Tiger Hillarp Persson annotates Game 7

by ChessBase
11/20/2016 – Game No. 7 Draw! (3.5-3.5) Annotated by Tiger Hillarp Perssson. A Chebanenko Slav that turned into a QGA after move five ended in a draw. Instead of grabbing space with 5.c5 or 5.Nf3 b5 6.c5 Karjakin prefered 5.Bd3 and Carlsen accepted the invitation to play ...5.dxc4. 18...Rc8, awarded with a ?!?!?! by Radjabov, was called a blunder immediately after the game by Carlsen. Karjakin admitted that he 'didn't know the theory too well.' Our coverage and commentary in the newsblog.
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World Chess Championship News - 2016-11-20

Game No. 7 - Notes by Tiger Hillarp Persson:

 
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Notes by Tiger Hillarp Persson - 1.d4!? I had decided not to watch any of the news on the game, in order to avoid reproducing what others have mused. Still, I couldn't keep away during the first few moves and I felt a breeze of cautious optimism when I saw Karjakin's first move. Could it be that he had deviated from his usual 1.e4 in order to be more ambitious? d5!? 2.c4 c6 Already the last move was a bit of a surprise, but this is twice surprise. Normally, both Carlsen and Karjakin favour 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 as Black, but then they diverge. Carlsen usually meets 3.Nf3 with d5, whereas Karjakin slightly prefers 3...b6 over d5. Considering how close their main repertoires are after 1.d4, it is not that big of a surprise that Carlsen decides to surprise. 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 This variation, named after the Moldovan master Chebanenko, was very unusual before the early nineties. Although it looks weird to move both the c- and the a-pawn to the sixth rank at such an early stage, it stands on a solid strategical basis. We see a similar strategy in the Najdorf, the Modern Benoni and the Modern, where Black plays a6 in order to disturb a knight on c3. However, it is interesting to notice that this is one of the few instances where a6 is a decent option even if the knight is not on c3. Suppose White has played Nf3 instead of Nc3, then Black can still play a6. The point is that White's knight really needs to go to c3, sooner or later, if White is to claim any sort of advantage. In such a case one might say that a6 disturbs White's natural development. 4...e6 leads to the Semi Slav, which has been seen in numerous earlier WCh matches. Carlsen's choice of line is more solid and also leads to lines that are slightly less analyzed. 5.Bd3 No! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this. Now Black is able to enter a line from the Queens Gambit Accepted (QGA), that I thought was completely toothless. Still, after checking the facts I have come to the conclusion that my instincts are, at least, dated. Since the main lines have become so heavily analyzed, the players try some of the old things anew and as will soon become obvious, Karjakin is far from alone in seeking something new in the these lines. The main lines start with 5.Nf3 b5 and then White has a choice between the very ambitious 6.c5 and the less ambitious 6.b3. It says a lot about Karjakin's attitude that he chooses none of these. He is either a) happy to draw his way to the tie-breaks, or he b) expects Carlsen to become over-ambitious, or c) has great belief in his technical abilities, or d) this line is far more dangerous for Black than I thought (and still think). 5...dxc4! 6.Bxc4 e6 7.Nf3 c5 So, we arrive at a line from the QGA, via a roundabout move order. This position used to be the main line, but then players started to realize that the knight lacked flexibility on c3. Since then White's main ideas in these positions all have one thing in common; avoiding to put the knight on c3. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 5.0-0 a6, both 6.Bb3, 6.Qe2 and 6.dxc5 are more common than 6.Nc3. Then again, "common" is not always a sign of quality. 8.0-0 Here White has the option of playing 8.a4 , which is fairly dull, especially for Black. After Nc6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Qe2 cxd4 11.Rd1 e5 12.exd4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qe5 Qd6 White is marginally better, although the results tend towards draws, aplenty. 8...b5 9.Be2 And here, when I put my hands to my face in similar fashion to Munch's famous "peanut-face", I'm clearly out of line. This line turns out to be as haute couture as anything chess related can be. It has been played by Aronian, Wang Yue, Vitiugov and others. White is doing well. My prejudices need to be updated. 9.Bb3 Bb7 10.Qe2 I was hoping for 10.e4!? 10...Nbd7 11.Rd1 Qb8 has a solid reputation for Black and is the reason why White started experimenting with not putting the knight on c3. 