(1) Carlsen,M (2810) - Dominguez Perez,L (2712) [D97]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (11), 29.01.2010
[Carlsen, Magnus]



1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
He usually plays the Grunfeld Indian, so that was expected.

4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 a6 8.e5
This is more or less the main line.

8...b5 9.Qb3 Nfd7 10.Ng5
A bit primitive, as it doesn't threaten anything.

10...Nb6 11.Be3 Nc6 12.Rd1 Bf5
A bit unexpected, but I was happy with the position I got.

13.Be2 Na5 14.Qb4 Nac4 15.0-0
[I was considering 15.Bc1 Bc2 16.0-0 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 but it's not very clear.]

15...f6 16.Nf3 Nxe3 17.fxe3
I have a space advantage and the Bg7 is not very good.

17...fxe5
[17...Bh6 18.e4 is very strong.]

18.dxe5 Qe8 19.Qc5 Rc8
[19...Nd7?! 20.Qxc7 Rc8 21.Qa7 Nxe5 22.Nd5 is complicated, but White should be coming out on top.]

20.a4!
[If I can play 20.Nd4 without trouble, I would be much better. But now he has 20...Nd7 ]

20...Nxa4 21.Nxa4 bxa4 22.Nd4
I was sure this was going to be promising for me. If I can get Nc6 in, Black will be paralyzed.

22...Rb8! 23.g4
A bit of gamble. [I was calculating 23.Nc6 Rxb2 24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Rd8 Qxd8 26.Nxd8 Rxd8 27.Qxe7 Rbb8 but it's not at all obvious for me White is winning.]

23...Be4
Probably also not bad. [23...Bd7 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.e6 looks strong, but maybe he can survive after 25...Bc8 Doesn't look very healthy, but I didn't see anything clear, for example 26.Nc6 Rb6 27.Rd8 Rxc6 28.Qd4 Qxd8 29.Qxd8 Bxe6 ]

24.Ne6 Rxf1+ 25.Bxf1 c6 26.Ng5
Maybe a stupid move, overestimating my position. He was in a big time trouble, which explains some of his decisions later on.

26...Bd5 27.e4 Bb3 28.Bc4+ e6 29.Nxe6 Bxc4 30.Qxc4 Kh8??
Now White is winning! [30...Bxe5 is by far his best choice. Black could even be better, for example 31.Rf1 Qe7 32.Nd8+ Kh8 33.Nxc6 Bxh2+ ]

31.Nxg7 Kxg7 32.e6 Rb7 33.Qc3+ Kg8 34.Rd6 Re7 35.Rxc6 Qf8 36.Rc8
There are many ways to win, but this is quite simple.

36...Re8 37.Rxe8 Qxe8 38.Qf6 Qc8 39.Kg2 Qc2+ 40.Kh3 Qc5 41.Kh4
I kind of like this move, as he doesn't have any checks.

41...Qb4 42.Qf7+ Kh8 43.e7 Qe1+ 44.Kg5 Qe3+ 45.Qf4
I was really tired today, but of course I'm happy to win. [I was hoping for 45.Qf4 Qc5+ 46.Kh6 Qxe7 47.Qb8+ ] 1-0