[Event "London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "2011.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Adams, Michael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E21"]
[WhiteElo "2826"]
[BlackElo "2734"]
[Annotator "Saunders,John"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "1"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceDate "2011.11.29"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 d5 8.
cxd5 Qxd5 {Magnus admitted he didn't really consider recapturing with the
queen here.} 9. e3 Nbd7 10. b4 O-O 11. Bb2 a5 12. Bd3 ({"Terribly unnatural
but I didn't see what else to do!" (Carlsen)} 12. Bc4 Qf5 {is not so good for
White.}) 12... axb4 (12... Qd6 {is another good option, according to Magnus.})
13. axb4 Rxa1+ 14. Bxa1 Qa2 15. O-O Nd5 16. Qe1 {[diag] Now Magnus was quite
happy with this position though his pieces have been pegged to the back rank.}
c5 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. b5 Ra8 19. Qc1 h6 20. h3 Qa3 21. Qd2 Qb4 22. Qc2 Qa4 23.
Qb2 f6 {GM Daniel King was disapproving of this move. He had nothing specific
in mind: it was more a general foible or phobia. "I like to glue my f-pawn to
f7/f2." However, he had to admit that it was better than the alternative -
being mated on g7.} 24. Rc1 Nb4 25. Be2 Bxf3 26. gxf3 Nd5 27. f4 N7b6 28. Bg4
Kf7 29. Qb1 Qa3 ({Magnus expected} 29... g6 {to shut out the white queen.}) 30.
Rd1 {Hikaru felt this position was basically equal, but he also thought
somebody was going to win.} f5 31. Bf3 ({Hikaru and Daniel in the commentary
room, aided by GM Peter Wells, looked at} 31. Bxf5 $5 exf5 32. Qxf5+ Kg8 33.
Qe6+ Kh7 34. Bxg7 $1 Kxg7 35. Kh2 {, which looks very good for White.}) 31...
Ra4 {Here Hikaru preferred Mickey Adams' position because he has ideas of
advancing the c-pawn.} 32. Be5 Qb4 {"Looks fine for Black" (Nakamura)} 33. Qd3
{[diag]} Ra3 $2 ({Nakamura wanted to try} 33... Qc4 {here:} 34. Qxc4 Rxc4 35.
Bd6 Nc3 36. Ra1 Nxb5 {and Black seems to hold.}) 34. Qf1 $1 {Carlsen is
getting ready to relocate his queen on g2 where he exerts pressure on g7.
Suddenly it is looking very unpleasant for Black.} g6 ({Black would like to
play} 34... c4 {but} 35. Qg2 {threatens Qxg7+ and also prevents the d5 knight
from moving (Bd6 would be the consequence).}) 35. h4 Nc4 $4 {[diag] Big
blunder.} (35... Rb3 {is playable though White is certainly on top.}) 36. Rxd5
Nxe5 (36... exd5 37. Bxd5+ Ke7 38. Bxc4 {is game over.}) ({Carlsen: "There was
just one funny line:} 36... Nxe3 37. Rd7+ {- "this actually wins by force" -}
Ke8 38. fxe3 Kxd7 39. Qd1+ Kc8 40. Bb7+ $1 {wins.}) 37. Rxe5 Qc3 38. Kg2 1-0

