5 $14) 22... Qxg5 23. Rfd1 (23. Qxg5 hxg5 24. f3 (24. cxb5 Rxb5 25. Rxc7 Rxd5 26. Rd1 g4 $5 $44) 24... Bf5 (24... bxc4 25. Rxc4 $14) 25. Rf2 $14 {/= is maybe a better way to retain a small plus.}) 23... bxc4 (23... Qxd2 24. Rxd2 bxc4) 24. bxc4 $6 {Only this natural recapture is inaccurate.} (24. Qxg5 $142 hxg5 25. Rxc4 $14 {/= and once again White risks little by playing on.}) 24... Qxd2 25. Rxd2 a5 {[%csl Ra2,Rc4,Gc8, Rd4,Rg1][%CAl Ge8e1,Gb8b1][%mdl 4096] In this endgame Black is definitely OK - he controls the open files and has the better minor piece. White's pawns are vulnerable and Carlsen also thought he wass the one who should be playing with care to maintain equality.} 26. h3 Rb4 27. Nf3 Bf5 28. c5 Kf8 ({Aronian is unwilling to play the weakening} 28... Be4 29. Re2 f5 30. Kh2 $11) 29. Nh2 Reb8 ({However, here} 29... Be4 $1 {was definitely simpler:} 30. Nf1 Bxd5 31. Ne3 Be4 32. cxd6 cxd6 33. d5 Reb8 $11 {/=/+ White is in no position to win here, although he shouldn't lose either.}) 30. Ng4 Rb1 31. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 32. Kh2 a4 ( 32... Bxg4 33. hxg4 Rb5 34. Rc2 Rb4 35. cxd6 cxd6 36. Rd2 Rb5 37. Kg3 Rxd5 38. a4 f5 $11 {is enough for a draw. However, as Aronian admitted after the game, he erroneously thought he had a sizeable plus.}) 33. Ne3 Bg6 34. Kg3 Rb4 (34... a3 35. Kf3 (35. f3 $5) 35... Rb2 36. Nc4 Bc2 37. Nxa3 Be4+ 38. Ke3 Rxd2 39. Kxd2 Bxd5 $11) 35. Kf3 Ke7 36. Ke2 Kd7 37. f3 Rb5 38. Nd1 Rb4 (38... dxc5 39. Nc3 Rb4 (39... Ra5 40. dxc5 Rxc5 41. Nxa4 Rc4 42. Nb2 Rc3 $11) 40. dxc5 c6 41. Ke3 Rc4 $11 {should hold the endgame rather easily. Aronian optimistically continues to overestimate his position and gradually gets into trouble.}) 39. c6+ Kc8 (39... Ke7 40. Nc3 (40. Rb2 $5 Rxd4 41. Ne3 Bd3+ 42. Ke1 f5 43. Rb7 f4 44. Rxc7+ Kd8 45. Rd7+ Kc8 46. Nd1 Rxd5 47. Nc3 Rc5 48. Kd2 $14) 40... a3 41. Ke3 $14 {is similar to the game.}) 40. Nc3 f6 41. Ke3 Rc4 (41... a3 $142) ( 41... h5 $5) 42. Ne2 a3 43. h4 Rb4 $6 (43... Bf7 44. Nf4 (44. Ke4 Bg6+ 45. Ke3 Bf7) 44... g5 45. Kd3 Rc1 46. hxg5 fxg5 47. Ne2 (47. Ne6 $2 Bg6+ 48. Ke3 Rc3+ 49. Ke2 Rc2 $1 $36 {[%csl Ra2]}) 47... Bg6+ 48. Ke3 Rb1 49. Nc3 Rc1 (49... Rb2 {should be tenable as well}) 50. Nb5 Bf7 51. Re2 Kd8 (51... Bxd5 $2 52. Kd2 { [%csl Rc1,Re8]} Rxc6 53. Na7+ $18) 52. Nxc7 $5 (52. Ke4 Bg6+ 53. Ke3 Bf7 $11) 52... Kxc7 53. Kd2 Ra1 54. Re7+ Kc8 55. Rxf7 Rxa2+ 56. Kd3 Rxg2 $11) 44. g4 $1 {Black has shuffled around rather aimlessly, so White improves his position by expanding on the kingside.} Rb1 $2 (44... Rb2 45. h5 Bc2 46. Nc3 {is already better for White, but Carlsen was unsure how he should make progress if Black passes with} Kd8 $14) 45. h5 Bh7 46. f4 $1 {[%csl Rh7][%CAl Yf4f5,Ye2f4,Yf4e6]} f5 (46... Bg8 47. f5 $1 (47. Nc3 Rg1 48. Kf3 Rf1+ 49. Kg3 Rg1+ $11) 47... Re1 ( 47... Bxd5 $2 48. Nc3) 48. Kf2 Rb1 49. Nf4 Rb5 50. Ne6 Rxd5 51. Nxg7 Rb5 52. Ne6 Rb2 53. Ke3 $16 {/+-}) 47. g5 $36 {With the B cut off, Black is on the brink of defeat.} Rh1 (47... Rb2 48. Kd3 Bg8 49. Nc3 $16 {/+-}) (47... Kd8 $5 48. Nc3 (48. Rd3 Rh1 49. Kd2 Bg8 50. Rxa3 Bxd5 51. Ra8+ Ke7 52. Ng3 Rh2+ 53. Ke1 Bxc6 54. Nxf5+ $16) 48... Rg1 49. g6 Bg8 $16 {and White must still find a way to break through.}) 48. Ng3 Rh3 49. Kf3 hxg5 ({More resilient, but still insufficient was} 49... Kd8 50. g6 Bg8 51. Kg2 Rh4 52. Nxf5 Rxf4 (52... Bxd5+ 53. Kg3 Rxh5 54. Nxg7 Rh1 55. f5 Ra1 (55... Ke7 56. Re2+ Kf6 57. Ne8+ Kxf5 58. Nxc7 Bxc6 59. d5 $18 {[%CAl Rg6g7]}) 56. Ne6+ Ke7 57. Nf4 {/\} Bxa2 58. Re2+ Kf6 59. Rxa2 Rxa2 60. Nh5+ Kxf5 61. g7 Ra1 62. Kf2 Rg1 63. Kxg1 a2 64. Ng3+ $1 Kf4 65. Kf2 a1=Q 66. Ne2+ Ke4 67. g8=Q $18) 53. Ne3 $1 (53. Nxg7 Bxd5+ 54. Kg3 Rf3+ 55. Kg4 Rf1 $132) 53... Rh4 54. Rf2 Ke8 55. Nf5 Bxd5+ 56. Kg3 Rh1 57. Nxg7+ Ke7 (57... Kd8 58. Rf8+ Ke7 59. Rc8 Rg1+ 60. Kf2 Rg2+ 61. Ke3 Bxc6 62. Rxc7+ Bd7 63. Ra7 $18) 58. Nf5+ Kd8 59. Ne3 Rg1+ (59... Bxc6 60. d5 $18) 60. Kf4 Bxc6 61. Ng4 $18) (49... Bg8 $2 50. Kg2 $18 {/\} Rh4 51. Nxf5 Rxf4 52. Ne7+ ) 50. fxg5 g6 (50... Kd8 51. Rf2 $5 (51. Re2 Bg8 52. Kf4 Bxd5 53. Nxf5 Rxh5 54. Nxg7 Rh4+ 55. Kf5 Bxc6 56. Ne6+ $16) (51. g6 Bg8 52. Kf4 Bxd5 53. Nxf5 Rxh5 54. Nxg7 $16) 51... Rh4 (51... Bg8 52. Kg2 Rh4 53. Rxf5 $18) 52. Ne2 $1 Rh3+ 53. Kg2 Rxh5 54. Nf4 Rxg5+ 55. Kf3 Rg1 (55... Ke7 56. Re2+ Kf7 57. Ne6 $18) 56. Rh2 Bg6 57. Nxg6 Rxg6 58. Rh8+ Ke7 59. Rc8 $18) 51. Re2 Kd8 $8 52. hxg6 Bxg6 53. Re6 Bf7 (53... Bh5+ 54. Kf4 $5 Rh4+ 55. Kxf5 Bg4+ 56. Kf6 Bxe6 57. dxe6 $18) 54. g6 $1 $18 Bg8 (54... Bxe6 55. dxe6 {[%CAl Rg6g7]} Rh6 56. g7 Rg6 57. Nxf5 Ke8 58. d5 Kd8 59. Kf4 Ke8 (59... Rg2 60. Ng3) 60. Nxd6+ $18) 55. g7 {[%CAl Re6f6,Rf6f8]} f4 (55... Bf7 56. Kg2 Rh4 57. Nxf5 Rh5 58. Rf6 $18) 56. Kxf4 Rh2 57. Nf5 Rxa2 58. Rf6 Re2 59. Rf8+ (59. Rf8+ {After} Re8 60. Nxd6 $1 cxd6 61. c7+ Kxc7 62. Rxe8 a2 63. Re1 Bxd5 (63... Kb6 64. Ke3 Kb5 65. Kd3 Kb4 66. Kc2 Ka3 67. Re3+ $18) 64. Ke3 $18 {[%CAl Ye3b2] White frees his R and converts his passed pawn.}) 1-0 [Event "Zuerich Chess Challenge"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "2014.02.02"] [Round "4"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2872"] [BlackElo "2782"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2014.01.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [EventCategory "22"] [SourceTitle "CBM 159"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2014.03.17"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2014.03.17"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 ({The last round featured finally featured a Marshall, after} 3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d3 Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Be3 Bxd3 17. Nd2 Qf5 {White came up with a novelty} 18. Bd4 $5 $146 { , which retained some pressure:} (18. Qxf5 Bxf5 19. Bd4 Rfd8 20. a4 Bf8 21. Ne4 h6 22. h4 Bg6 23. Rad1 Bh5 24. Rc1 Nb4 25. Re3 Nd5 26. Ree1 Nb4 $11 {Ivanchuk, V (2751)-Aronian,L (2739)/Nice rpd blindfold/2008/}) (18. Rad1 {did not offer superiority either.} Rfe8 19. Qxf5 Bxf5 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. Nb3 Be6 22. Bc5 Bc7 23. Nd4 Rac8 24. b4 Bd7 25. Nc2 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 Re8 27. Rxe8+ Bxe8 28. Ne3 Bd8 29. Nxd5 Bc6 $11 {Polgar,J (2707)-Leko,P (2753)/Wijk aan Zee/2008/}) 18... Rfe8 19. a4 h6 20. Kg2 Kf8 (20... Bf8 $5) 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Qxf5 Bxf5 24. Bxd5 cxd5 25. Ra6 Be7 $6 (25... Be5 $1 $14 {/<=>}) 26. Nf1 b4 27. Ne3 Bd3 28. Ra5 bxc3 29. bxc3 $14 {/+/-,Caruana,F (2782)-Aronian,L (2812)/Zürich/2014/ Black loses a pawn, in the end he didn't make the most of his drawing chances and went down in the endgame. See the winner's notes in CBM 159.}) 4. d3 { In Zürich nobody ventured into the Berlin endgame; we'll check out some recent examples mainly from Wijk 2014:} (4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 (6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 ({The fighting option is} 7... d6 8. e6 fxe6 9. axb5 Nb4 {is not without risk after} 10. Ng5 Be7 11. Qh5+ g6 12. Qh6 Bf8 13. Qh3 Qf6 14. Ra4 Nd5 15. Re4 e5 16. Qb3 h6 17. Qxd5 hxg5 18. Rc4 g4 19. Nc3 Rh7 20. f3 Rf7 21. Qe4 Qf5 22. Nd5 c6 23. bxc6 b5 24. Rc3 Be6 {Larin,I (2293)-Grigoryev,V (2498)/corr/ 2012/} 25. Qe2 $5 $36) 8. Nxd4 d6 9. exd6 Bxd6 $5 10. Re1+ Be7 11. Nxc6 Qxd1 12. Rxd1 bxc6 13. Be3 Bf5 14. Re1 O-O-O 15. Na3 Rhe8 16. Bxa7 Bxa3 17. Rxe8 Rxe8 18. bxa3 Re4 19. c3 Rxa4 20. Bd4 g6 21. f3 Kd7 $11 {Naiditsch,A (2718) -Aronian,L (2812)/Wijk aan Zee/2014/}) 6... dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 ({The tension quickly dissipated after} 9. Rd1+ Ke8 10. Bf4 Ne7 11. h3 Ng6 12. Bh2 Be7 13. Nc3 Bd7 14. Nd4 Nf8 15. Rd2 h5 16. Rad1 Rd8 17. a3 h4 18. Nce2 c5 19. e6 Nxe6 20. Nxe6 Bxe6 21. Bxc7 Rxd2 22. Rxd2 f6 23. Nf4 Kf7 24. Nxe6 Kxe6 $11 {Dominguez Perez,L (2754)-Giri,A (2734)/Wijk aan Zee/2014/}) 9... Bd7 ({Another topical and playable alternative is} 9... Ke8 10. Nc3 h5 11. Rd1 (11. Ne2 Be7 12. Re1 Be6 13. Ned4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Bc8 15. Bf4 c5 16. Nb5 Bd8 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Rad1 Ke7 19. Nxc7 Bxc7 20. Bxc7 Rac8 21. Bd6+ {1/2,Fressinet,L (2710) -Giri,A (2749)/Bundesliga/2014/} Kf6 22. Rd3 h4 $11) (11. Bf4 Be7 12. Rad1 Be6 13. Ng5 Rh6 14. g3 Bxg5 15. Bxg5 Rg6 16. h4 f6 17. exf6 gxf6 18. Bf4 Nxh4 19. f3 Rd8 20. Rxd8+ Kxd8 21. Kf2 Nf5 22. Rh1 Ng7 23. Nd1 $44 {/=, Naiditsch,A (2718)-So,W (2719)/Wijk aan Zee/2014/}) 11... Be7 12. Ne2 Nh4 13. Nxh4 Bxh4 14. Bf4 Be7 15. Nd4 g5 16. Bh2 Rh6 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Bxc7 Rc8 19. Nxe6 Rxe6 20. Ba5 Bf6 21. Rab1 b6 22. Be1 Rd8 $11 {Harikrishna,P (2706)-So,W (2719)/Wijk aan Zee/ 2014/}) 10. Rd1 Kc8 11. g4 Ne7 12. Ng5 Be8 13. f4 b6 (13... h5 14. Kf2 b6 15. f5 Kb7 16. c4 $146 (16. Nc3 hxg4 17. hxg4 Rh2+ 18. Kg3 Rxc2 19. Nh7 c5 $1 20. Nxf8 Bc6 $44 {Caruana,F (2796)-Adams,M (2740)/Dortmund/2013/} 21. Bg5 $1 Rg2+ 22. Kf4 Rf2+ 23. Kg3 $11 {See the notes to this game by Adams in CBM 156.}) 16... c5 17. Bf4 Nc6 18. Nc3 g6 $1 19. e6 fxe6 20. Nxe6 hxg4 21. Nxc7 Bh6 $1 22. Bxh6 Kxc7 23. Bf4+ Kb7 24. hxg4 gxf5 25. g5 Rh4 26. Ne2 Bh5 27. Rh1 Rxh1 28. Rxh1 Bxe2 29. Kxe2 Nd4+ 30. Kd3 Ne6 31. Rf1 Rd8+ 32. Kc3 Rg8 $11 {Giri,A (2737)-Nakamura,H (2772)/Elancourt/2013/}) 14. f5 $5 (14. Nc3 c5 (14... h5 15. Kg2 c5 $13) 15. Kf2 h6 16. Nf3 g6 17. Be3 Bc6 18. a4 Kb7 19. a5 Re8 20. Nd2 Nd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Nf3 Be6 23. Rd3 Be7 24. Rad1 h5 25. Kg3 hxg4 26. hxg4 Rh7 27. R3d2 Kc6 28. axb6 cxb6 29. Rh2 Rxh2 30. Nxh2 a5 $36 {[%csl Ga5,Gb6,Gc5,Ge6,Ge7] Sutovsky,E (2700)-Harikrishna,P (2669)/WChT Ningbo/2011/}) 14... c5 (14... h5 15. Kg2 c5 16. Nc3 g6 17. f6 Nc6 18. Nf3 Nb4 19. Bf4 $1 Nxc2 20. Rac1 Nb4 21. a3 Nc6 22. Ne4 $44 Bd7 23. Neg5 hxg4 $2 (23... Nd8 $142 24. Rxd7 $1 Kxd7 25. e6+ fxe6 26. Ne5+ $36) 24. hxg4 Bxg4 25. Nxf7 Rh5 26. Kg3 Bf5 27. N7g5 Bh6 28. e6 {Dominguez - Nakamura, Wijk aan Zee 2014.} Bxg5 29. Nxg5 Rxg5+ 30. Bxg5 Bxe6 {Dominguez Perez,L (2754)-Nakamura,H (2789)/Wijk aan Zee/2014/} 31. b4 $16) 15. Nd2 (15. e6 $5) 15... h6 16. Ngf3 Bc6 17. Kf2 Kb7 18. b3 g6 19. f6 Nd5 20. Bb2 Nb4 21. Rdc1 a5 22. a3 Nd5 23. Kg3 g5 24. a4 Nb4 25. Nc4 Be4 26. Ne3 c4 $5 27. bxc4 Rd8 $44 {/=/+,Caruana,F (2779)-Nakamura,H (2783)/ECC Rhodes/2013/ Nakamura was probably worried about some improvement right from the start, as against Dominguez he was the first to deviate.}) 4... Bc5 {I have already mentioned in the notes to Navara-Caruana,ECC 2013 (CBM 157) and Anand-Carlsen, WCh 2013 (CBM 158), that this active developing move is all the rage nowadays.} ({However, even the modest} 4... d6 {is playable and retains some top level fans:} 5. O-O Be7 6. h3 O-O 7. c4 a6 8. Ba4 Nd7 9. Nc3 Nc5 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Bd7 13. Be3 Bf6 14. Re1 Re8 15. Qc2 Qe7 ({The traditional way to deploy the queen in these positions is} 15... Qb8 $5 $132 {[%CAl Yb8b4,Ya6a4]}) 16. Rad1 g6 17. Bc1 Ne6 $6 (17... a5 $142 $11) 18. Nf3 $1 {[%csl Re7][%CAl Ye4e5]} Bg7 19. b3 Qf8 20. Ba3 $1 Rad8 21. e5 c5 22. Nd5 dxe5 23. Nxe5 Nd4 24. Rxd4 Rxe5 25. Rxe5 Bxe5 26. Rd1 Bc6 {Sjugirov,S (2641)-Jakovenko,D (2721)/ Khanty-Mansiysk/2013/} 27. Qe4 Bg7 28. Qe3 $1 $16 {[%csl Rc5]}) 5. Bxc6 { This swap changes the character of the position and is also very topical.} (5. Nc3 {is too weak:} O-O (5... d6 6. Na4 Bb6 7. Nxb6 axb6 8. c3 Bd7 9. Ba4 Ne7 10. Bc2 Ng6 $11 {was Anand's choice in his game against Carlsen, London 2012. For more details see the notes by Postny in CBM 152.}) 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Bg5 Qd6 8. Qd2 a5 9. h3 Re8 10. Nh4 a4 11. a3 b5 12. O-O Nh5 13. Ne2 Bb6 14. g4 h6 15. Be3 Nf4 16. Nxf4 exf4 17. Bxf4 Qf6 18. Nf5 Qxb2 19. Kh2 h5 $13 {/=/+,Motylev,A (2676)-Kramnik,V (2796)/RUS-ch Nizhny Novgorod/2013/}) (5. c3 {was featured in the recent title match:} O-O 6. O-O Re8 $5 ({A welcome change to the standard} 6... d6 {, where the struggle strongly resmebles the Giuoco Piano:} 7. h3 (7. Nbd2 Bb6 8. h3 (8. Nc4 Ne7 9. Nxb6 axb6 $132) 8... Ne7 {is similar and often only transposes.}) 7... Ne7 8. d4 Bb6 9. Re1 (9. Nbd2 exd4 $5 (9... c6 10. Bd3 Ng6 11. Re1 h6 12. a4 Re8 13. Bf1 d5 $5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. exd5 Nxf3+ 16. Nxf3 Rxe1 17. Nxe1 Nxd5 18. Qf3 Be6 19. Nd3 a5 20. Bd2 Qh4 21. b3 Rd8 $11 { Movsesian,S (2699)-Alekseev,E (2683)/St Petersburg rpd/2012/}) 10. cxd4 d5 11. e5 Ne4 12. Bd3 Bf5 13. Qe2 Nc6 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Bxe4 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Qxd4 $11 {/=/+,Areshchenko,A (2709)-Kramnik,V (2784)/WCup/2013/}) 9... Ng6 (9... d5 $5 10. Nxe5 Nxe4 11. Nd2 Nd6 12. Bf1 c6 13. b3 Re8 14. a4 Ng6 15. Nxg6 Rxe1 16. Qxe1 hxg6 17. Ba3 a5 18. Qe3 Be6 19. Re1 Bc7 20. Bd3 Bf5 21. Nf3 Bxd3 22. Qxd3 Ne4 23. Nd2 Nxd2 24. Qxd2 Bd6 25. Bxd6 Qxd6 26. g3 Qd7 27. Kg2 Re8 $11 {Karjakin,S (2756)-Le Quang,L (2703)/Beijing rpd/2013/}) 10. Bd3 (10. Nbd2 d5 $5 $11) 10... Re8 11. Qc2 c6 12. Be3 h6 13. Nbd2 Nh7 14. Bf1 Ng5 15. Rad1 Qf6 16. Nxg5 hxg5 17. dxe5 dxe5 18. Bxb6 axb6 19. Nc4 b5 20. Nd6 Rd8 21. Nxc8 Raxc8 22. Be2 Ra8 $11 {Areshchenko,A (2720)-L'Ami,E (2648)/WChT Antalya/2013/}) 7. Re1 a6 8. Ba4 b5 9. Bb3 (9. Bc2 d5 $1 $11 {is one of the main ponts behind 6... Re8!?}) 9... d6 10. Bg5 $5 ({I have already quoted almost all the relevant examples with} 10. Nbd2 Bb6 ({or} 10... Be6 {in the notes to Anand-Carlsen.})) 10... Be6 11. Nbd2 (11. Bxe6 $142 $1 fxe6 12. b4 (12. d4 $5) 12... Bb6 13. a4 $14) 11... h6 12. Bh4 Bxb3 13. axb3 Nb8 $5 14. h3 Nbd7 15. Nh2 Qe7 16. Ndf1 Bb6 17. Ne3 Qe6 18. b4 a5 $1 19. bxa5 Bxa5 20. Nhg4 Bb6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 $11 {Anand,V (2775)-Carlsen,M (2870)/WCh Chennai/2013/ - see the notes in CBM 158 for more details.}) ({After} 5. O-O {White must reckon with} Nd4 $5 ( 5... d6 6. c3 O-O {transposes to 5.c3 and was already mentioned above.}) 6. Nxd4 Bxd4 7. c3 Bb6 8. Nd2 c6 9. Ba4 O-O 10. Nf3 d5 $5 ({Black has no serious problems even after the more restrained} 10... d6 11. h3 h6 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Kh1 d5 14. Qe2 dxe4 15. dxe4 Nh5 16. Nh2 Qh4 17. Qf3 {Kamsky,G (2723)-Kramnik,V (2788)/Moscow blitz/2008/} Be6 $11) 11. Nxe5 dxe4 12. d4 c5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Bb3 Be6 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Nc4 b5 18. Be3 bxc4 19. Bxc5 Rd5 20. Bd4 e5 21. Be3 Rd3 22. Rfe1 h6 $11 {Perunovic,M (2613)-Andreikin,D (2710)/ EU-chT Warsaw/2013/ Black's active pieces balance the split pawns.}) 5... dxc6 6. h3 {This has become White's main try after Chennai.} (6. Nbd2 Bg4 $5 ({ A reliable antidote, but Black may possibly go for the more complex} 6... O-O 7. O-O Re8 8. Nc4 Nd7 9. a4 f6 $5 {as well:} 10. Bd2 Nf8 11. Nh4 (11. b4 $142) 11... Ne6 12. Nf5 Bf8 13. Kh1 c5 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxf4 Nxf4 16. Rxf4 Be6 17. b3 a6 18. a5 b5 19. axb6 cxb6 20. Nce3 g6 21. Ng3 Bh6 22. Rf3 b5 $132 {/=/+, Michalik,P (2529)-Lysyj,I (2656)/EU-ch Plovdiv/2012/}) 7. h3 Bh5 8. Nc4 $5 (8. Nf1 Nd7 9. Ng3 Bxf3 $1 10. Qxf3 g6 11. Be3 Qe7 12. O-O-O O-O-O 13. Ne2 Rhe8 14. Kb1 b6 15. h4 Kb7 16. h5 Bxe3 17. Qxe3 Nc5 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. g3 a5 20. Rh7 Rh8 21. Rdh1 Rxh7 22. Rxh7 Qf6 23. f4 Rh8 24. Rxh8 Qxh8 25. fxe5 Qxe5 26. Qf3 f5 $11 {Anand,V (2775)-Carlsen,M (2870)/WCh Chennai/2013/}) 8... Nd7 9. Be3 f6 10. Qd2 Qe7 ({A simpler and more consistent way is} 10... Bxf3 11. gxf3 Qe7 $11) 11. Nh4 $5 O-O-O 12. Nf5 Qf8 13. O-O Bf7 14. b3 g6 15. Ng3 h5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 17. Qe3 Kb8 18. f4 Bxc4 19. bxc4 Qd6 20. Ne2 Rhf8 $132 {Sjugirov,S (2641)-Maletin, P (2598)/Khanty-Mansiysk/2013/}) (6. b3 Bg4 7. Nbd2 Nd7 8. Bb2 f6 9. Nf1 (9. h3 Bxf3 10. Nxf3 Qe7 11. a3 O-O-O 12. b4 Bd6 13. c3 Nf8 14. Qa4 Kb8 15. O-O-O Ne6 16. Qc2 c5 17. Nd2 c6 18. Nc4 {1/2,Trent,L (2433)-Parker,J (2531)/England/2012/ } Bc7 $15) 9... Nf8 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Ne6 12. Ne3 Qd7 13. h4 a5 14. a4 O-O 15. h5 Bxe3 16. Qxe3 c5 17. Qh3 Qc6 $11 18. O-O Nf4 19. Qh2 Qe8 20. h6 g5 21. g3 Ne6 22. f4 $5 gxf4 23. gxf4 Nxf4 24. Rxf4 exf4 25. Kf2 $44 {/=,McShane,L (2671)-Kramnik,V (2800)/London/2011/}) (6. O-O {may be somewhat premature. White has committed his king and in some cases opposite-side castling can be advantageous for Black. An illustrative example is} Bd6 7. Nbd2 Bg4 8. Nc4 Nd7 9. h3 Bh5 10. g4 $6 (10. Ne3 $11 {/\} Qf6 11. Nf5) 10... Bg6 11. Kg2 Qe7 12. Ne3 O-O-O 13. Nd2 h5 14. Nf5 Qf6 15. Nf3 hxg4 16. hxg4 Rdg8 17. Rh1 Bxf5 18. Bg5 Qe6 19. exf5 Qe8 20. Rxh8 Rxh8 21. Qe2 f6 22. Bd2 Qg8 $1 23. Qe1 g6 24. fxg6 Nc5 $1 $40 {[%CAl Rg8g6] Karjakin,S (2756)-Leko,P (2730)/Beijing rpd/2013/ } (24... Qxg6 25. Qe4 $11)) 6... Nd7 {Black also doesn't show his hand with his king.