1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
The Spanish, regarded over the past 5-10 yaesr as one of the most solid ways to play for Black. Several elite players (eg. Aronian) confidently hide behind its bastions, without any fear at all.
3...a6
4.Ba4
[It ahs been known since time immemorial that the win of the pawn by 4.Bxc6
dxc6
5.Nxe5
is only temporary: 5...Qd4
]
4...Nf6
5.0-0
Be7
6.Re1
b5
But now this is necessary, since Bxc6 and Nxe5 was a threat.
7.Bb3
0-0
Most modern-day players castle with the pawn still on d7. It is always nice to threaten a Marshall, even if one actually intends to play another, quieter line.
8.c3
Vassily is not afraid of anything...
8...d6
Nor is Magnus, but even so, he decides not to risk a theoretical duel. Mind you, one cannot escape from a serious theoretical examination, whatever move one plays here - the Spanish has been analysed deeply in all its variations..
9.h3
[The classical recipe. From time to time, White chooses the more direct 9.d4
allowing the bishop out to g4.]
9...a5
So that's his idea...Excuse my excessive emotion, but when you are expecting to see the main line, on which you have commentated innumerable times before, and then you get a fresh move - well, your eyes light up, the sun shines, and your brain starts to work again. Actually, the move has been known for a long time. It was first played in 1935 by the Swedish master G Stoltz. At the end of the 1940s it was taken up by the likes of Bondarevsky, Bolbochan, Rossolimo, etc. But then its popularity waned, and theory was evidently not convinced of its merits. But lately, it has become popular again. Black prepares to drive the dangerous Spanish bishop off the diagonal by means of a5-a4.
10.d4
Ivanchuk decides not to prevent his opponent's plan, but to get on with his own. [In a clash between two of the line's pioneers, the continuation 10.a4
was tested. After 10...b4
11.d4
bxc3
12.Nxc3
Nxd4
13.Nxd4
exd4
14.Qxd4
Rb8
15.Bc4
c6
16.b3
Nd7
17.Bf4
Bf6
18.Qe3
Ne5
19.Bxe5
Bxe5
20.Rad1
Be6
Black had excellent play (Konstantinopolsky-Bondarevsky, USSR Ch 1948).]
10...a4
[The father of the variation played it differently: 10...exd4
11.cxd4
a4
12.Bc2
Nb4
13.Nc3
Nxc2
14.Qxc2
c6
15.d5
cxd5
16.exd5
b4
17.Nxa4
Bd7
18.b3
Nxd5
19.Qc4
Bf6
20.Bb2
Bxa4
21.Bxf6
Nxf6
22.bxa4
Rxa4
and Black had the advantage (Sir G Thomas-Stoltz, Warsaw 1935).]
11.Bc2
Bd7
Introduced into practice by Smyslov. The bishop develops very modestly. It's main object is not to obstruct the other pieces, and, of course, also to support the pawn on b5.
12.Na3
It seems that Ivanchuk is well acquainted with the theory, although he can hardly have prepared for this variation. He spent some time trying to recall his old knowledge, and then quickly utilises it. [The move 12.Be3
allows Black to exchange the strong Spanish bishop, in the style of Stoltz: 12...exd4
13.cxd4
Nb4!
; Another move which has been played here is 12.Nbd2
One recent example is 12...Re8
13.Bd3
Rb8
14.Qe2
Bf8
15.dxe5
Nxe5
16.Nxe5
dxe5
17.Nf3
h6
18.b3
Bc5
19.Be3
Qe7
20.bxa4
bxa4
21.Rab1
Rb6
and Black obtained equal chances (G Garcia-Becerra Rivero, USA 2008).]
12...Rb8
Black is prepared for further action on the queenside. [Formerly the main line was considered to be 12...Qb8
This queen manoeuvre becmes possible, thanks to the modest move Bc8-d7. The game Renet-Agdestein, Lyon 1988 continued 13.Bd3
exd4
14.cxd4
Nb4
15.Bb1
Qb7
16.Bg5
Rad8
17.Nc2
Na6
18.Ne3
Rfe8
19.Qd3
g6
20.a3
c5
21.e5
dxe5
22.dxe5
Bc6
23.Qc3
Nd5
and Black won after a sharp struggle.]
13.d5
Apparently a novelty. [The last word of theory here is 13.Bd3
b4
14.Nc4
bxc3
15.dxe5
Nxe5
16.Nfxe5
dxe5
17.bxc3
Bd6
18.Bc2
Bc6
19.Bg5
a3
20.Qf3
h6
21.Bc1
Qe7
22.Ne3
Bd7
23.Bb3
Kh8
1/2-1/2 Yagupov,I (2482)-Zaitsev,I (2417)/Moscow 2000/EXT 2001]
13...Na7
[After some thought, Carlsen retreats the knight deep within its own camp. Of course, a7 is only a temporary post - Black needs to regroup as quickly as possible and advance c7-c6. Thus far, White has not yet definitely seized the initiative. A concrete battle is starting...The clocks times are not surprising: 1.12 - 1.44. On 13...Na5
the reply 14.b4!
is unpleasant, eg. 14...axb3
15.axb3
and the threat of b3-b4 gives Black some problems.; The counter-blow 13...b4
does not promise equality: 14.Nc4!