9...Bb7 9...Nbd7 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Bb7 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.a4 b4 seems to be about balanced, but White can set Black some problems with 14.e4 after which the game Aronian,L (2795)-Ponomariov,R (2710) SportAccord Blitz 2014, continued: Be7 15.Bc4 Rd8?! 16.Qe2 Qg6 17.Bf4 0-0 18.Bc7 18.Rfe1!? 18...Rc8 19.Bg3 a5 20.Rfe1 with some initiative for White. 10.dxc5! Other moves make no sense. Black would prefer to take back on c5 with a knight, but here 10...Nbd7 can be met with 11.b4! Nc6!? Not exactly a novelty, but played at a 2700+ level for the first time. 10...Bxc5 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Nd2 has been scoring well for White among engines. Karjakin had to suffer this position himself once as Black. That game went: 10...Qxd1 11.Rxd1 Bxc5 12.Nd2! If we compare this position to the "early" dxc5-lines in the QGA, Black has already committed to b7-b5, which leaves the dark squares somewhat weaker and also gives White something to chew on with the a-pawn. Nbd7 12...Nc6 13.Nce4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Be7 would be similar to the game if the queens were still on. But since they aren't White can play 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Rxd6 Ke7 17.Rd1 13.Nb3 Bb6 13...Bb4 14.a4 b4 15.a5! Bd8 16.Na4 Be7 17.f3 g5 18.e4 g4 19.Be3 when White had a big advantage and eventually won, in Fressinet,L (2700)-Karjakin,S (2775) Beijing (blitz) 2012. 11.Nd2 As seen on the last move, this is the standard reaction when the queens go off the board. However, here it doesn't work as well. Although I haven't seen what anyone else says about the game, I have allowed myself the luxury of turning the engine on now and then. I know I shouldn't, but the hour is late in Sweden and what would happen if I got it all wrong? The prospect it frightful. So, the most critical line seems to be 11.Qxd8+ Rxd8 12.b4!? It's very likely that Karjakin tried to calculate the consequences of this move over the board while sensing that it was surely part of his opponents preparation. Not finding a clear road to an advantage he then proceeded to play a "normal" move. I'm just guessing though. Nxb4 13.a4! One immediately spots that the queenside pawns will disappear and then the question is: how much activity does White have? Bxc5 With some silicon-based help, it is possible to find that 13...Nc2 14.Ra2 Nb4 15.Rd2 15.Ra3 Bxc5 16.axb5 Nd3! 17.Rb3 0-0 15...Bxc5 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.axb5 axb5 18.Nxb5 Ke7 19.Ba3 Ra8 20.Rc1 Nd7 is a long line that just holds, although one sure wouldn't like to calculate and play it over the board. 14.axb5 axb5 15.Bxb5+ Bc6 15...Ke7 16.Na4 Bd6 17.Nb6 and White develops some quite nasty pressure. 16.Ba3 Bxb5 17.Nxb5 0-0 18.Rfc1 Be7 and Black should be within drawing distance since 19.Rc7 can be met with Rd7= 11.Qc2 11...Bxc5 It's not only the Giuoco Piano that can lead to an asymmetrical pawn structure. ;) 12.Nde4 Here the idea from Fressinet-Karjakin (above) doesn't work: 12.Nb3 Bd6! and White is stuck with a passive bishop, a cramped position and with no way to use the c5-square. 13.e4? b4! 12...Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Be7 Something has gone wrong for White and Black's position is very comfortable. The pressure to equalize is already on White. 14.b3 Nb4! 15.Bf3! 0-0 Perhaps Carlsen was too happy with the draw, because here he wastes a chance to put more pressure on Karjakin: 15...f5! The point is to get the bishop to the f6-a1-diagonal, when protecting a2 becomes very hard. 16.Nd2 16.Nd6+ Qxd6 17.Bxb7 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 Ra7 19.Bf3 Bf6 20.Rb1 Nxa2 16...Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 Bf6 19.Nd4 Not a happy move for White to play, but there is nothing else. Kf7 and Black has some pressure. 16.Ba3! Karjakin pulls the break just in time. With more exchanges Black's has nothing more than a little extra space, which is a very nominal advantage indeed. Rc8?! 16...Rb8 or any other move that protects the bishop, would give Carlsen the kind of position where he could have played on for some while. Instead he ends up at a slight disadvantage. 17.Nf6+ Bxf6 18.Bxb7 Bxa1 19.Bxb4 Bf6 20.Bxf8 Qxd1 21.Rxd1 Rxf8 22.Bxa6 Karjakin has won a pawn but needs one more move to make it count (a2-a4). b4! This pawn is easily protected and keeps White's pawn majority in check. White's advantage is that there is one tactical trick which Black can fall for, but that's it. 23.Rc1 g6 24.Rc2 Ra8 The tactical blunder I was referring to is 24...Bc3?! 25.Bc4 Kg7? 26.a4! , when White's winning chances become very real. 25.Bd3 Rd8 26.Be2 Kf8 27.Kf1 Ra8 28.Bc4 Rc8 29.Ke2 Ke7 30.f4 h6 31.Kf3 Rc7 32.g4 g5 33.Ke4 Rc8 White cannot make progress, so draw was agreed. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S-Carlsen,M-½–½2016D27World Championship7

8.00 Mumbai time/ 3.30 Hamburg/ 21.30 New York: Game seven analysis and key positions explained by Sagar Shah on ChessBase India newspage.