} (6... Be6 7. Qe2 ({A novel idea is} 7. Nc3 $5 $146 Qd6 8. O-O O-O-O (8... a5 $5 $132) 9. a3 Nh5 $6 {Black's ultra-sharp reaction is maybe not ideal, after} 10. Na4 $1 Bb6 11. Nxb6+ axb6 12. a4 $5 f6 13. Be3 Nf4 14. a5 b5 15. Bxf4 (15. d4 $6 Nxh3+ $1 16. gxh3 Bxh3 17. dxe5 Qe6 18. Nd2 Bxf1 19. Qxf1 Qxe5 20. c3 Kb8 21. a6 b6 22. Qg2 Rd6 23. Nf1 f5 $1 $36 {Anand,V (2773) -Nakamura,H (2789)/Zuerich/2014/}) 15... exf4 16. Re1 $14 {[%CAl Ye4e5] Here Black's king is more exposed, than White's.}) 7... Nd7 8. Be3 f6 ({Black doesn't want to part with his bishop immediately after} 8... Bd6 9. Ng5 $14) ( 8... Qe7 9. Bxc5 Qxc5 10. Nc3 Qd6 11. O-O-O c5 12. Nh4 O-O-O 13. Nf5 Bxf5 14. exf5 Nf6 15. Rhe1 Rhe8 16. Qf3 Qd4 17. g4 h6 18. a3 a6 $6 (18... Qf4+ 19. Qxf4 exf4 20. Ne2 h5 $132 {Postny}) 19. Re3 Re7 20. Kb1 Nd5 21. Nxd5 Qxd5 22. Qxd5 Rxd5 23. Rde1 f6 24. f4 Kd7 25. c3 b5 26. Kc2 $36 {Morozevich,A (2748)-Caruana, F (2786)/Tashkent 2012/ See the notes by Postny in CBM 152 for more details.}) 9. Bxc5 Nxc5 10. Qe3 Qe7 11. Nc3 O-O-O 12. O-O-O Kb8 13. d4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nd7 15. f4 Nb6 16. Nxe6 Qxe6 17. Qc5 Rd6 18. b3 Rhd8 19. Qh5 h6 20. Qg4 Qe7 { White has the better pawn structure, but he has no obvious way to make progress. The simplifying} 21. Rxd6 cxd6 22. Rd1 {allowed Black to force a draw with} d5 $1 23. exd5 Qa3+ 24. Kb1 Nc4 25. bxc4 Qb4+ $11 {Nakamura,H (2772) -Fressinet,L (2708)/Elancourt/2013/}) ({However, Black can also refrain from any speculations and play the simple} 6... O-O 7. O-O Re8 8. Nbd2 Nd7 9. Nc4 f6 10. Nh4 $5 (10. Be3 Bf8 11. Qd2 Nc5 12. Qc3 Ne6 13. b4 b6 14. a4 c5 15. bxc5 Bxc5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 17. a5 Be6 18. Ne3 Qd7 19. Qa3 Rad8 20. axb6 axb6 $11 { Antoniewski,R (2559)-Balogh,C (2665)/AUT-chT/2012/}) 10... Nf8 11. Be3 Bb6 12. a4 Be6 13. a5 Bd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 15. b3 (15. Ne3 $1 $13 {retains more tension in the position}) 15... Ng6 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. Qe2 Bxc4 18. bxc4 g5 19. Rfb1 b5 $1 20. cxb5 cxb5 $11 {/=/+,Caruana,F (2774)-Anand,V (2786)/Moscow blitz/2013/}) 7. Be3 (7. Nbd2 {is too weak:} O-O 8. Nf1 (8. O-O Re8 {transposes to the line from the previous note}) 8... Re8 9. Be3 Bd6 10. Ng3 Nf8 11. Qd2 c5 12. O-O Ne6 13. Nf5 Nd4 14. Bxd4 cxd4 15. Nxd6 cxd6 16. c3 dxc3 17. Qxc3 Qf6 18. d4 exd4 19. Qd3 b6 20. Rfe1 Bb7 21. Nxd4 d5 22. exd5 Bxd5 $11 {/=/+,Solak,D (2583) -Sargissian,G (2678)/EU-chT Novi Sad/ 2009/}) 7... Bd6 (7... Bxe3 8. fxe3 $13 { /+/= is not a direct mistake, but given a choice, Black would nevertheless prefer to retain both his bishops.}) 8. Nc3 $146 {A novelty, but hardly an impressive one - this game certainly wasn't decided by opening preparation.} ( 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. c3 $5 (10. Nc4 Nf8 11. d4 exd4 12. Qxd4 c5 13. Qd3 b6 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15. Qxd6 cxd6 16. Rfd1 Bb7 17. Rxd6 Bxe4 18. Ne1 Rad8 19. Rad1 Ne6 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Rxd8+ Nxd8 $11 {Anand,V (2773)-Carlsen,M (2872)/Zuerich/ 2014/ This colourless draw was played on the following day, it seems the players had an unwritten non-aggression pact.}) 10... Nf8 (10... c5 $5 $11) 11. d4 Ng6 12. Qc2 exd4 13. cxd4 Bf4 14. Rfe1 Qf6 15. Nf1 Be6 16. Ng3 Bxe3 17. Rxe3 Nf4 18. a3 a5 19. Qd2 Qh6 20. Rc1 $14 {[%csl Gd4,Ge4] /<=>,Inarkiev,E (2671) -Aronian,L (2783)/Mainz rpd/2010/ White is somewhat better due to his pawn centre, but Black's defences are still solid.}) 8... c5 9. O-O ({White could have played} 9. Nd2 {immediately, but Carlsen doesn't speculate with his king placement anymore. If necessary, Black can follow suit and prepare 0-0, or 0-0-0 in accordance with White's choice.}) 9... Nf8 10. Nd2 Ng6 (10... Ne6 11. Nc4 O-O 12. a4 $11 {/+/= is perhaps a tad better for White. Caruana sensibly keeps e6 free for his bishop.}) 11. Nc4 Be6 12. Ne2 Qd7 (12... Bxc4 13. dxc4 $14 {[%csl Rd6,Ge3]}) ({However, Black had no serious reason to hesitate with} 12... O-O $1 {/\} 13. Nxd6 cxd6 14. f4 f5 $5 $11) 13. Nxd6+ {Radically counters any ideas as Bxh3 (Anand-Nakamura!), or Nh4xg2.} cxd6 14. f4 exf4 ({ With the king still on e8} 14... f5 $6 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. d4 $1 {is definitely risky:} Nc4 17. Bc1 fxe4 18. b3 Nb6 19. Ng3 $36) 15. Nxf4 Nxf4 16. Rxf4 b6 $6 { [%CAl Yd6d5] This is really toying with fire.} ({There was still nothing really wrong with} 16... O-O {, the direct attack} 17. Qh5 f6 {[%CAl Yd7f7]} ( 17... f5 $5 {is also a plausible alternative}) 18. Rh4 $2 g5 {leads nowhere and otherwise White has only a very slight and almost surely temporary pull.}) 17. Qh5 d5 {A natural follow-up to the previous move.} (17... O-O 18. Rh4 h6 19. Rf1 $1 {[%CAl Re3h6]} (19. Bxh6 $2 gxh6 20. Qxh6 f6 {doesn't give White anything concrete and his compensation for the piece is somewhat vague.}) 19... f6 $8 20. Qg6 Qf7 21. Rxh6 Qxg6 22. Rxg6 $14 {/+/-}) ({Black's king is more exposed after} 17... O-O-O 18. a4 $14 {[%csl Rc8]}) 18. d4 $1 {[%csl Re8]} c4 19. b3 {Black now can't afford to open the position, while Magnus wants to blast apart the centre. However, White had also other moves:} (19. Raf1 $14 {or }) (19. e5 $5 {[%csl Rf7] both give White an edge.}) 19... Qc6 {Again risky. Caruana insists on castling queenside, but this is risky.} ({Houdini insists on } 19... Rc8 $1 {and this indeed seems better. After} 20. e5 cxb3 21. cxb3 O-O 22. Raf1 (22. Rh4 Bf5) 22... Qb5 $11 {[%CAl Yb5d3] Black can defend his kingside from d3.}) 20. Raf1 O-O-O 21. bxc4 $5 (21. e5 {[%CAl Ye3c1,Yc1a3, Ya3d6,Gf1f7] also gives White nagging pressure, but Carlsen is already more ambitious and envisages a positional exchange sacrifice to further his attack.} ) 21... Qxc4 22. Rxf7 $1 {[%mdl 640]} Bxf7 ({Black could have considered} 22... g6 $5 {, but after} 23. Qh6 $1 (23. Qe5 Bxf7 24. Rxf7 Rhe8 25. Qg7 Qc6 26. e5 Rd7 $11) 23... Bxf7 24. Rxf7 dxe4 (24... Qc6 25. c4 $1 {/\} dxc4 26. d5 $16 {-> }) 25. Qg7 (25. Rxa7 Rhf8 26. Qxh7 $36 {leads to the same position}) 25... Rhg8 26. Qxh7 Rgf8 27. Rxa7 $36 {he still faces a difficult defence.}) 23. Rxf7 Rd7 $8 {[%CAl Gd7f7] Black must fight back on the 7th rank.} (23... dxe4 $2 24. Qf5+ Kb8 25. Qe5+ Ka8 26. Qxe4+ Qd5 27. Qe7 $18) (23... g6 24. Qg4+ (24. Qh6 { -22...g6!?}) 24... Kb8 25. Qg5 {[%CAl Rg5e7]} Ka8 26. Qe7 Qa6 27. Bg5 {/\} Rhe8 28. Qc7 Rc8 29. Qd7 $18) 24. Rxd7 Kxd7 25. exd5 g6 ({The engine prefers} 25... Rd8 26. Qxh7 Kc8 27. Qxg7 Rd7 {for a while, but gradually the evaluation of Black's chances decreases - the kingside passed pawns are dangerous after} 28. Qg8+ Kb7 29. Qe6 Rxd5 30. h4 $14 {/+/-}) 26. Qg4+ Kc7 27. Qe6 Kb7 28. Qe7+ $6 { Gives Black some respite.} (28. Qf6 $142 $1 {/\d6 I don't see any perpetual after} Qe2 29. Qxh8 Qxe3+ 30. Kf1 (30. Kh2 Qf4+) 30... Qc1+ 31. Kf2 Qf4+ (31... Qxc2+ 32. Kg3 Qc3+ 33. Kf4 $16) 32. Ke2 Qe4+ 33. Kd1 $16) 28... Qc7 29. Qe4 { [%csl Gc2,Gd4,Gd5] The material is equal, but White with his strong central pawns holds the initiative. However, now Black's rook joins the fray and he can fight back.} Qd7 (29... Rd8 $142 $1 30. Bg5 (30. d6+ $2 Qc6) 30... Rd7 31. Bf4 Qc4 32. d6+ Ka6 $14 {with drawing chances.}) 30. d6+ (30. c4 $143 $6 Re8 31. Qf3 Qf5 $132 {/=/+}) 30... Ka6 (30... Qc6 $2 31. Qe7+ Kc8 32. Bf4 $40 {/\} Qd7 33. Qe4 Kb8 34. c4 Rc8 35. c5 $1 bxc5 36. dxc5 Rxc5 37. Qe8+ $1 $18) 31. Bf4 Rc8 32. Kh2 $6 ({Useful prophylaxis, but White had the more direct} 32. Qe2+ $142 $1 Kb7 (32... Qb5 $2 33. Qe7 Qb1+ 34. Kh2 Qf1 35. Bg5 Rxc2 36. Qe4 Re2 37. Qc6 $18 {[%CAl Rd6d8] , ako aj}) (32... b5 $2 33. a4 $40) 33. c4) 32... Rc4 $2 {Blockade was necessary, but the rook is misplaced here, as Qe7 becomes an issue.} (32... g5 33. Bg3 b5 $14 {or the immediate}) (32... b5 $5 {makes it more difficult for White to convert his advantage.}) 33. Bg3 {Carlsen is in no hurry and spurns such tempting alternatives as} (33. Qe2 $5 b5 34. Qe7 $16) ({ or} 33. Qe7 Qxe7 34. dxe7 Rc8 35. Bc7 $36) 33... Rc8 $6 {Losing tempi is more than Black's position can stand.} ({A more resilient try was} 33... b5 { , although} 34. a4 $5 (34. Qe7 Qxe7 35. dxe7 Rc8 36. Bc7 Rg8 $5 $14 {might not be enough}) 34... bxa4 35. Qe2 Kb5 36. d5 {[%CAl Re2e6]} a3 37. Qd3 a2 38. Qb3+ Kc5 39. Qxa2 Kxd5 40. Qb3 $16 {/+- is probably winning anyway. Black's king is permanently exposed and his pieces are not coordinated well enough to prevent either a decisive attack, or an advance of the c-pawn.}) 34. Qd3+ Kb7 (34... Qb5 $2 35. Bh4 $1 $18 {[%CAl Rd6d8]}) 35. c4 $18 {-> Once all the pawns join in, Black is facing an uphill fight.} Qc6 36. Qb3 {Now he has got in c4, White doesn't force the issue before the time control.} (36. c5 $5 {/\} bxc5 37. dxc5 Qxc5 38. Qe2 $1 $40) 36... Ka8 (36... Qxc4 $2 37. d7 $18) (36... Qe4 37. a4 $5 {[%CAl Ra4a5,Rc4c5] /\} Qxd4 38. Qf3+ Ka6 (38... Rc6 39. a5 $1 {[%CAl Ra5a6]} bxa5 40. Qf7+ Ka6 41. Qe8 $18) 39. Qe2 Ka5 40. Qe7 $18) 37. a4 $1 Re8 38. a5 Kb7 (38... bxa5 39. d5 (39. c5 $18 {[%CAl Yb3c4,Yd4d5]}) 39... Qb7 (39... Qc5 40. Qa4 Rd8 41. Qc6+ $18) (39... Qb6 40. Qxb6 axb6 41. Bh4 $18) 40. Qxb7+ Kxb7 41. d7 Rd8 42. c5 $18 {[%csl Gc5,Gd5,Gd7]}) 39. c5 {White already had more than one way to win.} (39. d5 $5 Qc5 40. a6+ $1 Kc8 41. Qf3 Qxc4 42. Qf7 Re2 43. Qg8+ Kd7 44. Qxh7+ Ke8 45. d7+ Kd8 46. Bh4+ $18) 39... Kc8 40. axb6 axb6 41. d5 $1 {Move 40 has passed and Carlsen calmly finds and calculates the most convincing win.} Qxc5 42. Qa4 Re3 43. Qa8+ Kd7 44. Qb7+ Ke8 45. d7+ Kd8 46. Bh4+ Re7 47. Qc8+ $1 {Now White wins a whole rook.} (47. Bxe7+ $2 Kxe7 48. Qc8 Qd6+ $11 {was still a way to spoil the game.}) 1-0 [Event "Gashimov Memorial-A 1st"] [Site "Shamkir"] [Date "2014.04.30"] [Round "10"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2881"] [BlackElo "2783"] [Annotator "Krasenkow,M"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2014.04.20"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "AZE"] [EventCategory "22"] [SourceTitle "CBM 160"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2014.05.15"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2014.05.15"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%mdl 2]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c5 5. c3 d5 {[%mdl 512] It was not a good decision for Fabiano Caruana to sac the c5-pawn, taking into consideration that Magnus Carlsen is especially strong in this kind of position.} 6. dxc5 O-O 7. O-O {This line was examined in CBM 129, annotations to Kamsky-Karjakin.} a5 {This attempt to encircle the c5-pawn proves fruitless. } (7... Nc6 8. Qb3 Qa5 9. Qa3 Qc7 10. Bg5 Ne4 11. Be3 e5 12. Nbd2 f5 13. Rad1 Nf6 14. b4 Re8 15. Nb3 Ne4 16. b5 Ne7 17. Qc1 $16 {1-0 (41) Kamsky,G (2725) -Karjakin,S (2706) Wijk aan Zee 2009}) (7... Qc7 $5 8. b4 e5 {deserves attention. In the following game Black obtained decent compensation for the pawn:} 9. Bb2 Rd8 10. Nbd2 Bf5 11. Qb3 (11. c4 $5) 11... Nc6 12. a3 b6 13. cxb6 axb6 14. Rfd1 h6 15. e3 Be6 16. Qc2 {1/2 (16) L'Ami,E (2626)-Bok,B (2527) Haarlem 2013}) 8. Be3 (8. Nd4 $5 e5 9. Nb5 Na6 10. Bg5 e4 11. Bf4 Bd7 12. N1a3 b6 13. cxb6 Qxb6 14. c4 dxc4 $6 15. Nd6 $16 {1/2 (90) Harika,D (2525)-Muzychuk, M (2462) Antakya 2010}) (8. c4 $5 Na6 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Ne5 $5 Nxc5 11. Be3 Nfe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Nxc4 Nd6 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15. Qxd6 exd6 16. Rad1 $14) 8... Nc6 ( 8... Ng4 9. Qd2 {, and Black can't recapture the pawn anyway.}) 9. Na3 a4 10. Qc1 $1 e5 {Black's pawn centre doesn't fully compensate for his missing pawn.} 11. Rd1 Qe7 12. Nb5 {[%csl Rd6]} Be6 13. Ng5 (13. Nd6 {was less clear in view of} b6) 13... Bg4 $1 14. Nd6 $1 (14. f3 $6 Bc8 15. Nd6 h6 16. Nh3 Bxh3 17. Bxh3 b6 $13) 14... h6 $1 (14... Bxe2 15. Rxd5 $1 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Nd8 17. Qc2 Bg4 18. Qe4 $16 {[%csl Gd5,Gd6,Ge4]}) 15. Nf3 Kh7 {An unnecessary loss of a tempo.} ( 15... b6 $142 $1 {- a typical undermining although White keeps the better prospects after} 16. Ne1 $1 (16. Bxh6 $2 bxc5) 16... e4 $1 (16... Bxe2 17. Rxd5 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 bxc5 19. Bxc5 {[%csl Gc5,Gd5,Gd6]} Ra5 20. Qe3) 17. f3 exf3 18. exf3 Be6 19. Nd3) 16. h3 Be6 17. b4 {This move unexpectedly gives Black good counterplay.} (17. Ne1 $142 {[%CAl Ye1d3]}) 17... axb3 18. axb3 Rxa1 19. Qxa1 Ne4 20. Nd2 f5 $6 (20... Nxd6 21. cxd6 Qxd6 22. Nc4 Qd8 23. Bc5 Rg8 (23... Re8 24. Nd6 Bf8 25. Nxb7 Qb8 26. Qa6) 24. Bxd5 Bxd5 25. e4 Nd4 26. exd5 Nxb3 27. Qa3 Qc8 28. Qxb3 Qxc5 29. d6 $16 {[%csl Gd6]}) (20... d4 $1 21. Bxe4 (21. N2xe4 dxe3 22. fxe3 f5 23. Nd2 e4 $44 {[%csl Rg2]}) 21... dxe3 22. fxe3 Bxh3 $44 { White's king is unsafe, and Black's attacking chances should not be underestimated.}) 21. N2xe4 dxe4 (21... fxe4 22. Qb1 {[%CAl Yc3c4] e.g.} h5 23. c4 d4 24. Bc1) 22. Qb1 $1 f4 23. Bd2 e3 {This is now harmless.} 24. Be1 { Safely protecting White's king while his other pieces are very active. Black has no compensation for the pawn whatsoever.} Bf5 25. Qc1 h5 26. fxe3 fxg3 27. Bxg3 Qg5 28. e4 $1 Qxg3 29. Rd3 Qh4 30. exf5 gxf5 31. e4 $1 {White seizes the light squares.} fxe4 (31... f4 32. Nf5) (31... Bh6 32. Qd1) 32. Bxe4+ Kh8 33. Qe3 Rf4 34. Bg2 Qe7 35. Qe2 Qh4 36. b4 {The rest is clear. Black has no real counterplay anymore, and the advance of White's queenside pawns decides the game.} e4 37. Nxe4 Ne5 38. Rd5 Kg8 39. b5 Rf5 40. c6 bxc6 41. bxc6 Qe7 42. Nd6 Rg5 43. Nb5 Qe6 44. Rd8+ Kh7 45. Qe4+ Rg6 46. c7 Qa6 47. c8=Q Qa1+ 48. Kf2 Qb2+ 49. Ke1 1-0 [Event "Tata Steel-A 77th"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2015.01.16"] [Round "6"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B31"] [WhiteElo "2820"] [BlackElo "2862"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2015.01.10"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "20"] [SourceTitle "CBM 165"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2015.03.11"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2015.03.11"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 c5 {Magnus is in a fighting mood - no Berlin after beating Aronian the day before!} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {On the other hand Caruana lost to Wojtaszek and is in a different frame of mind - no Open Sicilian either!} (3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 {The last game between our 2 protagonists featured} g6 ({Carlsen hasn't played Sveshnikov structures with Black since 2010. In Wijk he faced} 4... e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 (6... g6 $5 7. Be3 Be6 8. N1c3 a6 9. Na3 Nf6 10. Be2 Bg7 11. Nc2 Rc8 12. Rc1 O-O 13. O-O Ne7 14. Na3 Nc6 15. Re1 Nd4 16. f3 Qb6 17. Rb1 Nxe2+ 18. Rxe2 Qb4 19. Rd2 Rfd8 20. c5 Qa5 21. Rxd6 Bf8 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. Qe2 Bxc5 $15 {Ivanchuk,V (2715)-Jobava,B (2727)/Wijk aan Zee/2015/}) 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Nc2 Bg5 10. Be2 Bxc1 11. Rxc1 Nf6 12. O-O O-O 13. Qd2 Qb6 14. Rfd1 Rfd8 15. b3 h6 (15... Rac8 {is a more standard setup.}) 16. h3 Qa7 17. Bf3 Ne7 18. Ne3 Nc6 19. Bg4 Nd4 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. Nc2 Nxc2 22. Rxc2 Rd7 23. Qe2 Rad8 24. Rd3 $11 {/+/=, Carlsen,M (2862)-Hou,Y (2673)/Wijk aan Zee/2015/ White has a very slight edge due to his more flexible pawn structure, but he managed to increase his pressure only in the late middlegame.