Na7
15.cxb4
Rxb4
16.b3
and White can even attack the queenside successfully. 16...axb3
17.axb3
Nc8
18.Ra8
]
14.c4
The whole times Vassily was thinking, I was studying precisely this move, the sharpest and most aggressive.
14...Ra8
An amazingly quick response, like a table tennis. response. Magnus frees the square b8 for his queen. But this leads us to ask the question: was 12...Rb8 really a good move? Wasn't the more usual 12...Qb8 better? Amazingly quick...Black had a number of interesting moves, the consequences of which were not easy to assess. [In the variation 14...b4
15.Nb1
Qe8
White obtains the advantage by 16.c5!
; Black is simply worse after 14...bxc4
15.Nxc4
Qe8
16.Be3
Nc8
17.Rc1
etc.; It seems to me that the young Norwegian's fighting temperament is suited by the pawn sacrifice 14...c6
15.dxc6
Bxc6
16.cxb5
Nxb5
17.Bxa4
Qd7
18.Nxb5
Bxb5
19.Bxb5
Rxb5
20.b3
Qb7
21.Qe2
Rc8
and a quick central break with d6-d5 will follow. On the other hand, of course, it is always easier to sacrifice somebody else's pawns...]
15.Be3
[Now Black would answer 15.c5
with 15...c6!
After 16.cxd6
Bxd6
17.dxc6
Bxc6
he has everything defended, whereas with the queen on e8 (as in the variation above beginning 14...b4), the bishop on d6 would be hanging.; whilst after 15.cxb5
Nxb5
16.Bxa4
Nc3!
17.bxc3
Rxa4
Black would obtain a definite initiative for the pawn.; The modest 15.Bd2
deserves attention.]
15...b4
This is the drawback of 15.Be3. Black now keeps the c-file closed, on which he has a backward pawn on c7.
16.Nb1
c5
Slamming the door!
17.a3
[Note that exchanging a central pawn for a flank pawn by means of 17.Bxa4
Nxe4
would not be good for White.; However, it was possible to exchange central pawns: 17.Nxe5
dxe5
18.d6
although without great effect: 18...Re8
19.dxe7
Qxe7
with complicated play.]
17...b3
The key goes into the lock. Now the queenside is sealed up for good.
18.Bd3
Now all hopes rest on the other side of the board. Possibly the two sides will prepare the corresponding breaks f2-f4 and f7-f5.The position looks about equal.
18...Nxe4
Lightning from a clear sky! Carlsen decisively abandons the slow manoeuvering. However, with a knight on a7, such complications are rarely favourable. Black will regain his piece, of course, but in the subsequently play, the white army should be better coordinated. [At first, the official site showed Black's move as 18...Nxd5
producing shock the whole chess world over. Admittedly, though, even the move 18...Nxe4 can hardly be described as the most normal.; I think that 99 players out of 100 would have played 18...Nc8
aiming to put the knight on b6 and then slowly prepare something on the kingside. The 100th player is carlsen. True, as far as the rating list is concerned, he is closer to first. And the rest of us, we ordinary players, follow at a respectful distance...]
19.Bxe4
[vassily does not need much time to take himself in hand. Weaker is 19.Nxe5
dxe5
20.Bxe4
Bd6
and after f7-f5, Black has a good structure and attacking chances.]
19...f5
20.Nfd2
[A surprise in return. Evidently, Vassily wants to put his queen's knight on d2. I was looking at 20.Bd3
e4
21.Nc3!
and in my view, whichever way Black recaptures the piece, he does not obtain equality. White stands much better in the centre.; One mystery remains: why did White not play 20.Nc3
fxe4
21.Nxe4
By comparison with the game, his knightis on f3, instead of b1, which is obviously a significant gain.]
20...fxe4
21.Qh5
I would ask you to bear in mind that I am writing my comments as the game is being played, and before seeing the next move. I have to make a lot of guesses, based on my own understanding of the logic of the position. [Now it turns out that Ivanchuk is not planning 21.Nxe4
on which one can recommend 21...Qe8
and the queen comes to g6.]
21...Be8
[One can well ask what the queen is doing on h5. I prefer the reply 21...Qe8
In the ending, Black puts his bishop on g6 and his knight on b6, although this can hardly lead to any serious disturbance of the equality..]
22.Qe2
Bd7
23.Qh5
Be8
24.Qe2
Bd7
The players are evidently worn out by the stress of the game. After the opening, the battle was very hard and non-standard, and the move 18...Nxe4 was the icing on the cake. 1/2-1/2