22.17 / 5.17 pm: Draw. Carlsen admitted  in the press-conference that 18...Rc8 was a blunder. Karjakin: 'Not a long game, but quite interesting, I didn't know the theory too well... At the end I could not improve my position.' A bit later the challenger said: 'You have to grab the chances when you get them. My only chance was in game five.' Magnus Carlsen: 'The results of the last games were decent for me.'... 'The last two games were not that interesting, but in most of the games something was happening.'

Cliffhanger with a question asked by a boy: When Sergey played 17.Nf6+, was it like 'Uh oh, ooh, I've got to get the draw?' for you? (Update with the press conference will follow). Check out the newsblog 2016-11-21 for fresh coverage.

Breaking news: Karjakin cancelled the helicopter flight - because of the good weather. But he will go up in the air, probably after the next game.

22.14 / 5.14 pm: Judit Polgar after 33...Rc8 - "Magnus is saying: 'my pieces are placed perfectly.'"

22.09 / 5.09 pm: 

22.04 / 4.04 pm:

 

21.53 / 3.53 pm: Judit Polgar showed remarkable prediction skills by proposing somewhere around 19...Bf6 that the game might result in a R+B vs. R+B endgame.

21.37 / 3.37 pm: Radjabov is obviously in good spirits today. 

21.32 / 3.32 pm: According to Judit Polgar, after 18...Rc8 ('obviously a miscalculation'), Black can only play for two results. White, however, can play for a win for 80 or more moves, she says.

21.25 / 3.25 pm: Radjabov made a remarkable point before 18...Rc8?!?!?!:

 

21.18 / 3.18 pm: Is Carlsen too eager to get a draw? His 18...Rc8 is criticized by Polgar and Radjabov and both claim that Carlsen is going for a draw. A draw might indeed be the most likely result. Polgar predicts a R+B vs R+B or a rook endgame. Carlsen looks a little nervous, but this might be misleading. 

21.10 / 3.10 pm: Fabiano Caruana is among the spectators and plays some blitz.

21.00 / 3.00 pm: Tejmur Radjabov is giving insightful comments. Predicted ...Nb4 by Magnus Carlsen. He is joking and suggests the arbiters should reduce the time control. "They do the bad moves fast anyway."

20.55 / 2.55 pm: The first move was executed by Gbenga Akinnakgbe, an actor best known for his role as Chris Partlow in "The Wire". Akinnakgbe is a huge chess fan.

20.46 / 2.46 pm:

20.41 / 2.41 pm: Judit Polgar is surprised about Karjakin's approach. According to the star commentator, Black has no problems at all. The bishop on b7 could become very powerful. She even states that she would prefer Black now. Some engines share this opinion.

No turning point detected yet. 

20.32 / 2.32 pm: 'Smart is the new sexy' - Kaja Snare

20.14 / 2.14 pm: Karjakin doesn't like to commit to early and prefers to lose a tempo with 5.Bd3 instead of going for 5.Nf3 b5 6.c5 preparing later piece sacrifices on the queenside to get the pawns rolling. Maybe we will see some action later. 

20.04 / 2.04 pm: A Chebanenko Slav! Can get interesting, Premium users can follow the game via playchess.com - others can use the widget on the left of our starting page. 

19.49 / 1.49 pm: That's the spirit -  

18.41 Hamburg time / 12.41 am New York time: Game No. 7 is going to start soon, with Sergey Karjakin playing White. If you like to practice a little, try this puzzle and wander with a knight over the board until every square has been covered only once. Grandmaster Gregory Serper practiced this blindfold as a schoolboy during lessons. 

Sometimes you still see the child in his eyes. Reporter: 'What will you do on your day off?' Karjakin: 'Helicopter.'

12.10 Hamburg time / 6.10 am New York City time: Sergey Karjakin in good spirits.

12.08 Hamburg time / 6.08 am New York City time: Here are our snippets from the press conference of game 6 including the helicopter comment by Karjakin.

 

After the German premiere of the film  'Magnus' I asked two chess playing boys from Berlin (10 and 12) what they had liked most about the film, and they said: 'The day off in Chennai.' (twelve year old Minh Tham) and 'When Carlsen was so nervous during the match against Anand that he dropped the pieces.' (Minh's 10-year old brother Nam Tham, who already played in the European Youth Championship, check out the report on our German site).

A day off is quite something when you're not in Kalmykia but in New York City. We'd like to know what they were doing but of course we're respecting the player's privacy. Speaking of which: The camera in the rest room. What was going on? Did Carlsen know it streams the scenes to the world wide audience? During the press conference Carlsen said he wouldn't care, but the camera is switched off now. 

(Helicopter picture in colour source is here. Black and White picture by F.O. Updates coming up)

So our prediction Karjakin will be roofing or feeding lions didn't proof to be right. But sort of. Now we hope both players refreshed their good spirits. We're expecting a fight with Karyakin playing White in some hours.

+ + + 

21:40 / 3:40 pm: The game ended in a draw. After three fascinating games in rounds three, four and five the players didn't excite the audience today. Tomorrow is a rest day, so Sergey has enough time to prepare something against Carlsen's ...d5!

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