}) 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. f3 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 a5 11. b3 a4 $6 ({Risky, as the pawn will be vulnerable. The solid move is} 11... Be6 12. Rb1 Nd7 13. Be2 Nc5 14. O-O Qb6 15. Rfc1 Rfc8 {then} 16. Kh1 Qb4 17. Bg5 a4 $1 18. Bxe7 axb3 19. axb3 Nxb3 $11 {Van Wely,L (2691)-Iturrizaga Bonelli,E (2627)/Istanbul olm/2012/} {/\} 20. Qd1 Bxc4 21. Bxc4 Qxc4 22. Rxb3 Qxb3 $1 23. Qxb3 Rxc3 {[%CAl Rc3c1,Ra8a1] wins the Q back.}) 12. b4 {[%csl Ra4]} Be6 13. Rc1 Nd7 14. Be2 Nb6 15. Nb5 $5 $146 ({ More ambitious than} 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. exd5 $14) 15... a3 (15... Rc8 16. Na3 $14 ) 16. Nd4 Bd7 17. h4 $1 h5 18. g4 hxg4 19. fxg4 e5 20. Nb3 (20. Nb5 $5) 20... Bc6 (20... Na4 21. h5 Be6 $14) ({or} 20... Be6 {are engine suggestions, but they seem too passive. Carlsen seeks central counterplay, but doesn't equalise either.}) 21. Bf3 f5 22. gxf5 gxf5 23. Na5 $1 f4 24. Bf2 $36 {[%csl Rd6,Rg8] Caruana,F (2801)-Carlsen,M (2877)/Saint Louis/2014/ For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 162 by Roiz.}) ({Magnus uses the bishop sortie himself:} 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Qc7 (4... e5 5. O-O ({Rather soft; a more critical line is} 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nxe5 Nxe4 7. Nxe4 Qd5 8. Qe2 Qxe5 9. f4 $13) 5... d6 6. d3 Be7 7. Bg5 O-O 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5 Be6 10. Bc4 g6 11. c3 Bg7 12. a3 Kh8 ( 12... Ne7 $5 $11) 13. b4 f5 14. Rb1 b6 $6 {Caruana,F (2774)-Carlsen,M (2864)/ Moscow blitz/2013/} 15. Nxb6 axb6 16. Bxe6 Rxa3 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Rb3 $14 { [%csl Ge6,Rg7]}) 5. O-O Nd4 6. Re1 a6 7. Bc4 b5 8. Nd5 Nxd5 9. Bxd5 Rb8 10. Nxd4 cxd4 11. d3 e6 12. Bb3 Bd6 13. Qh5 Bb7 14. f4 Bxf4 15. Bxf4 Qxf4 16. Rf1 Qe3+ 17. Kh1 O-O 18. Rf3 Qh6 19. Qe5 a5 20. a4 Bc6 21. axb5 Rxb5 22. Qxd4 Qd2 $11 {Carlsen,M (2862)-Saric,I (2666)/Wijk aan Zee/2015/}) 3... g6 {The most usual move, but in the past Carlsen has slso played other standard alternatives:} (3... e6 {became more fashionable after Anand-Gelfand in 2012} { After} 4. O-O ({Anand preferred} 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d3 ({or} 5. b3)) 4... Nge7 { Caruana's specialty is the rare} 5. d4 $5 (5. c3 {is played very often.}) ({ The same goes for} 5. Re1 Ng6 (5... a6 $142 6. Bf1 d5 $132) 6. c3 d5 7. Qa4 Be7 8. d4 O-O $5 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nbd2 Be7 12. Nc4 Qd8 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Nd4 c5 15. Nc6 Qc7 16. Nxe7+ Nxe7 17. Qa5 Qxa5 18. Nxa5 Ba6 19. Bg5 Rfe8 20. Rad1 h6 21. Bxe7 Rxe7 22. c4 Kf8 23. Rd6 Bb7 24. Red1 Ke8 {Wang,H (2752) -Carlsen,M (2861)/Wijk aan Zee/2013/} 25. a3 $14 {[%CAl Yb2b4]}) 5... cxd4 6. Nxd4 Ng6 (6... Qb6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Ng6 9. c4 Be7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. Rb1 Qc7 12. Be3 e5 $6 (12... Nf4 13. Bc2 e5 $14 {/~~ Caruana}) 13. g3 $1 d6 14. b4 Be6 15. Qd2 Rac8 16. b5 Bd8 17. Rfc1 Qd7 18. bxc6 Rxc6 19. Nd5 $36 {Caruana,F (2779)-Gelfand,B (2764)/Elancourt/2013/ For more details see the notes by Caruana in CBM 157.}) 7. Be3 (7. Be2 Bc5 $5 8. Nb3 Bb6 9. c4 d6 10. Nc3 a6 11. Kh1 e5 12. Nd5 Ba7 13. Bg4 O-O 14. Bxc8 Rxc8 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. Nxe3 Nge7 17. Rc1 a5 18. c5 dxc5 19. Nxc5 Nd4 20. Qd3 Qd6 $11 {Caruana,F (2839)-Nakamura,H (2767) /London rpd/2014/}) 7... Be7 8. Be2 O-O 9. c4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Bf6 11. Qd2 b6 12. Nc3 Bb7 13. f3 Qe7 14. a4 Rad8 15. Ra3 Be5 16. a5 f5 $6 (16... bxa5 $13 {/\} 17. Rxa5 d5 {[%CAl Re5h2,Re7c7]}) (16... Bd6 17. Rb3 Bc5 $132) 17. axb6 axb6 18. exf5 Rxf5 19. Bd3 Rh5 20. h3 Bb8 21. Bxg6 hxg6 22. Bxb6 Rf8 23. Ne2 Rh4 24. Qd3 Kh7 25. Bf2 $14 {/+/-, Caruana,F (2779)-Radjabov,T (2723) /Bucharest/2013/ For details see the notes to this game by Rogozenco in CBM 157.}) (3... d6 { Nowadays more topical is} 4. O-O (4. Bxc6+ bxc6 5. e5 $5 (5. O-O e5 6. c3 Nf6 7. Re1 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 ({The simple} 8... Bxf3 {is quite solid:} 9. Qxf3 Be7 10. d3 O-O 11. Nd2 Ne8 12. Nc4 Nc7 13. b4 cxb4 14. cxb4 Ne6 15. Be3 Qd7 16. Rac1 Rfc8 17. Rc2 Rab8 18. a3 Bd8 19. Rec1 Bb6 20. Qg4 {Rublevsky,S (2679)-Tregubov, P (2599)/Krasnoyarsk/2007/} Bxe3 21. fxe3 c5 $11) 9. d4 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nd7 11. Be3 Be7 12. Nbd2 O-O (12... exd4 13. Bxd4 O-O 14. Nf1 $14) 13. Qc2 Qc7 14. Rac1 Rfc8 15. Qd3 Qb7 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Rc3 Rab8 18. Rec1 {Palac,M (2604)-Tomic,B (2418)/Sarajevo/2012/} c5 $132) 5... Bg4 (5... d5 6. h3 $5 $14 {gives White excellent practical results}) 6. h3 Bh5 7. O-O e6 (7... dxe5 8. g4 e4 $13) 8. Re1 (8. d3 d5 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. Re1 Nc8 $1 11. Qe2 Nb6 12. b3 Be7 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Nb1 a5 15. a4 c4 $1 16. dxc4 dxc4 17. Rd1 Qb8 18. Nbd2 cxb3 19. cxb3 Nd5 20. Rac1 Qb6 $15 {Kabanov,N (2502)-Caruana,F (2767)/EU-ch Plovdiv/2012/}) (8. exd6 $142) 8... Ne7 (8... d5 $5) 9. exd6 Nd5 10. d3 Bxd6 11. Nbd2 O-O {and Black's piece play should compensate for his split pawns:} 12. Nc4 (12. Ne4 h6 13. Ng3 Bg6 14. Ne4 Bh5 15. Ng3 Bg6 16. Ne4 {½, Rabiega,R (2501)-Boensch,U (2540)/ Austria/2002/}) 12... Bc7 13. Qe2 Kh8 14. Bd2 Nb4 15. Bxb4 cxb4 16. Qe3 Qd5 17. g4 Bg6 18. Nfe5 Rfe8 19. Qf3 f6 20. Nxg6+ hxg6 21. Re4 f5 22. gxf5 exf5 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Qxd5 cxd5 25. Ne3 {Caruana,F (2757)-Gelfand,B (2740)/Zuerich blitz/2013/} d4 $132 {[%CAl Ye8e2]}) 4... Bd7 (4... Bg4 $5 5. h3 Bh5 {is for the more aggressively minded.}) 5. Re1 Nf6 ({After} 5... a6 {Black must also reckon with} 6. Bxc6 $5 Bxc6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Rc8 9. c4 Nf6 10. Nc3 Bd7 11. b3 b5 12. Bg5 bxc4 13. Nd5 h6 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Qf3 h5 16. h3 Bh6 17. Nf5 Bf8 18. bxc4 e6 19. Rab1 Bc6 20. Qc3 $18 {Anand,V (2793)-Nakamura,H (2775)/London blitz/2014/}) 6. c3 (6. h3 e6 7. c3 d5 $5 8. d3 (8. e5 $2 Nxe5) 8... a6 9. Ba4 b5 10. Bc2 dxe4 11. dxe4 e5 12. a4 Be7 13. axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Bg5 Be6 16. Na3 b4 17. Nb1 $6 (17. cxb4 cxb4 18. Nb5 Qb8 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Bd3 O-O 21. Nh4 Rd8 $13) 17... O-O 18. Ba4 h6 19. Bh4 Rd8 20. Nbd2 g5 21. Bg3 Nd7 22. Bb3 Nf8 23. Qc2 f6 24. Nc4 Qa6 {Bologan,V (2732)-Carlsen,M (2837)/Biel/2012/} 25. Nfd2 $11) 6... a6 7. Bf1 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 g6 10. d3 Bg7 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Nd2 O-O 13. Qd1 b5 14. Nf3 b4 15. Qa4 Qc7 16. d4 Rfb8 17. Rab1 e6 (17... Na7 $6 18. cxb4 Rxb4 19. Qc2 Nc6 20. dxc5 dxc5 21. a3 Rb7 22. Rec1 $36 {Efimenko,Z (2649)-Markos,J (2590)/Slovakia/2014/}) (17... a5 $5 18. Rec1 Qb7 19. Qd1 Rc8 20. Bc4 Nb6 21. Bf1 Nd7 22. Bc4 Nb6 {½, Haug,J (2121)-Lissang,C (2273)/ Stockholm/2014/}) 18. Rec1 (18. Qc2 a5 19. a4 Rc8 20. Bb5 bxc3 21. bxc3 cxd4 22. cxd4 Qb7 23. Qd1 Nb4 24. d5 exd5 25. exd5 Qc7 $132 {Partenie,M (2130) -Ulbig,S/email/2011/}) 18... Ra7 19. Qd1 a5 20. Bf4 bxc3 21. bxc3 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 cxd4 23. cxd4 Nxd4 24. Nxd4 Bxd4 25. Qxd4 e5 26. Qd2 exf4 27. Qxf4 $14 { Ottesen,S (2399)-Hansen,L (2182)/email/2010/}) (3... Nf6 4. e5 ({More usual is } 4. Nc3 {- 3.Nc3}) 4... Nd5 5. O-O (5. Nc3 Nc7 $132) 5... g6 6. c3 Bg7 7. d4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nc7 9. Nc3 Nxb5 10. Nxb5 O-O 11. Bf4 a6 12. Nc3 d6 13. exd6 exd6 14. h3 d5 15. Re1 Be6 16. Qd2 Re8 17. Re2 Qb6 18. Rae1 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. Qxd4 Bxd4 21. Nxd5 Rac8 22. Bd6 Kh8 23. Nc7 Red8 24. Nxe6 Rxd6 $11 {Zvjaginsev, V (2636)-Bacrot,E (2722)/Moscow/2009/}) 4. Bxc6 {Caruana mostly plays the text move.} ({The main alternative is} 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 (5. c3 Nf6 {is usually just a transposition}) 5... Nf6 6. c3 (6. e5 Nd5 7. Nc3 Nc7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Ne4 Ne6 (9... b6 10. Nf6+ Kf8 11. Ne4 h6 12. d3 g5 $5 (12... Kg8 13. h3 Kh7 $132) 13. Ng3 Be6 14. Qe2 Qd5 15. c4 Qd7 16. b3 f5 17. exf6 exf6 18. Bb2 Re8 19. Qc2 h5 20. Re3 h4 21. Ne4 Rh6 22. Rae1 h3 23. g3 Bf7 $13 {Rapport,R (2693) -Moiseenko,A (2699)/Biel/2013/}) 10. d3 O-O 11. Be3 b6 12. Qd2 Nd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Bh6 c5 15. h4 Qd5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Ng3 Bb7 18. f3 Qe6 19. b3 { ½, Bacrot,E (2714)-Moiseenko,A (2699)/W Cup Tromsoe/2013/}) 6... O-O 7. h3 (7. d4 d5 8. e5 Ne4 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Nbd2 cxd4 11. cxd4 c5 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Nb3 Nxb3 14. Qxb3 Bg4 15. Nd4 Qb6 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. b3 Rfc8 18. a4 Bd7 19. f4 e6 20. Ba3 Bh6 21. g3 g5 22. Ra2 b5 $132 {Vegjeleki,A (2224)-Latronico,N (2441)/ email/2010/}) 7... Qb6 $5 (7... e5 8. d3 d6 9. a3 {[%CAl Yb2b4] is perhaps slightly more promising for White.}) 8. Ba4 (8. Bf1 e5 9. d3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Qb3 Qxb3 12. axb3 Rd8 13. g3 f6 14. Nbd2 Nc7 15. Nc4 Bf5 16. Rd1 Be6 17. Be3 Bf8 18. Nfd2 Nd5 19. Re1 Bf7 20. g4 b6 $15 {Kamsky,G (2741)-Christiansen,L (2579)/USA-ch Saint Louis/2013/}) 8... Rd8 9. d3 (9. d4 d5 $1 10. e5 Ne4 $132) 9... d5 10. e5 Nd7 11. d4 Nf8 $1 12. Na3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bf5 14. Be3 Ne6 15. Qd2 Be4 16. Ng5 $1 (16. Rad1 $2 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Rac8 18. f4 Kh8 19. Bb5 Bh6 20. Be2 Ng7 21. Nb5 Nf5 22. Nc3 e6 23. Bg4 Nh4 24. Kh1 Rg8 $40 {[%csl Rh1][%CAl Yg6g5] Muminova,N (2315)-Hou,Y (2661)/Sharjah/2014/ After thorough preparation Black gradually broke through on the kingside.}) 16... Nxg5 17. Bxg5 f6 $11 {Hou Yifan}) 4... dxc6 (4... bxc6 {is somewhat more risky, as was seen a few rounds later:} 5. O-O Bg7 6. Re1 Nf6 (6... Nh6 7. c3 O-O 8. d4 {also gives White chances to fight for an advantage}) 7. e5 Nd5 8. c4 Nc7 9. d4 cxd4 10. Qxd4 O-O (10... d6 11. Bh6 $1 $36) 11. Qh4 f6 12. Nc3 Ne6 13. Ne4 fxe5 14. Nfg5 Nxg5 15. Bxg5 Qb6 16. c5 $5 Qxb2 17. Rad1 $44 d5 $6 (17... Qxa2 $142 $5 {[%csl Ga7]}) 18. cxd6 exd6 19. Rxd6 Bf5 20. Nf6+ Bxf6 21. Bxf6 Rab8 $2 22. Qc4+ Rf7 23. Red1 Qb1 24. h3 {1-0, Van Wely,L (2667)-Hou,Y (2673)/Wijk aan Zee/2015/}) 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 {[%mdl 32] White has swapped his light-squared B and places his pawns strategically on the light squares, Black continues developing naturally and a positional battle starts.} ({Carlsen is not attracted by} 6... b6 7. O-O e5 8. Be3 Ne7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Nc4 f6 11. a3 a5 $2 {[%csl Ra5,Rb6]} (11... Nd5 $142 $1 $13) 12. b4 axb4 13. axb4 Rxa1 14. Qxa1 b5 15. Ncd2 cxb4 16. Qa2+ Kh8 17. Bc5 g5 18. Ra1 Bd7 19. Qa5 Qe8 20. Qxb4 Rf7 21. Ra7 Bf8 22. d4 $16 { Caruana,F (2716)-Kuznetsov,V (2427)/RUS-chT Olginka/2011/}) 7. Nc3 b6 ({ Basically a useful move, but Black usually plays it a bit later, preferring} 7... O-O 8. Be3 b6 9. Qd2 ({Caruana probably would have played} 9. O-O { , transposing to our game.}) 9... e5 10. Bh6 Qd6 11. O-O-O (11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. g3 $146 a5 13. Nh4 a4 14. a3 b5 15. Qe3 Rb8 16. f4 exf4 17. gxf4 Nh5 {[%csl Re1]} 18. Ne2 Qf6 19. Nf3 Qxb2 20. Kf2 Qf6 21. Rag1 b4 22. Qxc5 {Hansen,E (2577)-Saric,I (2680)/Doha/2014/} Nxf4 23. Nxf4 Qxf4 24. axb4 f5 $1 $36) 11... a5 12. Nh2 (12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. g4 a4 14. Ne2 b5 15. Ng3 b4 16. Qg5 Re8 17. Nd2 a3 18. bxa3 h6 19. Qe3 Be6 20. Nb3 Rxa3 21. Qxc5 Qb8 $40 {Shirov,A (2697)-Leko, P (2722)/Dortmund/2002/}) 12... a4 13. Ng4 Nh5 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Ne2 f6 16. g3 a3 17. b3 f5 18. exf5 Bxf5 19. Qe3 Rae8 20. f3 Nf6 21. Nxf6 Qxf6 $132 { Pedersen,H (2527)-Serradimigni,R (2477)/email/2006/}) 8. Be3 ({Black gets in the central advance even after} 8. Bf4 Nd7 9. Qd2 h6 10. a3 e5 11. Be3 Qe7 12. O-O h5 13. Rfb1 a5 14. b3 O-O 15. Bh6 Rd8 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Qe3 Ba6 18. a4 Nf8 19. Ne2 Qf6 20. Ng5 Qd6 21. f4 exf4 22. Nxf4 Qd4 23. Re1 Ra7 24. Kh2 Qxe3 25. Rxe3 Re7 $11 {Chadaev,N (2574)-Alekseev,E (2691)/Irkutsk/2010/}) 8... e5 $6 { Strategically sound, but right now rather careless...} (8... O-O $142 9. O-O ( 9. Qd2 e5 {see 7...0-0 above}) 9... Ne8 (9... e5 $5 {leads back to the game}) 10. Qd2 e5 (10... Nc7 11. Bh6 Ne6 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. Ne2 $14) 11. Bh6 f6 12. Nh2 Qe7 13. Bxg7 Nxg7 14. f4 exf4 15. Qxf4 Ne6 16. Qh4 Nd4 17. Rf2 Rf7 18. Raf1 f5 19. Qf4 Be6 20. e5 g5 21. Qd2 c4 22. Rd1 cxd3 23. Qxd3 Rd8 $15 {Veinger,I (2597)-Wills,M (2500)/corr/1996/}) 9. O-O $6 ({White misses an opportunity to play} 9. Nxe5 $1 Nxe4 10. Qf3 $1 f5 11. Bf4 (11. Nxg6 $5 hxg6 12. dxe4 O-O 13. Qg3 $14) 11... Qe7 12. Nxc6 ({A simpler way is} 12. dxe4 Bxe5 13. O-O-O $1 $36) 12... Qe6 (12... Ng5+ $142 $1 13. Nxe7 (13. Qe3 Qxe3+ 14. fxe3 Nf7 {[%csl Rc6]} ) 13... Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Kxe7 $44) 13. dxe4 Qxc6 14. Nd5 (14. O-O-O $142 $1 $14) 14... Kf7 15. O-O-O fxe4 16. Qxe4 Re8 17. Qf3 Bf5 18. Rhe1 Rad8 19. c4 Qa4 20. Qb3 Qxb3 21. axb3 Be4 22. f3 Bxd5 23. Rxe8 Kxe8 24. Rxd5 Rxd5 25. cxd5 Kd7 26. Kc2 b5 $2 (26... Bf6 {/\} 27. Bb8 Kc8 $11) 27. Bb8 $1 a6 28. f4 $18 {[%CAl Rb8e5] Macieja,B (2430)-Pyda,Z (2305)/Polanica Zdroj/1996/}) 9... O-O 10. a3 { As with Kuznetsov, Caruana concentrates on the queenside.} ({However, White far more often plays} 10. Qd2 Qd6 11. Bh6 Nh5 12. Ne2 (12. Rae1 f6 13. Ne2 Be6 14. Bxg7 Nxg7 15. b3 a5 16. a4 Rfd8 17. Qe3 b5 18. Ra1 Bf7 19. Nh2 c4 $132 { Nijboer,F (2510)-Piket,J (2670)/Amsterdam/1995/}) 12... f6 13. b3 (13. a3 a5 14. Nh2 Ra7 15. Rad1 Be6 16. Bxg7 Rxg7 17. Ng4 Rd7 {½, Vachier Lagrave,M (2458)-Lautier,J (2666)/Val d'Isere/2004/}) (13. Bxg7 Nxg7 14. Nh2 Ne6 $11) 13... Be6 (13... g5 14. Bxg7 Nxg7 15. Ng3 h5 16. h4 $1 Bg4 {Jansa,V (2449) -Zwardon,V (2383)/CZE-chT/2013/} 17. hxg5 {/\} Bxf3 18. g6 $1 $40) ({Lautier's } 13... a5 $5 {deserves attention even here.}) 14. Bxg7 Nxg7 15. Qh6 Rad8 16. Nd2 Bc8 (16... Nh5 $142 $5) 17. f4 exf4 18. Rxf4 Qe5 19. Raf1 Qg5 20. Qxg5 fxg5 21. Rxf8+ Rxf8 22. Nc4 Rxf1+ 23. Kxf1 $14 {Magem Badals,J (2573)-Alsina Leal,D (2531)/Barcelona/2011/}) 10... Qe7 (10... Qd6 $5) 11. Qb1 $146 (11. Qe2 $6 { only helps Black in improving his knight with} Nh5 12. Rfb1 Nf4 13. Qd2 Ne6 $11 {/=/+, Fougerit,V (2233)-Desbonnes,S (2332)/France /2009/}) (11. Qd2 {also prepares queenside activity:} Nh5 12. b4 $1 cxb4 13. axb4 Qxb4 14. Rfb1 $14 { [%CAl Rb1b6,Re3b6] wins the pawn back with an edge.}) 11... Nh5 $5 {Carlsen wants to develop his own play on the opposite flank.} (11... a5 12. Na4 $5 { [%csl Rb6]} (12. b4 axb4 13. axb4 Rxa1 14. Qxa1 cxb4 15. Na4 Nd7 16. Nxb6 Nxb6 17. Bxb6 Bb7 18. Qa5 Ra8 19. Qc5 Qxc5 20. Bxc5 Ra2 $11)) (11... Rd8 $5 { Korotylev, /\} 12. b4 c4 $1 13. dxc4 Ba6 $11 14. Qb3 (14. b5 $2 cxb5 15. cxb5 Bb7) 14... Qe6 15. Nd2 Rxd2 16. Bxd2 Bxc4 $11) 12. b4 f5 $6 {This seems too hasty, as it gives White a free hand on the queenside.} (12... Nf4 $142 $1 13. bxc5 bxc5 $13 {[%CAl Yf4e6,Yf7f5] improves the knight, f5 can come later.}) 13. bxc5 f4 14. Bd2 bxc5 (14... Qxc5 15. Qb3+ Kh8 16. Qb4 $36 {swaps queens and quashes Black's attacking ambitions.}) 15. Qb3+ {Very direct and logical.} ({ The engines recommend} 15. Qb2 Be6 16. Na4 $14 {[%csl Rc5,Re5][%CAl Yb2c3, Ya4b2]} (16. Rfb1 $5 {is also interesting, stopping Rab8.})) 15... Be6 16. Qa4 Rac8 ({After} 16... Qd7 $5 {[%CAl Ye6h3] White should probably play the prophylactic} 17. Kh2 $5 $14 (17. Ng5 c4 18. Qa6 f3 $5 $132)) 17. Qa5 (17. Qa6 $142 $5 g5 18. Rfb1 {[%CAl Yb1b7] forces Black to lose a tempo with} Rf7 19. Na4 g4 20. hxg4 Bxg4 21. Qc4 $36) 17... g5 $1 {[%mdl 640] Carlsen throws caution (and a pawn) to the winds and concentrates on his attack.} ({After} 17... c4 18. Na4 c5 19. Nb2 $14 {Black must defend his weaknesses.}) 18. Na4 ({ Consistent,} 18. Nh2 c4 $132 {is a concession.}) 18... g4 19. hxg4 Bxg4 20. Qxc5 Qf6 21. Nh2 $6 {Gives the attack a new impulse.} (21. Rfb1 Qg6 22. Kf1 Ng3+ $1 23. Ke1 (23. fxg3 fxg3 {/\} 24. Ke2 Qh5 25. Rf1 Qh2 26. Qg1 Rxf3 $1 $19 ) 23... Nxe4 $5 24. Qc4+ Be6 25. Qxe4 Bf5 (25... Qxg2 $2 26. Ke2 Bd5 27. Rg1) 26. Qc4+ (26. Qe2 Qxg2 $44 {|^}) 26... Be6 $11 {and repetition seems to be a logical outcome.