(1) Adams,Michael (2728) - Carlsen,Magnus (2826) [B06]
39th Olympiad Men Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (6.18), 27.09.2010



1.e4 g6 2.d4 Nf6 3.e5 Nh5








Avoiding question marks, or any other form of punctuation to evaluate this opening, suffice it to say that the only games of grandmasters on record, of which there are four, were played by notorious opening mavericks: Morozevich, Miles, Hodgson, and Hillarp Persson.

4.Be2 d6 Both Morozevich and Miles preferred to fianchetto their knight with 4...Ng7 here.

5.Nf3 Nc6 Other than the oddly placed knight on h5, the structure and pieces are identical to an Alekhine defense.

6.exd6 exd6 7.d5 Ne7 8.c4 Bg7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Re1 Re8 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Nf6 14.Bf4 Nd7 15.Rc1 Ne5 16.b3 a6 17.g3 Nf5 18.Bg2 g5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Ne4 Ng7 21.Qd2 h6








Black is still struggling to find a good plan and while his bishop looks strong on e5, it won't be able to stay there for long, while the knight on g7 is still seeking a suitable home.

22.f4 gxf4 23.gxf4 Bf6 24.Kh2 Nh5 [24...Bh4 25.Rg1 f5 26.Ng3 Bxg3+ 27.Kxg3 Nh5+ 28.Kh2 Kf7 ]

25.Rg1 Kh7?! This imprecision could lead to serious trouble due to the myriad of threats that can be combined on the b1-h7 diagonal.

26.Rcf1 Rg8 27.Qe2 Ng7 28.Qd3?! Not the most precise. [28.Nxf6+! was white's strongest continuation. 28...Qxf6 29.Be4+ Kh8 30.Bb1 Qd4 31.Qg4 Threatening Qh4. 31...Qf6 (31...Qb2+ 32.Kh1 Qf6 33.Qf3 Qd4 (33...h5 With the idea of protecting h7 with Qh6. 34.Rg5 Qh6 35.Rfg1 and black is lost.) 34.Rd1 Qb2 35.Rg2 Qf6 36.Qe4 ) 32.Qf3 Ne8 33.Qd3+- ]

28...Kh8 29.Bf3










29...b5 [The engines initially suggest 29...Bh4 as an improvement, but deeper analysis shows that it still loses after 30.Qd4 Qe7








(30...Kh7 31.Ng5+! hxg5 32.fxg5 Bxg5 33.Be4+ f5 34.Bxf5+ Nxf5 35.Rxf5 Rg6 36.Qg4 ) 31.Rg4! f5 32.Rg6! Kh7 33.Rfg1 Rae8 (33...fxe4 34.Bxe4 ) 34.c5! The knight cannot be touched, and as a result, black is now overwhelmed. 34...dxc5 (34...fxe4 35.Bxe4 leads to mate. 35...Qxe4 36.Rxg7+ ) 35.Qb2 Ref8 36.d6! cxd6 37.Qg2 Qf7 38.Nxd6 This is the point of the double pawn push. Without it, black could still defend against the Qb2-Qg2 maneuver, which threatens Rxh6+ followed by mate. Now the queen can no longer help and the fort collapses.]

30.Bd1 bxc4 31.bxc4 Bh4 32.Bc2 f5 33.Rg6 Kh7 34.Rfg1 Qe7










35.Ng3? [35.c5! was more expeditious. 35...Rad8 (35...fxe4 36.Qxe4 Qxe4 37.Bxe4 ) 36.Qe2 Qf8 37.cxd6 cxd6 38.Nc5! dxc5 39.Qxa6+- ]

35...Bxg3+?! [35...Raf8 would resist longer but still looks grim after 36.Qd4 Bxg3+ 37.R1xg3 Qf7 38.Qg1 Nh5 39.Rxg8 Rxg8 40.Rxg8 Qxg8 41.Bxf5+ Kh8 42.Bg4 Nf6 (42...Nxf4 43.Qd4+ ) ]

36.Qxg3 Qf7 [36...Nh5 loses after 37.Qf3 Rxg6 38.Bxf5 Rag8 39.Rxg6 Rxg6 40.Qxh5 ]

37.Bd1 Rae8 38.Rxh6+ 1-0