}) (21. Rfe1 Rf7 $5 $13 {[%CAl Yg7f8,Yg8h8,Yc8g8]} (21... Qg6 22. Kf1 Ng3+ 23. fxg3 fxg3 24. Ke2 Qh5 25. Kd1 $1 $16)) 21... f3 $1 22. Nxg4 $8 (22. gxf3 $2 Bxf3 $19) (22. g3 $6 Bh3 $36 (22... Qg6 $5 $15 {/-/+})) 22... Qg6 23. Qe7 $1 {[]} ({The queen must quickly return, White can't afford} 23. Ne3 $2 Bh6 $19 (23... Nf4 $19)) 23... fxg2 (23... Qxg4 $2 24. Qg5 $16 {leads to a premature queen swap.}) 24. Rfb1 (24. Rfe1 Qxg4 25. Qg5 Qxg5 26. Bxg5 Nf4) 24... Qxg4 25. Qg5 Qe2 26. Qe3 Qg4 27. Qg5 Qxg5 $1 ({Carlsen spurns} 27... Qe2 $11 {, Black already risks nothing by continuing the fight.}) 28. Bxg5 Nf4 { [%CAl Rf4h3]} 29. Bxf4 $2 {A serious error with disastrous consequences.} ({ The series of forced moves continued with} 29. Kh2 $1 {[]} Kh8 $1 (29... Bf6 30. Bh6 Bg7 $11) (29... c5 $5 30. Rg1 c4 31. Bxf4 exf4 32. Rxg2 cxd3 33. cxd3 f3 $44) 30. Re1 (30. Ra2 c5 31. Bxf4 exf4 32. Kxg2 f3+ $40 {[%csl Ra2]}) 30... h6 31. Bh4 (31. Bxf4 exf4 32. e5 f3 $17) 31... Bf6 $15 {[%csl Gg2] Black holds the initiative, but the game is far from over.}) 29... exf4 30. Kxg2 f3+ 31. Kf1 $6 ({Black should gradually win after} 31. Kh3 Bxa1 32. Rxa1 Kf7 $17 { , as his Pf3 remains very much alive. However, this was still more resilient, as now White's king can't escape the mating net.}) 31... Rf4 $1 32. c3 ({ Caruana most probably overlooked} 32. Ke1 Rd8 $1 (32... Bxa1 $2 33. Rxa1 { [%CAl Ye1d2,Yd2e3,Ya4c5] is actually OK for White}) 33. Kd2 Rxe4 {[%CAl Re4a4, Re4e2]} 34. Nc3 Bh6+ 35. Kd1 Rh4 {with mate to follow.}) 32... Rd8 $1 33. d4 ( 33. Rd1 Rh4 34. Ke1 Bh6 $1 $19 {[%CAl Rh4h1]}) (33. Ke1 Rxd3 $19 {[%CAl Rf4h4, Rf4e4]}) 33... Bh6 {Black already had a choice:} (33... Rxe4 34. Nc5 Rh4 35. Ke1 Bxd4 36. cxd4 Rdxd4 37. Rb8+ Kf7 38. Rf8+ Kxf8 39. Ne6+ Kf7 40. Nxd4 Rh1+ $19) (33... Bxd4 $142 $1 {and taking the bishop leads to mate after} 34. cxd4 Rh4 35. Ke1 (35. Kg1 Kh8 {[%CAl Rd8g8]}) 35... Rxd4 $19) 34. Ke1 Rxe4+ 35. Kd1 c5 $1 $19 {Now the only winning move.} (35... Re2 $143 $6 36. Rb2 $15) 36. Kc2 (36. Nxc5 Re2 37. Nb3 Rde8 $19 (37... Kh8 $19 {[%CAl Rd8g8]})) 36... cxd4 37. Kd3 Re2 38. c4 Rxf2 (38... Rd2+ $142 $1 39. Ke4 Rxf2 $19) 39. Rd1 (39. Rb2 { prolongs White's suffering, his position remains hopeless after} Rxb2 40. Nxb2 Rb8 41. Nd1 Kf7) 39... Re2 {[%CAl Re2e3] Black's passed pawns will soon clinch the point.} 0-1 [Event "Sinquefield Cup 3rd"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.08.27"] [Round "5"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2853"] [BlackElo "2779"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "2015.08.23"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "USA"] [EventCategory "22"] [SourceTitle "CBM 168"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2015.09.14"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2015.09.14"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 ({Two rounds later Carlsen went for the classical} 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. Qd3 Nbd7 10. Nd5 O-O ({After} 10... Bxd5 11. exd5 O-O {Black must reckon with the sharp} 12. g4 $5) 11. O-O (11. c4 b5 $1 $132) 11... Bxd5 12. exd5 {However, Black has counter-chances in the strategic struggle even without radically changing the position; a reasonable alternative is} Rc8 ({Here the most often played move is } 12... Nc5 13. Nxc5 (13. Qd2 $143 Nfe4 14. Qb4 a5 15. Qb5 Qc7 16. Qc4 Rac8 17. Rfd1 f5 18. c3 Qd8 19. Qb5 b6 20. Nd2 Nxd2 21. Bxd2 Bf6 $36 {Ponomariov,R (2744)-Anand,V (2810) Wijk aan Zee 2011/ For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 141.}) 13... dxc5 14. Bf3 Qc7 15. c4 g6 (15... Bd6 $142 $1 16. g3 Rae8 $132) 16. Rae1 h5 $6 17. Bg5 Ne8 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Qe3 Nd6 20. b3 Rfc8 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Rxe5 $16 {Nakamura,H (2775)-Topalov,V (2793) Thessaloniki 2013/ For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 155.}) 13. c4 Ne8 ( 13... a5 $5 14. Rad1 b6 15. Nd2 Nc5 16. Qc2 Nfd7 17. f3 Bg5 18. Bf2 f5 19. Kh1 Qf6 20. Nb1 Qh6 21. Nc3 {Shirov,A (2718)-Polgar,J (2676) Linares 2001/} Bf4 22. g3 Be3 $132 {For more details see the notes to this game by Ftacnik in CBM 082. }) 14. Qd2 b6 15. Rac1 a5 16. Na1 g6 17. b4 Ng7 18. bxa5 bxa5 19. Bd3 Nc5 20. Bc2 a4 21. Rb1 e4 22. Bxc5 Rxc5 23. Bxa4 Rxc4 24. Bc6 Nf5 25. Qe2 Rc3 26. Qxe4 Ra3 $11 {[%csl Ra2] Carlsen,M (2853)-Grischuk,A (2771) Saint Louis 2015 White can't retain the extra pawn and the position is drawish. Subsequent mistakes even cost Carlsen the full point.}) 6... e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 Nbd7 {Both players have experience with this line with both colours, especially So.} ({ The fashionable continuation here, with many top-level annotated games, is} 8... h5 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nbd7 11. Qd2 g6 (11... Qc7 12. c4 g6 13. O-O-O Nb6 14. Qa5 Bh6 15. Bxh6 Rxh6 16. Kb1 Nfd7 17. Qd2 Rh8 18. Rc1 Na4 19. Be2 a5 20. Na1 Kf8 21. Nc2 Kg7 22. Na3 {Topalov,V (2771)-Wojtaszek,R (2698) ECC Rhodes 2013} Qd8 23. Nb5 Qf6 $13 {For more details see the notes to this game by Wojtaszek in CBM 157.}) 12. Be2 ({A recent example is} 12. O-O-O Nb6 13. Kb1 ( 13. Qa5 Bh6 14. Bxh6 Rxh6 15. Kb1 Rc8 16. Qb4 Kf8 17. c4 Kg7 18. g3 Rh8 19. Rc1 Qc7 20. Bh3 Rce8 21. Rhd1 Re7 22. a3 Rd8 23. Nd2 {brought White success in Anand-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 2008 (CBM 122), but Black can improve with} e4 $1 24. fxe4 Nxe4 25. Nxe4 Rxe4 26. Bg2 Re2 27. c5 dxc5 28. Rxc5 Qd6 $132 { Yeremenko,A (2456)-Schmidt,G (2435)email 2009/ I already mentioned this in the notes to So-Dominguez (CBM 161).}) 13... Nbxd5 14. Bg5 Be7 15. Na5 Rb8 16. Bc4 Nb6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Qxd6 Qxd6 19. Rxd6 Bd8 20. Rd3 Bc7 21. Bb3 Ke7 22. Rhd1 Rhd8 23. Rxd8 Bxd8 24. Nc4 $11 {Grischuk,A (2771)-Topalov,V (2816) Saint Louis 2015/ The opposite-coloured bishops indicate the point was split shortly afterwards.}) 12... Bg7 (12... Qc7 13. Rc1 Bg7 14. O-O O-O 15. c4 b6 16. Na1 Kh7 17. h3 Ng8 18. g4 Qd8 19. gxh5 Qh4 20. hxg6+ fxg6 21. Bd3 Bh6 22. Rf2 Bxe3 23. Qxe3 Ne7 $44 {So,W (2731)-Dominguez Perez,L (2768) Havana 2014 For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 161.}) 13. O-O (13. Na5 Qc7 14. c4 e4 15. O-O exf3 16. gxf3 O-O 17. b4 Rfe8 18. Rac1 Rxe3 $5 19. Qxe3 Re8 20. Qd2 { Caruana,F (2844)-Gelfand,B (2748) Baku 2014} Qb6+ $1 21. Kh1 Bh6 $44 {For more details see the notes to this game by Kr. Szabo in CBM 163.}) 13... b6 14. Rae1 O-O 15. c4 Rc8 16. h3 Nh7 17. Na1 a5 18. Nc2 Bf6 19. Na3 Bh4 20. Rb1 f5 21. Nb5 f4 22. Bf2 Bxf2+ 23. Rxf2 Nc5 24. Qc2 Qf6 25. b3 Ng5 26. Bd3 Kg7 27. a3 Nf7 28. b4 Nxd3 29. Qxd3 Qf5 30. Qxf5 gxf5 31. Rc2 {So,W (2762)-Wojtaszek,R (2744) Wijk aan Zee 2015} axb4 32. axb4 Kf6 $132 {For more details see the notes to this game by Pavlovic in CBM 165.}) 9. Qd2 ({An alternative is the immediate} 9. g4 {After} b5 {White can even spurn castling and play on the queenside with} (9... Nb6 10. g5 Nh5 11. Qd2 Rc8 ({and even more often} 11... Be7 $13 {is the older main line, which was extensively tested in the past decade.})) 10. g5 b4 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Bd3 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Be7 15. h4 O-O 16. a3 bxa3 17. Rxa3 a5 18. Qb5 Qc7 19. Nxa5 Rfb8 20. Qc6 Qxc6 $2 (20... Bd8 $1 $132) 21. dxc6 d5 22. Ra2 Bd8 23. cxd7 Rxa5 24. Rxa5 Bxa5+ 25. Ke2 $16 {Topalov,V (2772) -Wojtaszek,R (2735) Tromso olm 2014/ For more details see the notes to this game by Kr.Szabo; this line is analysed also in the notes to Navara-Grischuk, Tromso olm 2014 in CBM 162.}) 9... b5 10. O-O-O Be7 ({Rare and maybe possible, but definitely more risky is} 10... h5 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. exd5 Nb6 13. Qc3 Rb8 ( 13... Nfd7 14. Na5 $14 {Repp,H (2497)-Avotins,M (2488) email 2010 This game was quoted already in the notes to the aforementioned game So-Dominguez (CBM161).}) 14. a4 Be7 15. Qc6+ (15. axb5 O-O 16. Bxb6 Qxb6 17. bxa6 Rfc8 18. Bc4 Nd7 $36) 15... Nfd7 16. Na5 Bg5 17. f4 exf4 18. Bd2 O-O 19. Qxd6 Nf6 20. Qxd8 Rbxd8 21. Nc6 Rd7 22. axb5 axb5 23. Bxb5 Nbxd5 24. c4 Nc7 25. Ba4 Ne6 26. Kb1 Ra8 27. Ba5 Rb7 $132 {1/2-1/2, Pereira,N-Cintins,I email 2011}) 11. g4 b4 { Another crossroads and Black opts for a sideline.} ({The main continuation} 11... O-O 12. g5 b4 13. Ne2 Ne8 14. f4 a5 15. f5 a4 {has been around for more than 10 years, with numerous practical, email and engine games creating a complex theoretical labyrinth. Lately White has been trying to get an edge with } 16. fxe6 axb3 17. cxb3 fxe6 18. Bh3 Rxa2 19. Bxe6+ Kh8 20. Ng3 Nc7 21. Bc4 Qa8 22. Rhf1 Rxf1 23. Rxf1 Ra1+ 24. Kc2 Rxf1 25. Bxf1 d5 26. Qf2 g6 27. h4 Qf8 28. Qxf8+ Nxf8 {He has a pull in the resulting endgmae, but Black seems to hold:} 29. Ba7 (29. Kd3 Nfe6 30. exd5 Nxd5 31. Bf2 Ndf4+ 32. Ke4 (32. Kc4 h6 $1 ) 32... Bd6 33. Bc4 Nc5+ 34. Kf3 Nfd3 35. Bxd3 Nxd3 36. Ne4 Be7 37. Bg3 Kg7 38. Nd2 (38. Ke3 Nf4 $1 39. Bxf4 exf4+ 40. Kxf4 Bd8 $44 {should also be enough to hold according to A.Kovacevic.}) 38... Nc5 39. Bxe5+ Kf7 40. Ke3 Ke6 41. Kd4 Kf5 $132 {Lafarga Santorroman,D (2659)-Hefka,V (2571) email 2012}) 29... dxe4 30. Bb8 Nfe6 31. Nxe4 h6 32. Bc4 hxg5 33. hxg5 Kg7 34. Kd3 Kf8 35. Ke3 Bd8 36. Bxe6 Nxe6 37. Bxe5 Nxg5 $11 {Radjabov,T (2726)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2757) Tashkent 2014}) ({Apart from the text move, another less played alternative is } 11... Nb6 12. g5 Nh5 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Bd7 15. Na5 Qc7 16. Kb1 O-O 17. Rg1 $5 (17. c4 f6 18. Rc1 b4 $5 19. gxf6 Rxf6 20. Qxb4 Rb8 21. Qd2 Rxf3 22. Be2 (22. c5 $1 $13) 22... Rh3 23. Bxh5 $6 Rxh5 24. Ka1 {Dominguez Perez,L (2726) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2714) Beijing rpd 2014} Bd8 $36) 17... g6 (17... f6 $6 18. g6 $40) 18. c4 f6 19. Rc1 b4 (19... Bf5+ $5 20. Ka1 Bd8 21. Nc6 fxg5 22. Nxd8 Qxd8 23. Bxg5 Qd7 $13 {has been tested in email games; although White scored well, the position remains tense.}) 20. Qxb4 Rab8 21. Qc3 $5 (21. Qd2 Bd8 22. Nc6 Bxc6 23. dxc6 Qxc6 24. Bd3 Qxf3 25. c5 d5 26. Rgf1 Qh3 27. gxf6 Nxf6 28. Bxa6 Qe6 29. c6 Bc7 $14 {/~~, Tossutti,J (2091)-Saglione,E (2474) email 2008}) 21... fxg5 (21... Bd8 22. Nb3 $14) 22. Bxg5 (22. c5 $1 e4 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. cxd6 Qxd6 25. dxc6 Bf6 26. Qc4+ Kg7 27. Rc2 $36 {[%csl Gc6] Inarkiev}) 22... Bxg5 23. Rxg5 Nf4 24. c5 Bb5 25. Nb3 Rfe8 $6 (25... a5 $132) (25... e4 $5 $13 { Inarkiev}) 26. Bxb5 Rxb5 27. cxd6 Qxd6 28. Qc6 Qd8 29. Nc5 $1 $16 {Inarkiev,E (2675)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2714) Moscow 2015}) 12. Nd5 {Very natural, but White has tried other retreats as well:} (12. Ne2 a5 13. Kb1 h6 14. Ng3 a4 15. Nc1 d5 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. gxf5 d4 18. Bf2 O-O 19. Rg1 Kh8 20. Bb5 a3 $1 (20... Nc5 21. Nd3 a3 $2 22. Nxe5 axb2 23. Bxd4 Rxa2 24. Kxa2 Qa5+ 25. Kxb2 Qxb5 26. Rxg7 $1 Kxg7 27. Ng4 {Svidler,P (2735)-Sutovsky,E (2697) Mallorca olm 2004}) 21. b3 Nc5 22. Be1 Bd6 23. Bc4 Qe7 24. Nd3 Nxd3 25. cxd3 Nh5 26. Rg4 Nf4 $11 {Rivas Romero,G (2322)-Panduro,R (2163) email 2011}) (12. Na4 {has scored really well, but still lacks more relevant examples. An untested reacton is} Qc7 $5 (12... d5 13. g5 d4 14. Bxd4 Nxe4 15. fxe4 exd4 16. h4 Ne5 {Gyugyi,P (2117)-Francisco, V (2033) email 2003} 17. Nxd4 $36) (12... O-O 13. Qxb4 d5 $44) 13. g5 Nxe4 $1 14. fxe4 Qc6 15. Qxb4 Rb8 16. Na5 Rxb4 17. Nxc6 Rxe4 18. Bd2 Rxa4 19. b3 Rh4 $132) 12... Bxd5 13. exd5 Nb6 14. Na5 (14. Qxb4 Nfxd5 15. Bxb6 Nxb6 16. f4 O-O $142 (16... Qc7 17. fxe5 dxe5 18. Qe4 O-O 19. h4 $1 ({More concrete than} 19. Kb1 a5 20. a4 {1/2-1/2, Morozevich,A (2774)-Dominguez Perez,L (2695) Sarajevo 2008}) 19... a5 20. a4 g6 21. Bb5 f5 22. gxf5 $5 (22. Qg2 f4 23. Nd2 (23. Qf3 $142) (23. h5 $5) 23... Bb4 $1 24. g5 Rac8 25. Nf3 Bc3 $36 {Ponomariov,R (2704) -Bu,X (2637) WChT Beersheba 2005}) 22... gxf5 23. Qg2+ Kh8 24. Rhf1 Bxh4 25. Kb1 Rac8 26. c4 Qf7 27. c5 Qxb3 28. cxb6 $16 {[%csl Gb6,Rh8] Ruiz Vidal,P (2346)-Hervet,G (2357) email 2009}) 17. fxe5 a5 $1 18. Qe1 (18. Qc3 Rc8 19. Qxa5 Qc7 20. Bd3 Ra8 21. exd6 Bxd6 22. Qb5 {1/2-1/2, Zidu,J (2579)-Casabona,C (2598) email 2011} Rxa2 23. Bxh7+ Kxh7 24. Qd3+ Kg8 25. Qxd6 Qb7 $132) (18. Qe4 d5 19. Qf3 a4 20. Nd4 Qc7 21. Kb1 Rab8 22. Bb5 Nc4 23. Bxc4 dxc4 24. Qc6 Qxe5 25. Rhe1 Qg5 26. Qxa4 Bb4 $11 {Dothan,Y (2589)-Lafarga Santorroman,D (2639) email 2007}) 18... a4 19. Nd4 Bh4 20. Qe2 $6 (20. Qe4 $142 a3 21. b3 d5 $13) 20... Qg5+ (20... a3 $5 {/\} 21. b3 Nd5 $36) 21. Kb1 Qxe5 22. Nf3 Qf6 23. a3 ( 23. Nxh4 a3 $1 24. c3 Qxh4 $15) 23... Rab8 24. c3 Nc4 25. Qxc4 Qxf3 26. Bd3 Rfc8 $17 {Morozevich,A (2788)-Anand,V (2798) Mainz rpd 2008}) 14... Nbxd5 ( 14... Nfxd5 $143 $6 15. Nb7 $1 (15. Nc6 Qc7 16. Nxb4 (16. Nxe7 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 Kxe7 18. Qg5+ Kf8 $15 {Roiz,M (2611)-Sutovsky,E (2607) Rishon Le Ziyyon blitz 2006}) 16... Nxb4 17. Qxb4 Rc8 18. Bd3 Nc4 19. Qa4+ Qc6 20. Qxc6+ Rxc6 21. Bf2 {Karjakin,S (2679)-Ponomariov,R (2721) Tomsk rpd 2006} Bg5+ 22. Kb1 Nd2+ 23. Ka1 d5 $132) 15... Qc7 16. Bxb6 Nxb6 17. Nxd6+ Kf8 18. f4 e4 (18... Rd8 19. fxe5 Nc8 20. Bc4 $1 Bxd6 21. Qf4 f6 22. exd6 Rxd6 23. Rxd6 Qxd6 24. Qe4 g5 25. Rd1 $18 {Dzhumaev,M (2529)-Saravanan,V (2394) Rochefort 2009}) (18... exf4 19. Qxf4 f6 20. g5 $1 $40) 19. Nxe4 Rd8 20. Bd3 Nd5 21. f5 Qa5 {Inarkiev,E (2628) -Amonatov,F (2567) Ramenskoe 2006} 22. Kb1 Nc3+ 23. Nxc3 bxc3 24. Qf4 $5 $16) 15. Nc4 {[%mdl 512] Carlsen opts for a positional pawn sacrifice instead of regaining material:} (15. Nc6 Qc7 16. Nxb4 Nxb4 17. Qxb4 O-O 18. Qb6 $142 $1 { makes life far more difficult for Black:} (18. g5 $2 Rfc8 19. Qa4 Rab8 $1 20. Bd3 (20. gxf6 Rb4 $19) 20... Nd7 21. Qe4 g6 22. Bxa6 Rb4 23. Qd3 Rcb8 24. b3 Nc5 25. Bxc5 Qxc5 26. Qd5 Qa7 27. Bc4 Bxg5+ 28. Kb2 Ra4 29. a3 Ra5 30. Qe4 Be3 31. c3 Rxa3 32. Ra1 Ra8 {0-1, Svidler,P (2728)-Karjakin,S (2678) Wijk aan Zee 2007}) 18... Qc8 19. g5 Nd7 20. Qa5 Rb8 (20... Nc5 21. Bc4 Qf5 22. Qd2 Rfc8 23. h4 Rab8 24. Qd5 Rb4 25. b3 a5 26. Rhf1 a4 27. f4 $16 {Inarkiev,E (2656) -Sjugirov,S (2562) EU-ch Budva 2009}) 21. h4 Qb7 22. b3 Qxf3 23. Rh3 Qg4 24. Qxa6 Ra8 25. Qc4 Qxc4 26. Bxc4 Rxa2 27. Rd5 Rc8 28. Rb5 Kf8 29. Kb1 Rxc4 30. bxc4 Ra4 $14 {/=, Cavajda,I (2456)-Norrelykke,S (2346) email 2011}) 15... Nxe3 ({Inserting} 15... h6 16. h4 {is hardly ideal, as Black can now as good as forget about castling kingside:} Nxe3 17. Nxe3 d5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Qxd5 Qxd5 20. Rxd5 Bf6 21. Ra5 Ke7 22. Rxa6 Rxa6 23. Bxa6 Rd8 24. Bd3 Kd6 25. h5 Bg5+ 26. Kb1 $14 {/+/-, Dominguez Perez,L (2695)-Predojevic,B (2651) Sarajevo 2008}) 16. Nxe3 {[%csl Re7,Gf1] White plays for light-square control, with ^- on the board he is the one with the stronger bishop.} ({Less logical is} 16. Qxe3 Qc7 17. h4 O-O 18. g5 Nd7 (18... Nh5 $5 19. Nb6 Nf4 20. Nxa8 Rxa8 $44) 19. f4 f5 20. gxf6 (20. Rh2 $5 $44 {[%CAl Yh2d2]}) 20... Rxf6 21. fxe5 dxe5 22. Qe4 Rd8 23. Bd3 g6 24. Ne3 {Franklin,S (2307)-Burrows,M (2123) England 2013} Rf4 $15) 16... O-O (16... Nd7 17. Nd5 Bh4 18. Qxb4 Nc5 19. Qb6 O-O 20. Qxd8 Rfxd8 21. b4 Ne6 22. Kb2 Kf8 23. c3 a5 24. a3 Ra7 25. Bc4 g6 26. Rhf1 Kg7 {Perez Garcia,R (2432)-Razmyslov,A (2387) Burguillos 2008} 27. Bb3 $14) 17. Bc4 $146 {[%mdl 40] Consistent with the previous move, Carlsen shows a different strategy from his predecessors - White doesn't hurry with his attack and first increases his central control.} (17. h4 a5 18. Kb1 Rc8 19. Bd3 Rc5 20. Nf5 Nd5 (20... g6 21. Qh6 gxf5 22. g5 (22. Bxf5 e4 23. fxe4 Re8 24. g5 Rxf5 25. exf5 Ng4 26. Qh5 Ne5 $13) 22... Ne4 23. fxe4 f4 24. Rdg1 Kh8 25. h5 Rg8 26. g6 Rg7 27. gxf7 Rxf7 28. Bc4 Bg5 $1 29. Rxg5 Rxc4 30. Rhg1 Rxe4 31. Qe6 Rf8 32. Qh6 Rf7 33. Qe6 Rf8 { 1/2-1/2, Papp,P (2254)-Gara,T (2377) Kisvarda 2012}) 21. Rhe1 Kh8 22. Bc4 $6 ( 22. Be4 $11) 22... Nc3+ $1 23. bxc3 Rxc4 24. Nxe7 Qxe7 25. Qxd6 Qxd6 26. Rxd6 Rxc3 (26... f6 $1 $15) 27. Rxe5 Rxf3 28. Rxa5 $11 {Shomoev,A (2571)-Bodnaruk,A (2425) St Petersburg 2012}) 17... Nd7 (17... Rc8 18. Bb3 $5 {retains the tension.} (18. Qxb4 d5 19. Qb7 d4 20. Qxa6 Nd7 $5 $44)) (17... d5 18. Qe2 $5 ( 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Qxd5 Qc7 $5 $132 (19... Qxd5 20. Rxd5 Bg5+ 21. Kb1 Bf4 22. Rd7 $14)) 18... d4 19. Nf5 $13 {/+/=}) 18. h4 $1 (18. Kb1 Bg5 $1 19. Qxd6 Bxe3 20. Qxd7 Bd4 $11 {eases Black's task and solves his opening problems.}) 18... a5 (18... Bxh4 $2 19. Qh2 g5 20. Nf5 $16) (18... Nb6 19. Bd5 $5 (19. Qxb4 d5 $132) 19... Rb8 20. Be4 $44) 19. g5 Rc8 20. Bd5 Nb6 21. Kb1 Qc7 $6 {White has a strong bind and it's not so easy to say where Black went wrong. Perhaps this is the moment and the queen shouldn't stray too far from the kingside. Possibly a better alternative is} (21... Rc5 22. Rhf1 Kh8 (22... Re8 23. Be4 $5 $44 (23. f4 exf4 24. Rxf4 Nxd5 25. Nxd5 Bf8 $132 {[%CAl Yd8a8,Ye8e5]})) 23. f4 exf4 (23... f6 24. g6 $5 hxg6 25. f5 $44) 24. Rxf4 f6 25. Rdf1 $44 (25. g6 hxg6 26. Rg4 Qe8 $1 27. Rdg1 Nxd5 28. Nxd5 Qf7 $11)) 22. Rhf1 {[%CAl Yf3f4]} (22. Rhg1 $143 {[%CAl Yg5g6]} Kh8 23. h5 Qd8 24. Qg2 Rc5 $132) 22... Nxd5 (22... Kh8 23. f4 exf4 24. Rxf4 {/\} f6 25. g6 hxg6 26. Rg4 $40 {[%csl Rg6,Rh8]}) (22... Qc5 23. f4 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Bd8 25. f5 f6 $5 $14) 23. Nxd5 {[%csl Gd5] The B is replaced by a N - any minor piece on d5 is a powerhouse!} Qb7 24. f4 f5 { A natural attempt to curb White's kingside expansion, but it loosens Black's kingside.} (24... f6 25. g6 $5 h6 26. Ne3 $36 {[%CAl Ye3f5]}) (24... exf4 25. Qxf4 $36 {[%CAl Yh4h6,Yg5g6]}) 25. Qe3 e4 (25... Rce8 26. Qh3 {and Black can sooner or later hardly avoid the stabilising e4 advance.} (26. h5 $5 $36) (26. fxe5 dxe5 27. Qxe5 Bxg5 28. Qc7 Qxc7 29. Nxc7 Rc8 30. Ne6 Bxh4 $132)) 26. h5 $36 {[%csl Gg5,Rg8,Gh5]} Rc5 27. h6 g6 (27... Rxd5 $2 28. Qb3 $18) (27... Rf7 28. Qb3 $36 {/\} a4 29. Nxe7+ Qxe7 30. Qxa4 $16 {[%csl Rb4,Rd6]}) ({Komodo initially recommends} 27... gxh6 28. gxh6 Kf7 {, but after} 29. Nxe7 (29. Qd4 Rg8 $13) 29... Kxe7 30. Qd4 Qc6 31. Rg1 $36 {[%csl Rd6,Re7,Rh7] White is on top even without the Nd5 - Black's K and P are vulnerable.} Rxc2 $2 32. Rg7+ Rf7 33. Qa7+ Qc7 34. Qa8 $1 {[%CAl Ra8d5]} Qc4 35. Qb7+ Qc7 36. Qd5 $18) 28. Qb3 Rf7 29. a4 {A generally useful move, but more energetic and concrete was} ( 29. Rf2 {[%CAl Yf2d2,Yd5e3]}) ({or} 29. Rd4 $142 $1 $16 {immediately.}) 29... Bd8 30. Rd4 Kf8 (30... Rc6 $5 31. Rfd1 Qd7 $14 {/\} 32. Ne3 $2 Bb6) 31. Rfd1 Rc6 (31... Rd7 32. Ne3 Be7 33. Nc4 $36 {[%CAl Rc4d6,Rc4e5]}) 32. Ne3 $1 Bb6 33. Nc4 $6 (33. Rxd6 $142 Rxd6 34. Rxd6 Bc7 35. Rd5 $5 {seems simpler} (35. Re6 Bxf4 36. Nd5 Bxg5 37. Qc4 {was pointed out by Ramirez, after} Bxh6 (37... Rd7 38. Qd4 $1 Kf7 39. Rd6 $1 Rxd6 40. Qg7+ $18) 38. Qc5+ Kg8 39. Nf6+ Rxf6 40. Rxf6 $36 {Black has more than enough material, but his pieces are uncoordinated.}) {/\} 35... Bxf4 36. Rxa5 Bxg5 37. Rb5 $16) 33... Bxd4 $6 { [%mdl 64] So misses a good tactical chance} (33... Rxc4 $5 {, when White's advantage is not as convincing, as it was in the game:} 34. Qxc4 $1 (34. Rxc4 Rd7 $1 $15 {[%csl Rc4][%CAl Rd6d5]} (34... d5 $2 35. Rxd5 Qxd5 36. Rc8+ $18)) 34... Bxd4 (34... Qc7 35. Qa6 $1 (35. Qxc7 $6 Bxc7 $14) 35... Qb7 36. Qxb7 Rxb7 37. Rxd6 Be3 38. Rf1 $16) 35. Rxd4 Qd7 (35... Qc7 $2 36. Qa6 $1 {[%CAl Rd4c4, Rd4d6]}) (35... Rc7 36. Qe6 Qc6 37. Qf6+ Kg8 38. Qd8+ Kf7 39. c4 $1 {[%CAl Rd4d6]} Ke6 40. Qf6+ Kd7 41. Rd5 $1 $16) 36. Qd5 $36 (36. Qa6 $5)) 34. Nxa5 Qb6 35. Nxc6 Bc5 (35... Qxc6 36. Rxd4 $18 {[%csl Rb4,Rd6,Rf8]}) 36. Qd5 e3 { Seeking practical chances.} ({Passive defence is disgusting:} 36... Qc7 37. Nd4 $16 (37. a5 Qc8 $16)) 37. a5 Qb5 (37... Qb7 $2 38. Qxc5 $18) ({A more resilient try was} 37... Qc7 $142 38. a6 (38. c3 $5 b3 $8 (38... bxc3 39. b4 c2+ 40. Kxc2 Bxb4 41. Kd3 $1 $18) 39. a6 $16) 38... Qc8 39. Re1 (39. a7 $5 Qa8 40. Qa2 $16) 39... Qxa6 40. Rxe3 b3 $1 41. Rxb3 $1 Qf1+ 42. Ka2 Qa6+ 43. Ra3 $8 Bxa3 44. bxa3 $16) 38. Nd8 $1 $18 Ra7 (38... Re7 39. Ne6+ Ke8 40. Nd4 Qb7 41. Nc6 e2 (41... Rf7 42. Qe6+ Kf8 43. Nd8 $18) 42. Re1 Re4 43. a6 Qf7 (43... Qxa6 44. Qg8+ Kd7 45. Nb8+) 44. a7 $5 Bxa7 (44... Qxd5 45. a8=Q+ Kd7 46. Qd8+ Kxc6 47. Qa8+ $18) 45. Qa5 $1 $18 {and White wins a piece with a continuing attack.} (45. Qxf7+ Kxf7 46. Nxa7 $16)) 39. Ne6+ Ke8 (39... Ke7 40. Nd4 $18 {[%CAl Rd4c6]}) 40. Nd4 $6 {Doesn't squander the advantage, but prolongs the game.} ({ Much simpler was} 40. Nxc5 Qxc5 41. Qg8+ Kd7 42. Qxh7+ Kc6 43. Qxg6 Re7 (43... e2 $2 44. Qe8+) 44. Qg8 $18 (44. Qh5 e2 45. Re1 $18)) 40... Qxa5 41. Qg8+ Kd7 42. Qxh7+ Kc8 43. Qg8+ Kb7 44. c3 $1 bxc3 (44... Qa4 45. Qb3 Qxb3 46. Nxb3 $18 {is similar to the game.}) 45. Qb3+ Qb6 (45... Qb4 46. bxc3 Qxb3+ 47. Nxb3 $18) 46. Qxb6+ ({Carlsen has had enough excitement, but it was tempting to keep the queens on board with} 46. Nb5 $18) ({or} 46. Qxc3 $5 {- here Black's king is still more exposed, than its counterpart.}) 46... Kxb6 (46... Bxb6 {gives White a pleasant choice:} 47. Ne2 $5 (47. Nb5 $16) (47. bxc3 Bxd4 48. cxd4 Kc6 49. Re1 Re7 50. Kc2 Kd5 51. Kd3 Re4 52. Rxe3 Rxf4 53. Rh3 Rxd4+ 54. Ke2 Re4+ 55. Kf2 Re8 56. Rd3+ Kc5 57. Re3 Ra8 58. Re6 Ra2+ 59. Ke3 Ra3+ 60. Kd2 Ra2+ 61. Kc1 Ra1+ 62. Kb2 Rh1 63. Rxg6 f4 64. Rf6 Rh5 65. Rf8 $18 {[%CAl Rg5g6]}) 47... cxb2 48. Rxd6 Ra1+ 49. Kxb2 Re1 50. Nc1 Bc7 51. Rxg6 Bxf4 52. Nd3 Re2+ 53. Kc3 $18) 47. bxc3 $18 {[%csl Gh6] The powerful o^ makes long-term resistance futile.} Bxd4 48. Rxd4 $1 Kc6 (48... e2 49. Rxd6+ Kc5 50. Re6 $18) (48... Kc5 49. Kc2 Re7 50. Kd1 e2+ 51. Ke1 Re3 52. Ra4 Rxc3 53. Ra8 Rh3 54. Kxe2 d5 55. Ra6 Kd4 56. Rxg6 Ke4 57. Rg7 Kxf4 58. h7 $18) 49. Kc2 Ra2+ 50. Kd1 Rf2 51. Ke1 Kd7 52. Ra4 Ke6 53. Ra8 Rh2 54. c4 $5 (54. Rg8 Kd5 55. Re8 $1 $18 (55. Rxg6 $2 Ke4 $132)) 54... Kf7 55. Rb8 $22 Ke6 (55... Rh4 56. Ke2 $18) (55... e2 56. Kd2 $18) 56. Rg8 1-0 [Event "Tata Steel-A 78th"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2016.01.21"] [Round "5"] [White "Van Wely, Loek"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D83"] [WhiteElo "2640"] [BlackElo "2844"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2016.01.16"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "20"] [SourceTitle "CBM 171"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2016.03.14"] [SourceVersion "2"] [SourceVersionDate "2016.03.14"] [SourceQuality "1"] [WhiteTeam "Szenna Pack"] [BlackTeam "Lenti"] [WhiteTeamCountry "HUN"] [BlackTeamCountry "HUN"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 {At the moment our game was played, Carlsen hasn't yet scored a full point. Going for the complex Grünfeld indicates his ambitions.} 4. Bf4 {On the other hand, van Wely responds with a solid system to minimise the risk.} ({After the analogous} 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 ({For} 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 8. Be2 {see Navara's notes to Navara-Giri, Wijk 2016. }) 5... Ne4 6. Bf4 {Black recently came up with a novel sacrificial idea} O-O $5 ({The standard continuation is} 6... Nxc3 7. bxc3 dxc4 $11 ({or} 7... c5 $132)) 7. Nxd5 (7. e3 c5 8. cxd5 Bf5 $5 $146 (8... Nxc3 {- 6...Nxc3} 9. bxc3 Qxd5 {leads back to the main line.}) 9. Bc4 (9. Qb3 $142 $5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Be4 12. Bc4 $13 {/+/=}) 9... cxd4 10. exd4 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Be4 12. O-O Bxd5 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 14. Qb3 Qd7 15. Rab1 b6 16. Ne5 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Nc6 18. Bf4 Na5 19. Qd1 Rac8 20. Qf3 Qc6 $15 {Gelfand,B (2743)-Grischuk,A (2810) Beijing blitz 2014}) (7. cxd5 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Qxd5 9. e3 Qa5 10. Qd2 Nd7 11. Bd3 e5 12. Bg3 Re8 13. e4 b6 14. Rd1 Ba6 15. O-O exd4 16. cxd4 Qxd2 17. Rxd2 Bxd3 18. Rxd3 Rxe4 19. Bxc7 Rc8 20. Bg3 Re2 21. a3 Bf8 22. d5 Bc5 $15 {Wang,Y (2720) -Grischuk,A (2810) Beijing blitz 2014}) 7... c5 8. Bc7 $5 (8. Nc3 $6 Qa5 9. e3 Nc6 10. Rc1 g5 $1 (10... Rd8 11. d5 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxc3+ 13. Nd2 e6 14. e4 Nd4 15. Bd3 Bb2 16. Rb1 Qxa2 17. O-O a5 {Gelfand,B (2759)-Grischuk,A (2795) Sochi blitz 2014} 18. Bg5 Re8 19. e5 $1 $36) (10... cxd4 $5 11. exd4 Rd8 $36 { [%csl Rd4]}) 11. Be5 (11. Nxg5 Nxg5 12. d5 Ne4 $40) 11... Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nxc3 13. Rxc3 g4 $17) 8... Qd7 9. Be5 (9. Ne5 Qe8 10. Qc2 e6 11. Qxe4 exd5 $36 {/\} 12. Qxd5 Na6 {[%CAl Ra6c7,Ra6b4]}) 9... f6 10. Bf4 e6 $5 (10... cxd4 11. Qxd4 f5 $44) 11. Nc3 (11. Nc7 g5 $15) 11... f5 $32) 4... Bg7 5. e3 (5. Nf3 O-O 6. Rc1 {Black can play} Be6 $5 {here as well, trying to limit his opponent's options.} ({After the (once) main move} 6... dxc4 {Black must reckon with both} 7. e3 ({and} 7. e4)) {The sortie} 7. Ng5 $6 ({We will deal with the more circumspect} 7. e3 {below.}) {is risky due to White's lag in development:} 7... c5 $1 8. dxc5 (8. Nxe6 fxe6 9. e3 (9. dxc5 d4 10. Na4 Ne4 11. e3 Qa5+ 12. Ke2 Nc6 13. f3 d3+ 14. Qxd3 Rad8 15. b4 Qxb4 {0-1, Lomakin,V (2148)-Kovalev,D (2484) Mukachevo 2012}) 9... Nh5 $5 (9... Qa5 10. Be2 Ne4 11. O-O cxd4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Bg4 $1 $13 (13. Bxb8 $2 Raxb8 14. exd4 Qxa2 15. Qc2 Bxd4 16. Qxe4 Qxb2 17. Rb1 Qc3 18. Qxe6+ Kh8 19. Bf3 Rxf3 20. gxf3 Qxf3 $40 {Stocek,J (2569) -Howell,D (2635) Istanbul olm 2012})) 10. Bxb8 Rxb8 11. Be2 cxd4 12. exd4 dxc4 (12... Nf4 $5) 13. Bxc4 Bxd4 14. O-O {Faghirnavaz,A (2284)-Darini,P (2540) Tabriz 2013} Qb6 $15) 8... d4 9. Nb5 Nc6 10. Nc7 Bf5 $1 11. Nxa8 e5 12. Bd2 e4 13. e3 (13. Qb3 Qe7 14. e3 d3 15. Nh3 Rxa8 16. Nf4 Rd8 17. h3 Ne5 18. Nd5 Qd7 19. Qb5 Nxd5 20. Qxd7 Rxd7 21. cxd5 Rxd5 $44 {|^, Socko,B (2629)-Negi,P (2661) Leiden 2012}) (13. b4 Qe7 14. Bf4 Rxa8 15. Bd6 Qd8 16. b5 e3 17. fxe3 dxe3 18. Qa4 Nd4 19. g3 Ne4 20. Nf3 Nxc5 $1 $19 {Perez Garcia,A (2273)-Csonka,B (2415) Gibraltar 2016}) 13... h6 (13... d3 $5) 14. Nh3 $6 (14. exd4 $5 hxg5 15. d5 $15 {/~~}) 14... Bxh3 15. gxh3 Ne5 $1 16. Bg2 Nd3+ 17. Kf1 Nxc1 18. Qxc1 d3 19. Bc3 Qe7 $2 (19... Re8 $1 $17 {[%csl Gd3,Ge4]}) 20. Nc7 $1 Qxc7 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Bxe4 Rd8 23. Bd5 Qxc5 24. Qd1 $11 {Grischuk,A (2761)-Caruana,F (2770) Moscow 2012 For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 149 by Krasenkow.}) 5... O-O ({A solid alternative is} 5... c5 6. dxc5 Qa5 7. Rc1 dxc4 8. Bxc4 O-O 9. Nge2 ({The more usual} 9. Nf3 Qxc5 10. Bb3 Nc6 11. O-O Qa5 12. h3 Bf5 13. Qe2 Ne4 $11 {doesn't promise White an advantage, most of the lines here are analysed much deeper to almost forced draws. For more details see the notes to Aronian,L (2802)-Svidler,P (2755) Moscow 2011 in CBM 146.}) {Black can avoid the murky sacrificial line with} 9... Nc6 $5 (9... Qxc5 10. Qb3 Nc6 11. Nb5 Qh5 12. Ng3 Qh4 13. Nc7 e5 $13 (13... g5 $5)) 10. O-O (10. Qb3 Nd7 $11 (10... Ne4 $5)) 10... Qxc5 11. Nb5 Be6 12. Bd3 (12. Nc7 $2 Bxc4 13. Nxa8 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Qa5 15. Nc7 e5 $17) 12... Qb4 13. Nc7 (13. a3 Qb3 14. Ned4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Qxd1 16. Rfxd1 Nd5 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Rc2 Rac8 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Rb1 Nxf4 21. exf4 Rd8 22. Bc4 Kf7 23. b3 Rd2 24. Re1 Bd4 $11 {Lysyj,I (2686)-Svidler,P (2743) Kazan 2014}) 13... Bxa2 14. Nxa8 Rxa8 15. Ra1 Be6 16. Qa4 Nd5 17. Bb5 Nxf4 18. Nxf4 Bb3 19. Qxb4 Nxb4 20. Rac1 a5 21. Rc7 a4 22. Rxb7 Bxb2 23. Be2 Na2 24. Bf3 Rd8 25. Nd5 e6 26. Rb1 a3 27. Rxb3 exd5 28. R3xb2 axb2 29. Rxb2 Nc3 $11 { Tomashevsky,E (2747)-Svidler,P (2739) Chita 2015/ However, we have already indicated Carlsen was not interested in symmetry and equality...}) 6. Rc1 (6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7 Na6 $1 9. Bxa6 Qxg2 10. Qf3 Qxf3 11. Nxf3 bxa6 { is considered innocuous:} 12. Rc1 f6 13. Rg1 Rf7 (13... Bb7 14. Ke2 Rf7 15. Rgd1 e6 16. Ne1 Rc8 17. Bg3 Rxc1 18. Rxc1 e5 19. dxe5 fxe5 20. Nd3 e4 21. Ne5 Bxe5 22. Bxe5 $14 {/=, Lysyj,I (2691)-Rodshtein,M (2654) Sochi 2015}) 14. Ke2 Bd7 15. Nd2 e5 16. d5 Bb5+ 17. Kf3 f5 18. b3 e4+ 19. Kg2 Bb2 20. Rc2 Bd3 21. Rc6 Bb5 22. Rc2 Bd3 23. Rc6 {1/2, Radjabov,T (2700)-Ivanchuk,V (2729) Morelia/ Linares 2006. See the notes to this game in CBM 112 by Krasenkow.}) ({The natural developing move is} 6. Nf3 {and now:} {After the common} c5 ({Even here Black can consider} 6... Be6 $5 {, but the knight move is more useful than Rc1 and he must reckon with} 7. Ng5 (7. Qb3 c5 8. Qxb7 Qb6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. dxc5 bxc5 11. Ng5 Nc6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Be2 d4 14. Nb5 e5 15. Bg3 e4 16. Nc7 Rab8 17. Nb5 Rb7 18. O-O d3 19. Bd1 Nh5 20. Bxh5 gxh5 $44 {Sakaev,K (2594) -Gelfand,B (2747) Jurmala 2015}) 7... Bf5 8. Qb3 c5 9. cxd5 (9. Qxb7 Nbd7 10. Be2 cxd4 11. exd4 dxc4 12. O-O Qb6 13. Qxb6 Nxb6 14. Be5 Rac8 15. Nb5 Bd7 16. a4 a6 17. Nc3 {Sanikidze,T (2549)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2682) Nancy rpd 2012} Nfd5 $11) 9... cxd4 10. exd4 Nbd7 11. Qxb7 Nb6 12. Bc7 Qc8 13. Qxc8 Raxc8 14. Bxb6 axb6 15. Ba6 Rcd8 16. Bc4 Bc8 17. Nf3 Bb7 18. Ke2 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Rxd5 21. Rhd1 Rfd8 22. Rac1 g5 23. h3 h5 $44 {Simantsev,M (2454)-Rausis,I (2532) Teplice 2013}) 7. dxc5 {Black has a choice:} Ne4 $142 (7... Qa5 8. Rc1 Rd8 9. Qa4 Qxc5 10. b4 Qc6 11. Qa3 $5 dxc4 12. b5 Qb6 13. Bxc4 Be6 14. Bxe6 Qxe6 15. O-O $14 {Ivanchuk,V (2757)-Carlsen,M (2872) London ct 2013. See the notes to this game in CBM 154.}) (7... dxc4 8. Qxd8 $1 (8. Bxc4 Qa5 $11 { - 5...c5}) 8... Rxd8 9. Bxc4 $14) 8. Rc1 Nd7 $5 9. cxd5 Qa5 10. Nd4 (10. Qc2 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Nxc5 12. e4 Bd7 13. Bd2 Qa4 (13... Rac8 $5 {is the main choice in email games, Black scores well here:} 14. c4 Qb6 15. Be3 Ba4 16. Qxa4 Nxa4 17. Bxb6 axb6 18. Rc2 b5 19. Nd2 bxc4 20. Bxc4 b5 21. Bb3 Rxc2 22. Bxc2 Nc3 23. Bb3 Ra8 24. g3 Nxa2 $11 {Sciarretta,R (2141)-Rodriguez,K (2341) email 2013}) 14. Qxa4 Bxa4 15. e5 Bd7 16. Bf4 Bg4 17. Nd4 Rad8 18. f3 Bc8 19. d6 exd6 20. exd6 Rfe8+ 21. Kf2 Be5 22. Bxe5 Rxe5 23. Bc4 Rxd6 $11 {Prohaszka,P (2554)-Bok, B (2532) Stroebeck 2013}) 10... Nxc3 11. bxc3 Qxa2 12. c6 (12. Qb3 Qxb3 13. Nxb3 a5 14. c6 Nb6 $32 {=/+}) 12... Nc5 13. Be2 (13. c4 e5 $1 $40 {[%csl Re1]}) 13... Qxd5 14. Bf3 Qc4 15. Be2 Qd5 (15... Qa2 $5) 16. Bf3 Qc4 17. Be2 Qd5 { ½, Ivanchuk,V (2757)-Gelfand,B (2740) London ct 2013}) 6... Be6 7. cxd5 { Van Wely chooses the simplest continuation.} ({An ambitious alternative is} 7. c5 {and now:} {Possibly the best is the strategic retreat} Bc8 $5 (7... c6 8. Bd3 (8. b4 Nbd7 9. Bd3 Nh5 10. Nge2 (10. Bg5 $142 $5) 10... f6 $1 11. h4 Bf7 12. Bh2 {[%CAl Rg2g4]} f5 $1 {[%CAl Ye7e5]} 13. f4 $6 Nhf6 14. Bg3 Ng4 15. Qd2 Ndf6 16. Nd1 Ne4 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. a4 b6 19. h5 gxh5 20. Bh4 Bf6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Nf2 Kh8 23. O-O Rg8 $40 {Ivanchuk,V (2731)-Grischuk,A (2785) Elancourt 2013 }) (8. h3 {[%CAl Yg1f3] frees a square for the Bf4 and prepares Nf3 without allowing Bg4:} {Black seems fine after} Ne4 (8... b6 9. b4 Ne4 10. Bd3 a5 11. Na4 (11. b5 $142 $5 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 bxc5 13. Rxc5 $11 {/+/=}) 11... Nd7 12. f3 b5 $5 13. fxe4 bxa4 14. b5 dxe4 15. Bxe4 cxb5 16. Nf3 Bxa2 17. Qe2 Bc4 18. Rxc4 bxc4 19. Qxc4 Ra7 20. O-O e5 21. Bg5 Bf6 {Jumabayev,R (2525)-So,W (2652) Istanbul olm 2012} 22. Bh6 Bg7 23. Bg5 Bf6 $11) 9. Bd3 Bf5 $5 $13) 8... Bg4 9. Nge2 (9. f3 Bc8 10. Nge2 Nbd7 11. O-O e5 12. Bg5 Qc7 13. b4 Re8 14. Qd2 Nf8 15. Bh4 Nh5 16. g4 Nf6 17. Bg3 N8d7 18. Kg2 Qd8 19. h3 h5 $13 {Kovalenko,I (2637) -Kulaots,K (2568) Vilnius 2014}) (9. Qc2 Nfd7 10. Bxb8 $6 Nxb8 $1 11. h3 Bc8 12. f4 b6 13. Na4 e5 $1 14. dxe5 f6 15. exf6 Qxf6 16. Nf3 Qe7 17. Kf2 b5 18. Nc3 Na6 19. Qd2 Nxc5 20. Bb1 Kh8 21. b4 Nb7 22. Ne2 Nd6 $17 {Wang,Y (2736) -Carlsen,M (2772) Nanjing 2009}) 9... Re8 (9... Bxe2 10. Bxe2 Nbd7 {Spalir,J (2325)-Rogulj,B (2402) Hum na Sutli 2015} 11. Bg3 Re8 12. f4 $1 {() Wojtaszek}) 10. f3 Bc8 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Bg5 e5 13. b4 Nf8 14. Bh4 Bh6 $2 (14... exd4 15. exd4 Bd7 16. b5 Qa5 $132 {Wojtaszek}) 15. f4 e4 16. Bc2 Bg7 17. b5 Bd7 18. Ba4 Qc8 19. h3 Nh5 20. Rb1 f5 21. Qb3 Bf6 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. bxc6 bxc6 24. Qb7 $16 { Wojtaszek,R (2733)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2731) Biel 2015. See the notes to this game by Wojtaszek in CBM 168.}) (7... Nh5 8. Bg5 b6 9. b4 a5 10. b5 bxc5 11. dxc5 h6 12. Bh4 c6 13. Nf3 a4 14. Nd4 Bd7 15. Be2 g5 16. Bxh5 gxh4 17. Bf3 e6 18. O-O cxb5 19. Ncxb5 Ra5 20. Be2 Bxb5 21. Nxb5 Nc6 $13 {Buhmann,R (2613) -Rambaldi,F (2517) Vienna 2015}) 8. Bd3 c6 9. Bg5 (9. h3 Nfd7 $1 10. Nf3 e5 11. dxe5 ({White still wants to fight for an edge, but a more circumspect try was} 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 14. O-O Nxe5 $11) 11... Nxc5 12. Bb1 ( 12. O-O Nxd3 (12... Nbd7 $5) 13. Qxd3 Bf5 14. Qe2 Nd7 $11) (12. Be2 $5) 12... Nbd7 13. b4 (13. O-O Qb6 14. Qc2 Re8 15. Rfd1 a5 $5 {[%csl Re5]}) 13... Ne6 14. O-O (14. Bg3 Ng5 $15) 14... Nxf4 15. exf4 Nb6 16. Qd4 (16. Re1 a5 $5 $13 {/=/+} ) 16... f6 17. b5 Nc4 (17... fxe5 $142 $1 18. Nxe5 (18. fxe5 $2 Rxf3 19. gxf3 Qg5+) 18... Nc4 $36) 18. bxc6 bxc6 19. Bd3 fxe5 20. Nxe5 $6 (20. fxe5 Rxf3 21. Bxc4 $13 {/\} Bxh3 22. Nxd5 Qg5 23. Nf4+ $11) 20... Bxe5 $1 21. fxe5 Nd2 22. Rfd1 Qg5 23. Qe3 $1 (23. Kh2 $2 Bxh3 $1 24. Kxh3 Nf3 $1 25. gxf3 Rxf3+ 26. Kh2 Raf8 $19) 23... Nf3+ 24. Kh1 Qxe3 25. fxe3 Nxe5 $15 {Gelfand,B (2759)-Grischuk, A (2795) Moscow 2014/ See the notes to this important game in CBM 164 by Krasenkow.}) (9. Nf3 Bg4 $11) (9. b4 $5 b6 (9... Nfd7 10. Nf3 e5 $5 11. dxe5 Re8 $11) 10. Nge2 Nfd7 11. O-O e5 12. Bg3 a5 13. b5 bxc5 14. bxc6 Nxc6 15. Nxd5 Nb4 16. Be4 $36 {Karner,C (2339)-Kreisl,R (2408) Austria 2014}) 9... Re8 (9... Nfd7 10. f4 {Kovalenko,I (2653)-Grigoriants,S (2570) Wroclaw blitz 2014} (10. Nge2 $142 {Wojtaszek}) 10... f6 11. Bh4 e5 $1 12. fxe5 Qe8 $36) (9... b6 10. b4 a5 11. b5 bxc5 12. dxc5 Nbd7 13. bxc6 Nxc5 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Be2 Bxc3+ 16. Rxc3 Ne4 17. Rc2 a4 18. f3 Qa5+ 19. Kf1 Nf6 20. g4 Ba6 21. Kf2 Rfc8 22. Qd4 Rab8 23. Qa7 Rb6 24. g5 Ne8 25. Nh3 Rc7 26. Qa8 Rc8 {½, Duda,J (2663)-Bok,B (2594) Doha 2015}) 10. f4 Bf5 11. Bxf5 gxf5 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qh5 e6 14. Nf3 Nd7 15. g4 fxg4 16. Rg1 Kh8 17. Rxg4 Rg8 18. Rg3 Qe7 19. Ke2 $6 (19. e4 $5) 19... Rg6 20. Rxg6 fxg6 21. Qg4 b6 22. b4 a5 $132 {Wojtaszek,R (2734)-Vovk,Y (2617) Berlin blitz 2015}) (7. Nf3 c5 ({Another good way is} 7... dxc4 8. Ng5 Bd5 9. e4 h6 10. exd5 hxg5 11. Bxg5 Nxd5 12. Bxc4 Nb6 13. Bb3 Nc6 14. Ne2 a5 $1 $11 { , this line has already been known for about 15 years.}) 8. dxc5 (8. cxd5 $5 { is rare, but the engines seem to like it:} Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Bc4 Qd7 11. Bxe6 Qxe6 12. Rxc5 Qxa2 13. Bxb8 (13. O-O $142 $5 Qxb2 14. Qd3 $36) 13... Rfxb8 14. Qc2 b6 15. Rc4 b5 16. Rc7 a5 17. O-O a4 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. dxe5 b4 20. Rxe7 Re8 $44 {Lefebvre,H (2286)-Wirig,A (2490) Cappelle-la-Grande 2013}) 8... Nc6 9. Be2 (9. Ng5 Bg4 10. f3 e5 $5 11. cxd5 exf4 12. dxc6 Qe7 {and Black holds his own in the complications:} 13. fxg4 Qxe3+ 14. Be2 Nxg4 15. Nh3 Rad8 16. Qc2 Qe7 $1 17. O-O Qxc5+ 18. Kh1 Ne3 $132) 9... Ne4 10. Nd4 (10. O-O Bxc3 $1 (10... Nxc3 11. bxc3 dxc4 12. Ng5 $14) 11. bxc3 dxc4 12. Nd4 Qd7 $1 (12... Nxc5 $143 13. Bh6 Re8 14. Nxe6 Nxe6 15. Bxc4 Qxd1 16. Rfxd1 $14 {Keres,P-Kavalek,L Marianske Lazne 1965}) 13. Nxe6 Qxe6 14. Qa4 Ne5 15. Qb5 (15. c6 $5 $11) 15... Nd3 $1 ({This is more concrete than} 15... a6 $5) 16. Bxd3 cxd3 17. Qxd3 $6 ( 17. f3 d2 18. Rc2 Rad8 19. Rd1 g5 $1 $15) 17... Nxc5 18. Qd4 Rfc8 19. c4 f6 20. Rfd1 Rc6 21. h3 Rac8 22. Qd5 Kf7 $15 {[%csl Rc4] /-/+, Miralles,G (2472) -Dominguez Perez,L (2753) Rhodes 2013}) 10... Nxd4 11. exd4 Nxc3 12. bxc3 dxc4 13. O-O Bd5 14. Bf3 Qd7 15. Re1 Rfe8 16. Rb1 b6 17. cxb6 axb6 18. Rxb6 Rxa2 19. Bxd5 Qxd5 20. Qf3 Qa5 $5 21. Rbb1 Bf6 22. Qc6 Qa4 23. Qxa4 Rxa4 24. g4 Ra5 25. Rb7 Rc8 26. Kg2 h5 27. h3 Kg7 28. Re3 Rc6 29. Bg3 hxg4 30. hxg4 g5 $11 { L'Ami,E (2606)-Mamedyarov,S (2721) Novi Sad 2009}) (7. Qb3 c5 $1 8. Qxb7 Qb6 9. Qxb6 axb6 $32 {It's practically impossible to finish development and retain the extra material:} 10. Nf3 Nc6 (10... dxc4 11. dxc5 bxc5 12. Ng5 Bd5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bxc4 Nxf4 15. exf4 Bxb2 16. Rc2 Bf6 17. O-O Nc6 18. Bd5 Nb4 19. Rxc5 Nxd5 20. Rxd5 Rxa2 {Ding,L (2574)-Le,Q (2681) Manila 2010}) 11. dxc5 bxc5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Rxc5 e6 15. Bc4 Bxc4 16. Rxc4 Rxa2 17. O-O Na5 18. Rc5 Nb7 19. Rc7 Rxb2 20. g4 Rb5 21. Kg2 h6 $11 {Malakhov,V (2714)-Svidler,P (2730) Olginka 2011 White's more active pieces give him only a symbolic edge, a draw was agreed shortly.}) 7... Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Bxd5 (8... Qxd5 {is played more often, but leads to a rather boring position Magnus definitely wanted to avoid: } 9. b3 (9. a3 Qa5+ 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 c6 12. Bc4 Bxc4 13. Rxc4 Nd7 14. Nf3 Rfd8 15. Ke2 Nb6 16. Rc2 Rd5 17. g4 Rb5 18. Be5 Nd7 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. h3 Re8 { 1/2, Pelletier,Y (2577)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2758) Saint-Quentin 2014}) 9... Qa5+ (9... c6 10. Nf3 Nd7 11. Qd2 Nb6 12. Be2 Rfc8 13. Ng5 Rd8 14. O-O Bf5 15. Bc7 Rf8 16. Bg3 Rfd8 17. Bc7 Rf8 18. Rfd1 Qd7 19. Bg3 Rfd8 20. Qa5 Bg4 21. Nf3 Qe8 22. h3 Be6 {Dominguez Perez,L (2746)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2720) Havana 2015} 23. e4 $36) (9... Nd7 $5 {[%CAl Yc7c5]} 10. Bxc7 Rac8 11. Ne2 Rxc7 12. Rxc7 Qa5+ 13. Rc3 Nf6 14. b4 Qxb4 15. Qc1 Bxa2 16. Qa3 Nd5 17. Qxb4 Nxb4 18. Kd2 Bd5 19. f4 Rd8 20. Rg1 e6 21. g4 a5 $13 {Basso,P (2428)-Boruchovsky,A (2536) Douglas 2015}) 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 c6 12. Nf3 Nd7 (12... Bd5 $5 13. Bd3 (13. Bc4 Bxf3 14. gxf3 e6 15. Ke2 Nd7 16. Bd6 Rfe8 17. f4 Bf8 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. Bd3 Ke7 20. Rc2 Nb6 21. a3 Red8 $11 {Basso,P (2438)-Li,D (2389) Doha 2015}) 13... Bxf3 14. gxf3 Nd7 15. Bg5 Rfe8 16. Ke2 Nb6 17. f4 e6 18. Rhd1 a5 19. a4 Nd5 20. f3 Bf8 21. Bh4 Bb4 22. Be1 Bxe1 23. Rxe1 Red8 $11 {Ju,W (2547)-Ding,Y (2435) Taizhou 2015}) 13. Bd3 Nf6 14. Be5 Bd5 15. Ke2 Rfd8 16. Rhd1 a5 17. Bc4 $11 { /+/=} a4 18. b4 Ne4 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Ne5 e6 21. Bd3 Nd6 22. Bb1 Bxg2 23. f3 Bh3 24. Rg1 f6 25. Nd3 e5 26. dxe5 fxe5 27. Nxe5 Be6 28. h4 Kf6 29. Nd3 Nc4 30. Rc3 {Dreev,A (2644)-Bok,B (2607) Wijk aan Zee-B 2016} a3 $5 $132) 9. Bxc7 { Consistent.} (9. Nf3 $143 c6 10. a3 Bxf3 $5 11. gxf3 Nd7 12. Bc4 c5 $1 13. dxc5 Bxb2 14. Rc2 Be5 15. Bxe5 Nxe5 16. Qxd8 Rfxd8 17. Ke2 Rac8 18. Rhc1 Rc7 19. f4 Nc6 20. h4 e6 21. h5 Na5 22. hxg6 hxg6 $15 {Mahmud,S (2315)-Li,C (2710) Jakarta 2011/ While objectively this endgame is probably tenable for White, his inferior pawn structure forces him to tread with care.}) 9... Qd7 10. Bg3 Bxa2 $146 {[%mdl 8] A novelty. While the text move seems to give White a slight pull (in the middlegame a central pawn is worth more, than the Pa2) , it leads to a double-edged fight, which is exactly what Black was trying to achieve.} ({Carlsen immediately regains the sacrificed pawn rather than seek compensation after} 10... Nc6 11. Ne2 e5 (11... Rac8 12. Nc3 Rfd8 13. a3 Qe6 14. Nxd5 Qxd5 15. Be2 Qxg2 16. Bf3 Qh3 17. Bg4 Qg2 18. Bf3 Qh3 {½, Aupi Royo, J (2378)-Mercadal Benejam,J (2359) email 2013}) 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nc3 Rac8 14. e4 Be6 15. Qxd7 Nxd7 16. Be2 Nc5 17. O-O Bxc3 18. Rxc3 Nxe4 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Bf4 Bxa2 21. Ra1 Bc4 22. Bxc4 Rxc4 23. Rxa7 Nc5 24. Be3 Kg7 25. h3 h5 26. Ra5 Ne6 27. Rb5 Rc7 $11 {Sjugirov,S (2678)-Navara,D (2735) Jerusalem 2015}) 11. Ne2 {The best, White simply continues his development.} ({The offside Ba2 can't be trapped:} 11. b3 Qd5 {[%csl Rb3]} 12. Bc4 Qxg2 13. Qf3 Qxf3 14. Nxf3 Nc6 $15 { /\} 15. Ra1 Nb4) 11... Bd5 {Black retains the bishop, but loses time.} ({ An interesting try was} 11... Nc6 12. Nc3 Qe6 $5 (12... Be6 13. Bd3 Rac8 14. O-O $14) 13. Be2 (13. Nxa2 Qxa2 $132) 13... Bb3 14. Qd3 Rfd8 15. O-O a6 $132 { /+/=}) 12. Nc3 Bc6 13. h4 $5 {Van Wely got ambitious, but he started spending a lot a time, which backfires later on. Carlsen was suprised by White's choice, although the text move is fine, a more modest alternative is} (13. f3 a5 14. Bc4 b5 15. Be2 $13 {/+/=}) 13... Rd8 ({Komodo prefers} 13... a5 $5 14. h5 Na6 $13) 14. Qb3 Qf5 ({After} 14... Na6 {[%CAl Ye7e5] White could change his mind with} 15. Bc4 e6 16. O-O $14) 15. h5 e6 ({After} 15... Na6 {the N has nowhere to go, but the engine prefers}) (15... a5 $142 $5 {[%CAl Yb8a6,Ya6b4]}) 16. hxg6 hxg6 17. Qd1 {Rather slow.} ({A more energetic way was} 17. Nb5 $5 Na6 ( 17... Nd7 18. Bd3 $5 (18. Bc7 Rf8 19. Nd6 Qg5 20. Nxb7 Bxg2 21. Rg1 Qd5 (21... Bd5 22. Rxg5 Bxb3 23. Ra5 $16) 22. Qxd5 Bxd5 23. Nd6 $14 {[%csl Gc7,Gd6]}) 18... Qg5 19. Nc7 Bxg2 (19... Rac8 20. Nxe6 Qa5+ 21. Ke2 Bd5 22. Nxd8 Rxc1 23. Nxb7 Bxb3 24. Nxa5 Rxh1 25. Nxb3 $36) 20. Rh2 Bd5 21. Nxd5 Qxd5 22. Qxd5 exd5 23. Rc7 $36) (17... Bd5 18. Qa3 Nc6 19. Nd6 Qg4 20. Nxb7 Nxd4 21. Nxd8 Bxg2 22. exd4 Bxh1 23. Qe7 $16) 18. Nd6 Qa5+ 19. Qc3 Nb4 20. Nc4 $14) 17... Nd7 $6 { This natural reaction could have led to problems.} (17... Qa5 $142 {White can proceed with his kingside play and this results in some very complex computer lines:} 18. Qg4 Nd7 19. Qh4 (19. Qh3 e5 $5 $13) 19... e5 $5 (19... Nf6 20. Be5 Nh5 21. f4 Qb4 22. Rc2 f6 23. Bd3 Be8 24. Qg4 fxe5 25. fxe5 Rd5 26. Be4 (26. Bxg6 Rxe5 27. O-O Ng3 $132) 26... Rxd4 27. exd4 Qxd4 28. Ne2 Qxe5 29. Bxg6 Nf6 30. Qf4 $14) 20. dxe5 Qb6 $5 (20... Nxe5 21. Bf4 $1 Nd3+ 22. Bxd3 Rxd3 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Bh6 Bxh6 25. Qxh6+ Ke7 $14 {/~~}) 21. e6 (21. Qh7+ Kf8 22. Bf4 Qxb2 23. e4 Bxe5 24. Rh3 {[%CAl Rf1c4]} b5 25. Qh6+ Ke7 26. Qg5+ Bf6 27. Nd5+ Bxd5 28. Qxd5 Rac8 $132) 21... fxe6 22. b4 (22. Bc4 Bxg2 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Qxg6 {[%CAl Rc4e6]} Nf6 $1 25. b4 Bxh1 26. Be5 Rd7 27. Bxf6 Bf3 28. Bxg7+ Rxg7 29. Qf6+ Rf7 30. Qh8+ Ke7 31. Qh4+ (31. Qxa8 $2 Rf8) 31... Rf6 32. Qh7+ $11) 22... Rac8 23. Qh7+ Kf8 (23... Kf7 $2 24. Rh4 $1) 24. Bd6+ Kf7 25. Bd3 Nf8 $13) 18. Bd3 $6 ( 18. b4 $1 {[%csl Ra5][%CAl Yb4b5] takes away a5 from the queen and also threatens b5:} a6 19. Bd3 Qg5 20. Ne4 Qd5 21. f3 Qa2 22. O-O $36 {/\} e5 23. Bc4 Qa3 24. Nd6) 18... Qa5 19. Kf1 Nf6 (19... e5 20. d5 $1 Nc5 $8 (20... Bxd5 $2 21. b4 $18) 21. Be2 $14) 20. Be5 Rac8 ({Carlsen avoids the trap - the natural} 20... Nd5 $2 {runs into} 21. Bxg6 $1 fxg6 22. Qg4 Rd7 (22... Nxc3 23. Qxe6+ Kf8 24. Bxg7+ Kxg7 25. Qe7+ Kg8 26. bxc3 $18) (22... Be8 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. Qg5 $18) 23. Qxg6 Nxc3 24. bxc3 $16 {White risks nothing here and has a strong attack.}) 21. Qd2 {Now Black fully consolidates his setup.} ({A more useful move was} 21. Kg1 $142 Qb4 $5 (21... Nd5 $2 {still fails to} 22. Bxg6 ( 22. Ne4 Bxe5 23. dxe5 Nxe3 $1 24. fxe3 Qxe5 $44) 22... fxg6 23. Qg4 Be8 24. Qh4 $1 (24. Bxg7 Nxc3 25. Rh8+ (25. Be5 $2 Ne2+) 25... Kxg7 26. Qh4 Ne2+ 27. Kh2 Bc6 28. Rh7+ Kg8 29. Rh8+ $11) 24... Rd7 25. Rh3 $18) 22. Rc2 Qe7 $13) 21... Ng4 (21... Ne4 22. Bxe4 (22. Nxe4 Qxd2 23. Nxd2 Bxe5 $11) 22... Bxe5 23. Bxc6 bxc6 $5 $11) (21... Nh5 $5 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 $11 {[%CAl Yd8h8,Ya5g5] /=/+ was even more accurate.}) 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. f3 Qg5 $6 {[%mdl 512] Carlsen fully realised that this sacrifice is not quite correct, but it's difficult to handle with time running out.} (23... Nf6 24. e4 (24. Kf2 Rh8 25. Ra1 Qg5 $1) 24... Rh8 (24... Nh5 25. d5 Ng3+ (25... exd5 $2 26. Rxh5 gxh5 27. Qg5+ Kf8 28. exd5 Bxd5 29. Re1 $1 $18) 26. Kf2 Nxh1+ 27. Rxh1 Qc5+ 28. Kg3 Qd6+ 29. Kf2 exd5 30. Qh6+ Kf6 31. Qh4+ Kg7 $11) 25. Kf2 Qb4 26. Be2 Rcd8 $11 {leads to a roughly equal position, in which Black's chances to trick his opponent are minimal.}) 24. fxg4 $8 (24. Ke2 Nf6 25. Rcg1 e5 $36) 24... Rxd4 25. Ke1 ({ Also after} 25. Rc2 $5 Rxg4 26. e4 Qf6+ (26... Qxd2 27. Rxd2 Rd8 28. Ke1 Rg3 29. Rh3) 27. Ke1 $16 {Black doesn't have full compensation.}) 25... Qe5 { An attempt to keep more tension.} (25... Rxg4 $5 26. Ne4 Qe7 27. Rc4 Rd8 28. Qc3+ e5 29. Rh2 $14 {/+/-}) 26. Ne2 (26. Kd1 $5 Rxg4 27. e4 $16 {[%CAl Yd1c2, Yc2b1,Rd2h6]}) 26... Rxg4 27. e4 $1 Rxg2 $2 (27... g5 28. Qb4 Rxg2 29. Rc5 Qf6 30. Rf1 Qh6 31. Qd4+ (31. Rxc6 bxc6 32. Rxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qb7+ Kf6 34. Qxc8 Qh4+ 35. Kd1 Qf2 $14) 31... Kg8 32. Qe3 $36) (27... Rg5 $5 $14) 28. Qh6+ Kf6 29. Rc3 $2 $138 {[%mdl 8192] He misses an outright win. Unfortunately for Loek, this won't be his last blunder...} (29. Qh4+ g5 (29... Qg5 30. e5+ Kg7 (30... Kxe5 31. Qd4#) 31. Qh7+ Kf8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. Qxc8 $18) (29... Rg5 30. Rg1 $18 { [%CAl Rg1g5,Re4e5]}) 30. Qh3 {[%csl Rg2]} Rxe2+ (30... Rd8 31. Qxg2 Rxd3 32. Qf2+ Kg7 33. Rc5 $18) 31. Bxe2 $18 {and White should gradually convert his extra rook.}) 29... Rd8 30. Qh3 {The moment and the advantage are gone and White has to fight on in a very unclear position with almost no time left.} ( 30. Qh7 Ke7 $13) (30. Qh4+ Qg5 $5 (30... g5 31. Qh3 Bxe4 32. Bxe4 Rxe2+ (32... Qxe4 $2 33. Rf3+ $18) 33. Kxe2 Qxe4+ 34. Re3 Qc4+ 35. Ke1 Qc1+ 36. Kf2 Rd2+ 37. Re2 Rxe2+ 38. Kxe2 Qxb2+ 39. Kf3 Ke7 $14 {/=}) 31. e5+ (31. Qxg5+ Kxg5 $13) 31... Kxe5 (31... Ke7 $4 32. Qb4+ $18) 32. Rc5+ Bd5 33. Qd4+ Kd6 34. Rh7 b6 35. Rc2 e5 $13) 30... Qg5 $13 (30... Rg5 $6 31. Qh4) 31. Rf1+ Kg7 32. Qf3 Rd7 33. Rf2 Rg4 (33... Rxf2 34. Qxf2 Qa5 $11 {is playable, but Black naturally wants to keep pieces on the board.}) 34. Nf4 $6 {White had better moves:} (34. Nd4 { /\} e5 (34... Qh4 35. Nxc6 bxc6 36. e5 $132) 35. Ne6+ fxe6 36. Qf8+ Kh7 37. Rf7+ Rxf7 38. Qxf7+ Kh6 39. Qf8+ Kh7 (39... Kh5 $4 40. Be2 $18) 40. Qf7+ $11) ( 34. Rh2 Rh4 35. Rxh4 Qxh4+ 36. Qg3 $11) 34... Qh4 $36 {[%csl Re4][%CAl Ye6e5]} 35. Be2 $2 (35. Ng2 Qh1+ 36. Ke2 Rxe4+ $1 (36... f5 37. Ne3 Qxf3+ 38. Rxf3 Rh4 39. Ng2 Rh2 40. Rf2 $132) 37. Bxe4 Qd1+ 38. Ke3 Qd4+ 39. Kf4 Bxe4 40. Qe3 Bxg2+ 41. Qxd4+ Rxd4+ 42. Ke3 Re4+ 43. Kd2 Rg4 44. Rc7 Bd5 45. Rfxf7+ Kh6 $15 {/-/+}) 35... Rg1+ 36. Bf1 Kg8 $6 (36... e5 $142 37. Nd5 (37. Nh3 Rg4 $19 {[%csl Re4]}) 37... f5 $1 $19) 37. Ne2 $2 ({The final error; he had to play} 37. Ng2 Qxe4+ 38. Qxe4 Bxe4 39. Ne3 $17 {Although Black has excellent winning chances, he must still work for the full point.}) 37... Rxf1+ $1 38. Kxf1 Rd1+ 39. Kg2 Bxe4 $19 {[%csl Rf3]} 0-1 [Event "Tata Steel-A 80th"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2018.01.24"] [Round "10"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2834"] [BlackElo "2792"] [Annotator "Krasenkow,M"] [PlyCount "149"] [EventDate "2018.01.13"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "20"] [SourceTitle "CBM 183"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2018.03.14"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.03.14"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. c4 Bxb1 6. Qxb1 (6. Rxb1 {- see Karjakin-Wei Yi in CBM 174.}) 6... Bb4+ 7. Kd1 {A very unusual line but Magnus Carlsen regularly proves that White's king in the centre is less a problem for him than it might seem.} Bd6 (7... O-O 8. c5 c6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. Ke2 Ba5 11. g4 g6 {0-1 (26) Caruana,F (2807)-Karjakin,S (2773) Saint Louis 2017} 12. h4 $40) ( 7... Ne4 8. Qc2 Bd6 (8... c6 9. Bd3 f5 10. Ke2 (10. cxd5 $5 exd5 11. g4 $36) 10... Nd7 (10... Bd6 $142) 11. Qb3 Qe7 12. c5 Bxc5 {1-0 (23) Rambaldi,F (2574) -Sanchez Alvarez,R (2402) Panama City PAN 2017} 13. Qxb7 $16) 9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. Bd3 f5 {0-1 (75) Demidov,M (2523)-Kovalenko,I (2635) chess.com INT 2018} 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Ne5 $14) (7... Be7 8. c5 b6 9. b4 Ne4 10. Qc2 O-O 11. Bd3 { 1-0 (75) Margvelashvili,G (2547)-Gerzhoy,L (2489) Saint Louis 2012} f5 $13) ( 7... c5 8. a3 Ba5 9. b4 cxb4 10. axb4 Bc7 11. Bxc7 Qxc7 12. c5 O-O 13. Bb5 Ne4 14. Qb2 Nc6 15. Ke2 f5 $13 {1-0 (33) Olbrich,M (2302)-Stettler,M (2291) Germany 2002}) (7... dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bd6 9. Bg3 Nbd7 10. Ke2 Qe7 11. Qc2 O-O 12. Rhd1 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Kf1 Bxg3 16. hxg3 Qe5 $11 {1/2 (23) Wirthensohn,H (2361)-Mathonia,C (2197) Germany 2002}) 8. Bg5 (8. c5 Bxf4 9. exf4 Ne4 10. Qc2 Qf6 11. g3 O-O 12. Bb5 a6 13. Ba4 b5 14. cxb6 cxb6 15. Ke2 b5 16. Bb3 a5 $17 {0-1 (30) Nikolic,Z-Djukic,Z Nis 1981}) (8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Qc2 (9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bd3 O-O 11. Ke2 Nbd7 12. b4 a5 13. b5 c5 14. bxc6 bxc6 15. Rd1 c5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Kf1 Rfc8 $15 {0-1 (49) Hauge,L (2436)-Vaibhav,S (2542) chess. com INT 2018}) 9... O-O 10. Bd3 dxc4 11. Qxc4 Nbd7 12. Ke2 c6 13. Rhd1 Qe7 14. Rac1 e5 $11 {1/2 (18) Demidov,M (2523)-Andriasian,Z (2585) chess.com INT 2018}) 8... h6 (8... c5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. dxc5 Bxc5 (11... Be7 $142 $14) 12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Qc2 $16 {1-0 (26) Carlsen,M (2838)-Finegold,B (2481) chess. com INT 2017}) (8... c6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. Ke2 Qe7 11. Rd1 h6 12. Bh4 O-O 13. Kf1 e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Bg3 Qe6 17. cxd5 cxd5 18. Bf5 Qe7 19. Qc2 $14 {1-0 (74) Kobo,O (2489)-Taylor,A (2256) Barcelona 2016}) 9. Bxf6 (9. Bh4 { was played in two online games between Carlsen and So:} Nbd7 (9... g5 10. Bg3 Ne4 11. Qc2 g4 12. Nd2 Bxg3 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. hxg3 f5 15. Qb3 $14 {1/2 (77) Carlsen,M (2832)-So,W (2815) chess.com INT 2017}) 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Bd3 c6 12. Ke2 Be7 13. b4 a6 14. Rc1 O-O 15. a4 Ne4 16. Bxe4 Bxh4 17. Bh7+ Kh8 18. Bf5 Nb6 19. b5 cxb5 20. axb5 a5 $11 {1-0 (35) Carlsen,M (2832)-So,W (2815) chess.com INT 2017}) 9... Qxf6 10. cxd5 $146 {[%mdl 8]} (10. c5 Bf8 ({there is nothing wrong with} 10... Be7) 11. Qc2 c6 12. b4 a6 13. Bd3 Nd7 14. Ke2 g5 15. h3 Bg7 16. a4 Qe7 17. Rad1 O-O 18. g4 e5 $13 {1/2 (40) So,W (2822)-Wojtaszek,R (2745) Shamkir 2017}) 10... exd5 11. e4 $1 {Unusual: White attacks in the centre when his uncastled king is there! Moreover, he has no development advantage or other positional trumps. The justification of his action is purely tactical: a favourable constellation of pieces at this particular moment. And surprisingly it works!} Be7 (11... Qe6 $5 12. e5 Be7 13. Bb5+ Nd7) 12. Bb5+ $5 ({Of course, not} 12. exd5 Nd7 {followed by 0-0-0.}) ({The immediate} 12. e5 {allows Black to activate his queen:} Qb6) 12... c6 13. e5 Qf4 14. Bd3 c5 {Black must get access to White's king.} 15. dxc5 Nc6 16. Qc1 {Of course, the exchange of queens is favourable for White.} Qb4 17. a3 $1 (17. Ke2 Bxc5 18. Rd1 Qb6 19. a4 a6 20. b4 Nxb4 21. Rb1 O-O 22. Kf1 Qc6 23. a5 Rac8 24. Qd2 Nxd3 25. Qxd3 { 0-1 (68) Sadzikowski,D (2584)-Bai,J (2575) Neustadt an der Weinstrasse G 2018} Rfd8 $15) 17... Qxc5 18. Ke2 {...but Magnus Carlsen doesn't hurry!} ({After} 18. Qxc5 Bxc5 19. Ke2 O-O {[%csl Re5] Black should equalize.}) 18... Nd4+ ( 18... Qb6 $5 {[%CAl Re7c5]}) 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. f4 O-O 21. Qd2 Qb6 22. Rhe1 f6 23. e6 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Qxe6+ 24. Kf3 {White has sacrificed a pawn but his king is now safe, and the weakness of light squares in Black's position becomes critical.} Qd7 (24... Qf7 {[%CAl Yf7h5]} 25. Bf5 Kh8 26. Rad1 {is very unpleasant, too.}) 25. Rad1 Rad8 26. Qe3 Bd6 27. Bg6 f5 28. Qe6+ Qxe6 29. Rxe6 Bc5 {This move allows White to regain material while keeping a big positional advantage} ({but after} 29... Bb8 30. h4 {Black's position is completely passive.}) 30. Re5 (30. g3 $142 {protecting the f4-pawn, and then Re6-e5.}) 30... Rf6 (30... Bd6 $142 $1 31. Rxf5 (31. Rexd5 Rf6 $1 32. Bxf5 g6 {regaining the f4-pawn is the point of Black's defence}) 31... Bc7 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 { , and Black keeps good drawing chances.}) 31. Bxf5 Bd6 32. Rdxd5 Kf7 33. Re4 g6 34. Bg4 {As a result, White has won a pawn.} h5 35. Bh3 Re8 36. Red4 Be5 37. Rb4 g5 38. g3 (38. Rxb7+ Kf8 39. g3 gxf4 40. g4 {was not clear due to} hxg4+ 41. Bxg4 Rd6 $1 {with drawing chances for Black. If} 42. Rxd6 Bxd6 43. Rxa7 { then} Re3+ 44. Kg2 Rb3) 38... b6 39. Rd7+ Kf8 40. Rh7 {White goes for a position with 3 pawns vs. bishop. He had a good alternative:} (40. Rxa7 Bd6 41. Rc4 gxf4 42. gxf4 b5 43. Re4 Rxe4 44. Kxe4 Rxf4+ 45. Kd5 $16) 40... g4+ 41. Bxg4 hxg4+ 42. Kxg4 {Computers usually evaluate such positions as nearly equal but in fact, they are quite difficult to defend. Wesley So fails to hold his ground.} Bd6 43. Rc4 a5 (43... Rg6+ $142 44. Kf5 Rg7 {exchanging White's active rook.}) 44. Rc6 Kg8 {Black now loses a fourth pawn but} ({if} 44... Be7 {then} 45. Rh8+ Kf7 46. Rxf6+ Bxf6 47. Rxe8 Kxe8 48. b3 {. After the exchange of both pairs of rooks the endgame is winning for White.}) 45. Rb7 Be5 46. Rcxb6 Rxb6 47. Rxb6 {[%mdl 4096] The rest is a matter of technique, which the World Champion hardly lacks.} Bd4 48. Rb5 Re2 49. b3 Rxh2 50. Rxa5 Re2 51. Rd5 Bb2 52. a4 Bc3 53. Kf5 Re8 54. g4 Rf8+ 55. Ke4 Rb8 56. Rb5 Re8+ 57. Kd3 Be1 58. a5 Bf2 59. b4 Re3+ 60. Kc4 Re4+ 61. Kb3 Kf7 62. Re5 Rd4 (62... Rxf4 63. Rf5+ Rxf5 64. gxf5 $18) 63. b5 Rd3+ 64. Kc2 Rg3 65. g5 Bd4 66. Rd5 Be3 67. Rd3 Rg2+ 68. Kb3 Bc1 69. b6 Ke6 70. Rd4 Rb2+ 71. Ka4 Kf5 72. Rb4 Ra2+ 73. Kb5 Bxf4 74. Rxf4+ Kxf4 75. b7 {A fantastic game, a real gem of chess strategy of the future. It is very difficult to say where Black committed mistakes leading to his defeat!} 1-0 [Event "Gashimov Memorial 5th"] [Site "Shamkir"] [Date "2018.04.27"] [Round "8"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2843"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2018.04.19"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "AZE"] [EventCategory "21"] [SourceTitle "CBM 184"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2018.05.16"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.05.16"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 ({The immediate fianchetto} 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 {gives some extra options:} d5 (3... c6 {is another topical line, the direct} 4. d4 {seems harmless;} (4. Nf3 {is the main try to fight for an advantage}) {a recent example went} 4... e4 5. Nc3 d5 6. Bg5 Bb4 7. Qb3 Bxc3+ 8. Qxc3 O-O 9. f3 dxc4 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. fxe4 c5 12. e5 cxd4 13. exf6 dxc3 14. fxg7 Re8 15. bxc3 Nc6 16. Rb1 Re3 17. Kd2 Re7 18. Nf3 Bf5 19. Rb5 Rd8+ 20. Nd4 Nxd4 21. cxd4 Be4 22. Bxe4 Rxd4+ 23. Bd3 Red7 $11 {McShane,L (2647)-Anand,V (2783) Germany 2018 The resulting endgame is drawish.}) 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Nb6 7. d3 Be7 8. a3 O-O 9. Nbd2 {develops the Nb1 differently, but this is also no novelty.} a5 10. b3 Be6 11. Bb2 f6 12. Qc2 Qd7 {and now:} 13. Nc4 (13. e3 Rfd8 14. d4 exd4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 c5 17. Bxc5 Rac8 18. b4 Nd5 $1 19. Qd3 (19. Nb3 b6 20. e4 Nxb4 21. axb4 axb4 22. Rfd1 Qc7 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Bf1 Bxc5 $17 {Thiede,L (2416)-Graf,A (2624) Germany 2003}) 19... b6 20. Bxd5 bxc5 21. Bxe6+ Qxe6 22. Qb3 Qf7 $5 23. Qxf7+ Kxf7 24. Nb3 cxb4 25. axb4 axb4 26. Ra7 Ke8 27. Nd4 Rd7 28. Rxd7 Kxd7 29. Rd1 g6 30. Kf1 Rc4 {½, Kuhn,C (1981)-Avdeev,S (2032) email 2011}) 13... Rfd8 14. Rfc1 (14. Rfd1 Qe8 15. d4 $6 a4 $15 {Ponomariov,R (2723) -Vachier Lagrave,M (2710) Beijing blitz 2011.}) 14... Qe8 15. Nxb6 cxb6 16. Nd2 Rac8 17. a4 Bc5 18. Qd1 h5 19. Nc4 Qe7 20. e3 Bg4 21. Qf1 Nb4 22. Rd1 $5 Bxd1 23. Rxd1 Qf7 {Gordievsky,D (2622)-Vidit,S (2718) Wijk aan Zee 2018} 24. d4 exd4 25. exd4 Bf8 26. Nxb6 Rc2 27. Nc4 b5 28. axb5 a4 29. Rb1 $1 axb3 30. Ne3 $44) 2... Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 ({The Dragon with reversed colours is very popular, but} 4... Bb4 5. Bg2 {only somewhat less so:} O-O ({Less usual, but also playable is} 5... d6 6. O-O O-O 7. d3 Re8 8. Bd2 (8. Nd5 $5 Nxd5 9. cxd5 Ne7 10. d4 e4 11. Ng5 {is perhaps more promising}) 8... Nd4 9. a3 Nxf3+ 10. Bxf3 Bxc3 11. Bxc3 c6 12. e4 Bh3 13. Re1 c5 14. b4 b6 15. a4 Nd7 16. a5 Be6 17. Ra3 Rb8 18. b5 Qc8 19. axb6 axb6 20. Re2 Ra8 21. Rea2 Rxa3 22. Rxa3 Qc7 23. Bg2 Nf8 24. f4 f6 25. f5 Bc8 26. Bd2 Bb7 27. g4 h6 28. h4 Nh7 $11 {Ding,L (2778) -Wojtaszek,R (2744) Shamkir 2018 With patient defence Black held his fortress.} ) 6. O-O e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Re8 {featured some recent experiments with} 9. Qc2 (9. f3 {is the main line of this branch}) {, but they didn't bring White success after} 9... d5 $5 ({More active, than} 9... Qe7 10. d3 exd3 11. exd3 d6 ) 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. d3 (11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. d3 Bf5 13. Bf4 Qe6 14. dxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxe4 Qxe4 16. Qb2 b6 17. Rfe1 Rac8 18. Qb5 Ne7 19. Rad1 c6 20. Qa6 Nd5 $15 { Dimitrov,R (2493)-Georgiev,K (2596) Skopje 2018}) 11... Bf5 12. Bf4 h6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qb2 b6 15. Rfd1 Qc5 16. dxe4 Bxe4 17. Bf1 Re7 18. a4 Rae8 19. Rac1 $2 (19. Qb5 $1 $11 {is still roughly equal.}) 19... g5 $1 20. Bd2 Qf5 21. f3 Qc5+ 22. Kh1 Bd5 23. Be1 Bc4 24. e4 Bxf1 25. Bf2 Qc4 26. Rxf1 Qxa4 27. c4 Ne5 28. Bd4 g4 $17 {Vachier Lagrave,M (2789)-Caruana,F (2784) Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden 2018}) 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 (6... Bc5 $5 {is also viable, Illingworth wrote an article about this novel line in CBM 181. Since then there haven't been too many new games, after} 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 {Black also has} Re8 ({Illingworth concentrated on} 8... Bb6 {proving Black holds his own in the tactical labyrinth of Dubov-Karjakin, WCup Tbilisi 2017. Black also equalises after} 9. Bd2 Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Re8 11. b4 Bg4 12. Nd2 Nd4 13. Bxd4 exd4 14. Re1 c6 15. a4 a6 16. Nb3 Qf6 17. Qd2 Re7 18. h3 Be6 19. Nc5 Rae8 20. Nxe6 Qxe6 21. b5 axb5 22. axb5 c5 $11 {Nepomniachtchi,I (2751)-Aronian,L (2789) chess.com blitz 2017}) 9. Ng5 Nf6 10. Qb3 Qe7 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Nd8 13. Qc4 Bd4 14. Bg2 h6 15. Nf3 Nc6 16. Be3 $5 Bxe3 17. fxe3 e4 18. dxe4 a5 $1 19. a3 Ra6 20. Rac1 Rb6 21. Rc2 Be6 22. Qc3 Rb3 23. Qd2 Rd8 24. Qc1 a4 $44 {The tripled pawns are comical and Black would have enough compensation even without trying to undertake anything. As it is, he allowed White to untangle with} 25. Rc5 Rd7 26. h3 Qd8 27. g4 g6 28. Kh1 Kg7 29. e5 Bd5 30. Kg1 Be6 31. Kf2 Qe7 32. Kg1 Rd5 33. Rc4 Ra5 34. Rc2 Bd5 $6 35. Nd4 $1 Nxd4 36. exd4 Rg3 37. Rf3 $1 Bxf3 38. exf3 $16 {Caruana,F (2799)-Adams,M (2715) London 2017 After regaining the exchange by trapping the Rg3 White already had a healthy extra pawn. For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 182 by Fernandez.}) 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 (8. d3 O-O 9. Be3 { was played in Kamsky-Svidler, Thessaloniki 2013, which I annotated for CBM 155: } Be6 (9... Re8 10. Rc1 Bf8 11. Na4 Nd4 12. Nc5 {gives Black also the sharper option} a5 $5 (12... Bxc5 13. Rxc5 Bg4 {and}) (12... Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 c6 { are restrained continuations, leading to approximate equality.}) 13. Bxd4 exd4 14. Nb3 g5 $1 15. Qd2 g4 $13 {Granda Zuniga,J (2648)-So,W (2794) Douglas 2016}) 10. Rc1 Qd7 ({Svidler's choice} 10... f5 {is perhaps not bad, but more risky.}) 11. Re1 (11. Ne4 f6 12. Nc5 Bxc5 13. Bxc5 Rfd8 14. Qc2 Qf7 $5 15. Nd2 Nd5 { Kashlinskaya,A (2201)-Bukavshin,I (2350) Pardubice 2008} 16. a3 $11) (11. a3 Bh3 12. b4 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Qe6 14. Ne4 Nd5 15. Bc5 b6 16. Bxe7 Ncxe7 17. Neg5 Qd6 18. Ne4 Qe6 $11 {Carlstedt,J (2432)-Volokitin,A (2632) Berlin blitz 2018}) 11... f6 12. a3 Rfd8 (12... Rad8 13. Na4 Rfe8 14. Nc5 Bxc5 15. Rxc5 Nd4 16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Qc2 c6 18. b4 {Martinez,R (2422)-Sanchez,J (2529) Civitanova Marche 2012} a6 $11) 13. b4 Nd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Bc5 b6 ({Possible improvements are} 15... Bxc5 16. Rxc5 Ne7 17. e4 Bf7 18. d4 Nc6 $5 $13 { or the simpler}) (15... a6 $5 $11) 16. e4 $1 Bf7 17. Bxe7 Nxe7 18. d4 exd4 19. e5 d3 20. exf6 gxf6 21. Nd2 $44 {Lagarde,M (2594)-Fressinet,L (2660) Caleta 2017} (21. Re4 $5)) 8... a5 $5 {This prophylactic move was considered weakening and long had a dubious reputation. However, there might be more to it than meets the eye...} ({Far more usual is} 8... O-O 9. b4 Be6 {After} 10. Rb1 f6 {White has lately tested} 11. b5 (11. d3 {has long been the main move and I mentioned} a5 {as Black's main reaction in the notes to So-Navara, Prague 2015 in CBM 167.}) 11... Nd4 12. e3 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 {and now:} {And finally there is} Qc8 $5 (13... Rb8 14. d4 exd4 15. exd4 Re8 (15... Qd7 $6 16. Re1 Rfe8 17. a4 Bf7 18. a5 Nd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Bf4 Rbc8 21. Bg4 $1 f5 22. Bf3 Bf6 23. Be5 Bxe5 24. dxe5 Rcd8 25. Bxd5+ Qxd5 26. Qc2 Qf7 27. a6 $16 {Gelfand, B (2737)-Edouard,R (2607) Heraklio 2017}) 16. Re1 Bf7 17. a4 Bf8 18. Rxe8 Qxe8 19. Bf4 Qd7 20. a5 Nc4 21. b6 axb6 22. axb6 Bd6 {and White found nothing better than liquidating with} 23. bxc7 Bxc7 24. Bxc7 Qxc7 25. Nd5 Qd7 26. Nb6 Nxb6 27. Rxb6 Bd5 {½, Nepomniachtchi,I (2751)-Karjakin,S (2783) chess.com blitz INT 2017}) ({Black can also hold the balance with} 13... Nd5 14. Ne2 (14. Bb2 a6 $1 15. a4 axb5 16. axb5 Nxc3 17. Bxc3 Bd5 18. Bxd5+ Qxd5 19. Qb3 Rfd8 20. d4 Qxb3 21. Rxb3 exd4 22. Bxd4 Rd5 23. Kg2 Ra5 $11 {Gordon,S (2528)-Alsina Leal,D (2507) England 2017}) 14... Qd7 15. d4 Rad8 16. Qc2 Kh8 17. Bg2 Bh3 18. Bxh3 Qxh3 19. e4 Nb6 20. Be3 (20. Qxc7 Rd7 21. Qc2 Qh5 $1 $44) 20... Qe6 $5 21. d5 Qd7 22. a4 f5 23. f3 fxe4 24. fxe4 Qg4 25. Kg2 Qg6 $132 {Edouard,R (2612) -Xiong,J (2640) Saint Louis 2018}) 14. Qc2 Rd8 (14... Bf5 15. d3 Rd8 16. e4 Be6 17. a4 Qd7 18. Rd1 a5 19. bxa6 Rxa6 20. Be3 Qc6 21. Qb2 Nxa4 22. Nxa4 Qxa4 23. Qxb7 Qc6 $11 {Polatel,A (2243)-Guaimare,C (2113) email 2017}) 15. d4 (15. Rd1 Bf5 16. d3 Kh8 17. e4 Bd7 18. a4 c6 19. Be3 cxb5 20. axb5 Be6 21. Qb2 Bc5 22. Bxc5 Qxc5 $11 {Svoboda,F (2406)-Betker,J (2451) email 2015}) 15... Bf5 16. Qb3+ (16. Be4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 f5 $1 18. Qxe5 Bd6 19. Nd5 Kh8 20. Nxb6 axb6 21. Qd5 Bxg3 $15 {[%csl Rg1]}) (16. e4 Bh3 17. Rd1 Rxd4 18. Rxd4 exd4 19. Ne2 Qd7 $13) 16... Be6 (16... Kh8 $5) 17. Qc2 Bf5 18. Qb3+ Be6 19. Qc2 Bf5 {1/2-1/2 (19) Nihal,S (2534)-Vaibhav,S (2544) Reykjavik 2018}) 9. d3 O-O 10. Be3 Be6 11. Rc1 {Natural, but we'll check also the alternatives:} ({Considering Black's following move,} 11. Na4 {certainly deserves attention:} {Later Black's efforts concentrated on} Nd5 (11... e4 12. Ne1 exd3 13. Nxd3 Nd5 14. Bc5 b6 15. Bxe7 Ndxe7 16. Rc1 (16. Nc3 $142 $5 $14) 16... Bd5 17. Bxd5 Qxd5 18. Nc3 Qc4 19. b3 Qg4 ({An enterprising idea is} 19... Qe6 $5 20. Nb5 Rad8 21. Nxc7 Qf5 $44) 20. e3 Qd7 $6 (20... Qf5 $142 $5) 21. Nf4 $1 Rad8 22. Qh5 Ng6 23. Nfd5 Nce7 24. Rfd1 Nxd5 25. Nxd5 $36 {Vidit,S (2723)-Petrosyan,M (2569) Moscow 2018} ) (11... Nxa4 12. Qxa4 Bd5 13. Rfc1 Re8 14. Rc2 Bf6 $5 (14... Bf8 $2 15. Rac1 Nb8 16. Rxc7 Bc6 17. R1xc6 bxc6 18. Rxf7 $1 h6 19. Rb7 Qc8 20. Qc4+ Kh8 21. Nh4 $1 Qxb7 22. Ng6+ Kh7 23. Be4 Bd6 24. Nxe5+ g6 25. Bxg6+ Kg7 26. Bxh6+ {1-0, Botvinnik,M-Portisch,L Monte Carlo 1968 This beautiful and famous game discouraged people from playing 8...a5 for quite a while.}) 15. Rac1 (15. Rc5 $5 $14) 15... Nd4 16. Nxd4 Bxg2 17. Nb5 Bc6 18. Rxc6 $5 bxc6 19. Rxc6 $44 {/+/= }) 12. Bc5 {and now:} {In mail practice Black has been holding his own with} b6 $5 (12... Bd6 13. Rc1 h6 14. d4 $5 (14. Nd2 Rc8 (14... Rb8 15. Ne4 f5 $132) 15. Ne4 b6 $6 16. Nxd6 cxd6 17. Bxb6 Nxb6 18. Rxc6 (18. Bxc6 $142 $1 $14) 18... Rb8 19. Nxb6 Rxb6 20. Qc2 Qb8 21. Rxb6 Qxb6 22. Rb1 Bb3 23. Qd2 Rb8 24. Rc1 Be6 25. Rc2 d5 $44 {Kasparov,G (2750)-Georgiev,K (2595) Saint John blitz 1988}) 14... e4 $142 $5 (14... exd4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Qxd4 b6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19. e4 Ne7 20. Qxd6 Rxd6 21. Rxd6 cxd6 22. f4 (22. Nc3 $5 $36) 22... b5 23. Nc3 b4 24. Nb5 bxa3 25. bxa3 $14 {Kasparov,G (2750)-Georgiev,K (2595) Saint John blitz 1988}) 15. Ne5 f5 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Bxd6 cxd6 $5 18. Rxc6 Qb8 $44 (18... Qd7 $5)) 13. Bxe7 Ndxe7 14. Nc3 (14. Rc1 Qd7 15. Nc3 f6 16. Qa4 Rac8 17. Rfd1 Rfd8 18. e3 Qe8 19. d4 exd4 20. Nxd4 Nxd4 21. Qxe8+ Rxe8 22. exd4 c6 23. b4 axb4 24. axb4 Kf7 25. b5 $11 {½, Vidit,S (2723)-Melkumyan,H (2664) chess.com rpd INT 2018}) 14... Qd7 15. Qa4 Rab8 16. Qb5 (16. Rfc1 f6 17. b4 Rfd8 18. b5 Na7 19. Rab1 Kh8 20. Qc2 Nf5 21. Qd2 Nc8 22. Rd1 Nce7 23. Qb2 Nd6 24. a4 Bg8 25. Nd2 Qe8 $11 {Degerhammar,R (2475)-Rogos,J (2518) email 2014}) 16... f6 17. e3 Rbd8 18. Rfd1 Nd5 19. Rac1 Nxc3 20. bxc3 Na7 21. Qxd7 Bxd7 22. d4 Nc6 23. dxe5 fxe5 24. Ng5 Ne7 25. Bf1 g6 26. Be2 h6 27. Nf3 Ba4 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 29. Nxe5 Rd2 $44 {Kazantsev,R (2376)-Brugger,A (2528) email 2015}) ({Nor can one ignore } 11. Bxb6 cxb6 12. Nd2 f5 (12... Rc8 13. Nc4 f6 14. e3 Na7 15. Bxb7 Rc7 16. Bg2 Rd7 17. Qa4 Rxd3 18. Rfd1 Bc5 19. Be4 Rd7 20. b4 $16 {Van Wely,L (2675) -Mosadeghpour,M (2469) Bandar e Anzali 2017}) 13. Nc4 e4 (13... Bxc4 $5 14. dxc4 e4 {is more solid, Black is close to full equality.}) 14. Ne3 exd3 15. Ned5 $1 dxe2 16. Qxe2 Bxd5 17. Nxd5 Bf6 {½, Opocensky,K-Flohr,S Podebrady 1936 Despite the quick draw in this historic game White has obvious compensation and pressure here.} 18. Rad1 Kh8 19. Rfe1 (19. Rd2 $5) (19. Qb5 $5 ) 19... Re8 20. Qxe8+ Qxe8 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Nxf6 gxf6 23. Kf1 Re5 24. Bd5 f4 $1 25. gxf4 Rf5 $132 {Mueller,H (1764)-Mair,E (1643) email 2013}) 11... a4 $5 { [%mdl 512] A positional sacrifice, to take this pawn White will have to give up his important dark-squared B.} ({Otherwise White occupies the a4-square himself, a model example is} 11... Re8 12. Na4 Nxa4 13. Qxa4 f6 $6 ({We had} 13... Bd5 $142 $5 {above, only the other rook was on c1.}) 14. Nd2 Bd5 15. Qb5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Qc8 17. Rc4 Bf8 18. Rfc1 Ra6 19. R1c2 Kh8 20. Nf3 Qa8 21. Ra4 Na7 22. Qb3 b5 23. Rh4 a4 24. Qf7 Re7 25. Qg6 h6 26. Bc5 Rd7 27. Bxf8 Qxf8 28. Nxe5 $1 $18 {Hracek,Z (2625)-Simacek,P (2508) Czechia 2010}) ({In practice Black also had to fight for equality after} 11... Nd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Qa4 $14 {, or }) (11... f5 12. Na4 $14) 12. Nd2 ({The immediate} 12. Bxb6 cxb6 13. Nxa4 e4 14. Ne1 (14. Nd2 {is also met by} Bg5 $1 $44 {, when} 15. Rxc6 bxc6 16. Nxe4 Be7 $13 {is at best unclear.}) 14... Bg5 $142 $1 (14... Nd4 $2 15. Nc3 Bg5 16. e3 Nb3 17. Bxe4 (17. Rc2 $5 $16) 17... Nxc1 18. Qxc1 Qd7 19. d4 $40 Qxd4 $2 20. f4 $18 {Nepomniachtchi,I (2730)-Bocharov,D (2609) Apatity rpd 2011}) (14... e3 15. fxe3 $5 Bg5 {again allows an exchange sacrifice} 16. Rf4 $14) 15. Rc3 (15. e3 $6 exd3 16. Nxd3 Rxa4 17. Qxa4 Qxd3 18. Be4 b5 19. Qc2 Qxc2 20. Rxc2 Bf6 $15 {Deneuville,C (2206)-Weber,K (2313) email 2014}) (15. Rxc6 bxc6 16. Bxe4 f5 $1 17. Bg2 (17. Bxc6 $6 Rc8 18. f4 Bf6 $17) 17... Ra7 $15) 15... e3 ({Apart from} 15... Bf6 16. Rc1 Bg5 $11 {Black has other interesting options, namely}) (15... f5 {and}) (15... Qd4 $5 $44) 16. f4 Bf6 17. f5 Bd7 18. Rc1 Nd4 19. Nc3 Ra5 20. Bxb7 Bxf5 $44 {Zielinski,S (2159)-Kuzmin,K (2167) LSS email 2014}) 12... f5 ({ Ambitious, but Black can change his mind about the sacrifice. Roughly equal is } 12... Nd5 $5 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Qc2 f5 15. Bxd5+ Qxd5 16. Qc4 Ra5 17. Nb1 Qxc4 18. Rxc4 Bd6 19. Rfc1 Rfa8 20. h3 Nd8 21. g4 f4 22. Bd2 Rb5 23. Bb4 Bxb4 24. axb4 Nc6 25. Kg2 Rf8 $11 {Leal,P (2343)-Genga,S (2400) email 2013}) 13. Bxb6 cxb6 14. Nxa4 (14. Re1 Bg5 15. e3 Qxd3 16. Bf1 Qd7 17. Nc4 Qf7 18. Nxb6 Rad8 19. Qe2 f4 20. Nbxa4 Bf5 21. Nc5 fxe3 22. fxe3 b6 23. N5e4 Nd4 $1 24. exd4 Bxc1 25. Rxc1 exd4 26. Ng5 Qg6 27. Qe7 b5 $1 28. Bxb5 {½, Recasens Sanchez,J (2048) -Gudkov,A email 2012} dxc3 29. Bc4+ Kh8 30. Nf7+ Qxf7 31. Bxf7 cxb2 32. Re1 b1=Q 33. Rxb1 Bxb1 $11) 14... Bg5 15. Nc3 e4 16. Kh1 $146 {[%mdl 8] A novelty, but not necesarily an improvement.} ({This position is not new at the highest level, last year featured a game with} 16. Rb1 Rf7 $5 (16... Ne5 17. Nb3 Ng4 18. Qc2 (18. h3 $142 $1) 18... Be3 19. dxe4 $2 (19. Bh3 $1 {was already necessary, although} Nxf2 20. Rxf2 Qd7 21. Rbf1 f4 $1 22. Bxe6+ Qxe6 $44 { gives Black enough play.}) 19... Qg5 $2 (19... Nxf2 $1 20. Rxf2 fxe4 21. Rbf1 Qc7 22. Bxe4 Rxf2 23. Rxf2 Qf7 24. Bf3 Bxb3 $15) 20. fxe3 Qxe3+ 21. Kh1 Qh6 { Nepomniachtchi,I (2742)-Aronian,L (2809) Geneva 2017} 22. h4 $1 Ne3 23. Qc1 f4 24. Rf3 Bxb3 25. gxf4 Nxg2 26. Kxg2 Qxh4 27. f5 $16 {For more details see the notes to this game in CBM 180 by Yuffa.}) 17. Nc4 $5 (17. Nb3 Rd7 $36) 17... Rd7 18. b3 {[%CAl Yc3b5]} Bf6 (18... exd3 19. exd3 Rxd3 20. Qc2 $14) 19. Nb5 Nd4 20. Nxd4 Bxd4 $44) 16... Qd7 {Natural, Carlsen connects his rooks asap.} ({ However, considering the following note, the prophylactic} 16... g6 $13 {or}) ( 16... Rf7 $13 {also deserved consideration} {/\} 17. g4 g6 18. gxf5 gxf5 19. Rg1 Rg7) 17. Rb1 {Unpins the Rc1 after all.} ({However, the active} 17. g4 $142 $1 {would better profit from the previous move:} Bxd2 (17... g6 18. gxf5 gxf5 19. e3 $1 Qxd3 20. Rg1 $36) (17... exd3 18. f4 dxe2 19. Qxe2 Bf6 20. g5 $11) 18. Qxd2 exd3 19. gxf5 dxe2 20. Qxe2 Rxf5 21. f4 $5 $13 {All White's pieces are active and the position is roughly equal.}) 17... Rad8 18. Nc4 $6 {Black will easily parry the threat against Pb6.} ({It was stronger to win back some space with} 18. f4 $1 {, although Black has indisputable compensation after} Bf6 $44) 18... Qf7 $1 19. b3 (19. Nxb6 $2 Bb3 20. Qe1 exd3 {[%csl Gd3] and the Pd3 is taboo:} 21. exd3 Rfe8 22. Ne2 Rxd3 $19) 19... exd3 20. exd3 f4 21. Ne4 ( {The engine briefly prefers} 21. Re1 f3 22. Bf1 {, but still doesn't relish White's position after} Nd4 $36) 21... Be7 22. gxf4 Qxf4 {[%csl Rd3,Ge6,Ge7, Rf2,Rh2][%mdl 2048] Giri has managed to prevent the f3 advance, but defending the numerous white weaknesses against Black's active pieces is very difficult. Carlsen has strong long-term pressure.} 23. a4 {Prevents b5, but allows Black to activate his knight.} Nb4 24. Qe2 Qh6 $1 {A strong manoeuvre, freeing f4 for other pieces.} 25. Rbd1 (25. d4 $5 $15 {was probably more resilient}) 25... Nd5 26. Rg1 Kh8 (26... Nf4 27. Qe3 {helps the defence, but a more energetic try was the immediate}) (26... Rf4 $1 $36) 27. Bf1 ({White could have begun with} 27. d4 Rf4 28. f3 Rh4 29. Bf1 $15 {The position is unpleasant, but there is no direct tactical refutation.}) 27... Rf4 28. Ne5 $6 (28. f3 $142 Rh4 29. d4 {transposes to the previous note.}) 28... Rdf8 $2 ({Carlsen hesitates, after the stronger} 28... Rh4 $1 29. f3 Ne3 30. Rd2 Nf5 $17 {the knight aims for d4 and the defence is under great strain.}) 29. f3 Rh4 30. d4 Nf4 (30... Ne3 {is unconvincing:} 31. Rd3 $15) ({as is} 30... Bf5 31. Ng5 $1 {/\} Bxg5 $4 32. Nf7+ $18) 31. Qd2 Bxb3 {Although White couldn't hang on to his extra pawn, he has activated his forces and clawed his way back into the game. In the final phase probably time trouble played an important role.} 32. Rb1 $2 { Why give up a pawn?} ({After} 32. Rc1 {the outcome of the game remains open; the greedy} Bxa4 $2 {runs into} 33. Rc7) 32... Bxa4 33. Bb5 (33. Bc4 Be8 $15) 33... Bxb5 34. Rxb5 Qe6 35. Qb2 ({Engines also mention the passive, but more solid} 35. Rb2 $15) 35... Bd8 36. Ng5 ({Here} 36. d5 $5 {deserves attention, after} Nxd5 37. Ng5 Bxg5 38. Rxg5 {Black faces serious technical problems.}) 36... Qe8 37. Rb3 Bxg5 $6 ({A cleaner solution is the tactical} 37... Rf5 $1 38. Ne4 Rxh2+ $1 39. Qxh2 Rh5 {and Black should gradually win.}) 38. Rxg5 Ne6 39. Rg4 $6 ({White should have avoided the R swap, after} 39. Rg1 $1 Nxd4 40. Re3 $15 {Black must still work hard for the full point.}) 39... Rxg4 40. fxg4 ( 40. Nxg4 Qa4 $17 {doesn't help much.}) 40... Qd8 41. Rh3 $6 ({Hastens the end, but even after the better} 41. Rf3 Rxf3 42. Nxf3 Qd5 $17 {Black should prevail in the long run.}) 41... Qd5+ 42. Kg1 Qe4 43. Qb4 Rf6 {The Rf8 has left its vulnerable square and the N is ready to pounce either on d4, or f4. Further resistance is futile.} 0-1 [Event "Biel GM 51st"] [Site "Biel"] [Date "2018.07.22"] [Round "1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Navara, David"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D38"] [WhiteElo "2842"] [BlackElo "2741"] [Annotator "Krasenkow,M"] [PlyCount "127"] [EventDate "2018.07.22"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [EventCategory "20"] [SourceTitle "CBM 186"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2018.09.14"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.09.14"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. dxc5 Nd7 (10... Bxc5 11. O-O Qe7 {looks like a simpler equaliser.}) 11. O-O (11. c6 {is not too dangerous:} bxc6 (11... Ne5 $6 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Qb3 $1 (13. O-O bxc6 14. Qe2 Rd8 15. Rfd1 Bb7 16. Rxd8+ Rxd8 17. Rd1 Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Qc7 19. h3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 c5 $11 {1/2 (37) Giri,A (2790) -Carlsen,M (2863) Shamkir 2015}) 13... Ba5 $5 14. Qb5 (14. cxb7 $5 Rb8 15. Ba6 $1 {looks strong, too} ({but not} 15. bxc8=Q Rfxc8 {, and Black regains material}) {e.g.} 15... Bxb7 16. Bxb7 Qc7 17. O-O Rxb7 18. Qa3 $16) 14... Qxb5 15. Bxb5 bxc6 16. Bd3 Rb8 17. b3 c5 18. Ke2 Bb7 19. f3 $14 {1/2 (30) Abasov,N (2623)-Cheparinov,I (2712) Ankara 2018}) (11... Nb6 12. Bd3 (12. Qb3 $5) (12. Be2 $5) 12... bxc6 13. O-O Bxc3 14. Rxc3 Nd5 15. Rb3 a5 16. Qc1 a4 17. Ra3 Ba6 18. Bxa6 Rxa6 19. Nd4 $14 {1/2 (45) Ruck,R (2571)-Petkov,V (2564) Gabicce Mare 2013}) 12. O-O Ne5 (12... Nb6 13. Be2 Bb7 14. Qc2 c5 15. a3 Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Rac8 17. Qxf6 gxf6 18. Rfd1 Rc7 19. Nd2 Rd8 20. Nb1 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Na4 22. b3 Nb6 23. Nc3 Bd5 24. Rb1 a5 25. e4 Bc6 26. f3 $14 {1/2 (84) Chuchelov,V (2553) -Dragun,K (2547) Germany 2013}) 13. Be2 Rb8 (13... Nxf3+ 14. Bxf3 Ba6 15. Re1 Rab8 16. Qa4 Rb6 17. Red1 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rd8 19. Qa3 g6 20. h3 Kg7 21. Rd4 $14 { 1/2-1/2 (54) Sasikiran,K (2658)-Sandipan,C (2478) Mumbai 2003}) 14. Qa4 Bxc3 15. bxc3 c5 $1 16. Qxa7 Bb7 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Rfd1 Be4 19. Rd2 {1/2 (19) Gelfand,B (2735)-Matlakov,M (2682) Moscow 2016 CBM 171 [Besenthal,K]} Rfd8 $132 ) (11. Qc2 Nxc5 12. a3 Bxc3+ 13. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 14. Rxc3 Bd7 (14... b6 $5 $11) 15. Ne5 Rfc8 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. Ke2 Nb6 18. Rhc1 Kf8 19. f4 Ke7 20. h4 Nxc4 21. Rxc4 Rxc4 22. Rxc4 Kd7 $11 {1-0 (38) Salem,A (2591)-Berescu,A (2458) Abu Dhabi 2014} ) 11... Nxc5 (11... Rd8 $5 12. Qc2 (12. Ne4 $5) 12... Bxc3 13. Qxc3 Qxc3 14. Rxc3 Nxc5 15. Be2 b6 16. Rfc1 {1/2 (29) Wang,Y (2737)-Yu,Y (2725) Shenzhen 2016 } a5 $11) (11... Bxc3 $5 12. Rxc3 Nxc5 13. Be2 b6 14. Qd4 Qxd4 15. Nxd4 a5 16. Bf3 Ba6 17. Bxa8 Bxf1 $11 {1/2 (25) Krassowizkij,J (2439)-Ochsner,B (2462) Illertissen 2018}) 12. Nb5 {White tries to exploit the vulnerable position of Black's b4-bishop but it is not too painful for Black.} (12. a3 Bxc3 13. Rxc3 Rd8 14. Qe2 b6 $11 {0-1 (42) El Gindy,E (2486)-Ni,H (2666) Tromsoe 2014}) 12... a6 13. Nbd4 b5 (13... Ba5 $5 14. a3 Bb6 15. b4 Ne4 16. Qd3 Ng5 17. Nxg5 hxg5 18. Qe4 {1-0 (36) Salem,A (2638)-Peralta,F (2556) Sitges 2017} Bxd4 19. exd4 Rd8 20. Rfd1 Rb8 $11) 14. Be2 (14. a3 $5 bxc4 15. Rxc4 Bb7 (15... Bxa3 $6 16. bxa3 Ne4 17. Nc6 Bb7 18. Nfe5 $16 {1-0 (30) Jakovenko,D (2749)-Cheparinov,I (2712) Ankara TUR 2018}) 16. Rxb4 Bd5 $44) 14... e5 15. Nc2 $5 {[%mdl 512] An unexpected queen sacrifice.} (15. a3 exd4 16. axb4 Ne6 17. Nxd4 Rd8 18. Bf3 Rb8 $11) 15... Rd8 16. Nxb4 Rxd1 17. Rfxd1 $44 {White has a development advantage and controls central files; besides, there are weaknesses in Black's camp (e5-pawn, d5-square). Still, one can hardly believe that Black can lose this game.} a5 (17... Nd7 $5 18. Rc6 ({or} 18. Nd5 Qd8) 18... Qe7 {was quite possible but not easy to play.}) (17... e4 $5 18. Rxc5 exf3 19. Bxf3 Qe7 $1 { [%CAl Yc8b7]}) 18. Nd5 Qd6 19. Nxe5 (19. Nc3 Qe7 20. Nxb5 Bb7 {, and Black comfortably develops his pieces. If} 21. Nd6 {then} Ba6 $5) 19... Bb7 20. Bf3 Rc8 21. Ng4 Qf8 22. h4 Nd7 23. Rxc8 Bxc8 24. a3 h5 25. Nh2 g6 26. Be2 Ne5 { There was no need to give up a second pawn:} (26... b4 $5 $11) {However, Black wants to activate his pieces as soon as possible.} 27. Bxb5 Bb7 28. Nc3 Qe7 29. Rd4 Qe6 30. Nf1 Qb3 31. Rd2 Nc4 32. Rd7 Nxb2 33. Rxb7 Qxc3 34. Be8 Kf8 35. Bxf7 Qc6 36. Rxb2 Kxf7 {[%mdl 4096]} 37. Rd2 {[%CAl Yd2d4,Ya3a4]} Qa4 38. Rd3 Qxh4 { As a result of complications, Black has avoided material losses, and the game should end in a draw.} 39. Rd7+ Kg8 40. Rd4 Qe7 41. a4 Qa3 42. g3 Qa1 43. Kg2 g5 44. Nd2 g4 45. Ne4 Qc1 $2 {Black gives up a pawn once again.} (45... Kg7 $11 ) 46. Nf6+ Kf7 47. Nxh5 Qc6+ 48. Kg1 Qc1+ 49. Kh2 Kg6 50. Nf4+ Kf6 51. Ng2 Kg5 {It is very difficult to defend now, and Black quickly sinks.} (51... Qc8 $142) 52. Rf4 Qd1 53. Nh4 Qc2 $2 (53... Kh6 $1 54. Nf5+ Kh7 $1 {, and Black holds on. }) 54. Nf5 Qd3 55. e4 Qd7 56. e5 Qh7+ 57. Kg1 Qg6 58. Nd6 Qe6 $2 (58... Qb1+ $142 {but after} 59. Kh2 Qh7+ 60. Kg2 {White should gradually win.}) 59. Rf5+ Qxf5 60. Nxf5 Kxf5 {The pawn endgame is easily winning for White.} 61. f4 gxf3 62. Kf2 Kxe5 63. Kxf3 Kf5 64. Ke3 {White's g-pawn is below the crucial h3-c8 diagonal, and Black's king, after capturing it, can't get to c8.} 1-0 [Event "Gashimov Memorial 6th"] [Site "Shamkir"] [Date "2019.04.07"] [Round "7"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2845"] [BlackElo "2797"] [Annotator "Krasenkow,Michal"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2019.03.31"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "AZE"] [EventCategory "22"] [SourceTitle "CBM 190"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2019.06.30"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.06.30"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,76,80,-17,-10,-11,-19,-19,-12,-32,-39,-37,-25,-51,41,-8,4,10,2,-4,16, 1,22,-16,-7,3,13,-7,64,49,51,60,47,43,38,40,30,-69,-66,-71,-79,-30,-24,-29,-29, -25,47,-11,56,17,234,36,111,18,155,167,167,157,148,148,153,136,136,136,140,136, 183,151,223,234,216,221,299,306,306,335,337,328,334]} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 {A very popular line recently.} h6 {Black prevents Nf3-g5 and Bc1-g5. This move is new in GM practice. Alternatives:} (8... Nxc3) (8... Re8) (8... Be6) (8... Bb6) 9. Nxd5 ( 9. Bd2 Be6 10. Rc1 (10. Na4 Bb6 11. a3 f5 12. Qc2 Qd6 13. Rac1 Rad8 14. Nxb6 axb6 15. e3 f4 $132 {0-1 (24) Zupe,M (2260)-Fenil,S (2346) Skopje 2018}) 10... Bb6 (10... Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Bd6 12. d4 e4 13. d5 exf3 14. Bxf3 Ne5 15. dxe6 Nxf3+ 16. exf3 fxe6 17. Qb3 $16 {1-0 (65) Stanec,N (2512)-Sucher,J (2234) Aschach 2001}) 11. a3 Qd7 $11) 9... Qxd5 10. a3 a5 11. Bd2 Qe6 12. Rc1 Qe7 (12... Bb6 13. Bc3 {[%CAl Yf3d2,Yd2c4]}) 13. Bc3 Nd4 (13... a4 $5 14. Nd2 (14. e3 Rd8) 14... Be6 {as} 15. Bxc6 bxc6 {is hardly dangerous for Black}) 14. e3 Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 Bd6 16. Qh5 c6 17. f4 $1 $36 {[%mdl 512]} exf4 18. gxf4 Qxe3+ $2 {This acceptance of White's pawn sacrifice leads to a surprisingly fast defeat.} ( 18... Kh7 $14 {[%CAl Yg7g6]}) 19. Kh1 Rd8 $2 (19... f6 $8 20. Be4 {[%CAl Rh5g6, Rf1g1]} Qh3 21. Qg6 Bg4 $1 22. Qh7+ Kf7 23. Bg6+ Ke6 24. Rce1+ Kd7 25. Qxg7+ Kc8 {, and Black avoids disaster, although after} 26. Be4 {White keeps strong pressure.}) 20. Rce1 Qc5 (20... Qxd3 21. f5 {etc.}) 21. f5 {[%mdl 128]} Bf8 22. Be4 Rd5 {Of course, White doesn't accept this exchange sacrifice. Instead, he continues his attack.} 23. Rf3 $1 b5 24. Rg1 Ra7 25. Bf6 (25. Rfg3 {was already possible but a line like this is too hard to calculate:} Bxf5 26. Rxg7+ Bxg7 27. Rxg7+ Kf8 28. Qxh6 Ke8 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Qh4+ Kd6 (30... Ke8 31. Rg8+) 31. Qf6+ Be6 (31... Kc7 32. Bxf5 Rxf5 33. Rxf7+ $18) 32. b4 $1 Qe3 33. Bxd5 cxd5 34. Bd4 $18) 25... g6 26. Qh3 (26. Rxg6+ $5 fxg6 27. Qxg6+ Bg7 (27... Rg7 28. Bxg7 Bxg7 29. Rg3 $18) 28. Bc3 $18 {[%CAl Rf5f6]}) 26... Rd6 27. Qh4 Rxf6 28. Qxf6 Be7 29. Qxc6 Qxc6 30. Bxc6 $18 {Black has avoided direct mate but this endgame is technically winning for White.} Kg7 31. fxg6 fxg6 32. d4 a4 33. d5 b4 34. Be8 Bg5 35. h4 Bxh4 36. Rxg6+ Kh7 37. Rc6 Bg4 38. Rf4 Rg7 (38... Rg7 39. Bg6+ $18) 1-0