Bilbao, Rd. 2: Carlsen overpowers Wei Yi

by André Schulz
7/14/2016 – After his first round loss Magnus Carlsen was determined to strike back in round two. Playing with Black against Wei Yi he managed to reach a better endgame in which he finally overpowered the Chinese. Sergey Karjakin and Anish Giri threw it all at each other but after a long fight were forced to split the point in a basic pawn ending. The draw between Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So was much less exciting.

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Wesley So and Magnus Carlsen

Hikaru Nakamura was playing with Black against Wesley. The game was not that spectacular but lasted for no less than 46 moves  It still was the shortest game of the round.

The two other games offered more excitement.

After a loss the World Champion is usually determined to strike back. This showed in his game against Wei Yi, the youngest participant in Bilbao. After Wei Yi's 1.e4 Carlsen went for 1...g6 and reached a slightly better, tricky endgame, in which Carlsen found a number of tactical resources that helped him to win.
 

Wei Yi against Magnus Carlsen

 
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1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 The Swedish GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson wrote a voluminous book on this opening which recently appeared in a new, revised edition. 5.f4 b5 6.Nf3 Nd7 6...Bb7 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.e5 Ng4 9.Bd2 c5 10.dxc5 dxe5 11.h3 Nf6 12.fxe5 Nfd7 13.e6 fxe6 14.Ng5 Nxc5 15.Qe2 Nc6 16.Nxe6 Nxe6 17.Qxe6 Ne5 18.0-0 Qd7= 0-1 (50) Zelbel,P (2450)-Hillarp Persson,T (2541) Gothenburg 2015 7.e5 Bb7 8.Bd3 c5 8...Nh6 9.Qe2 Nb6 10.0-0-0 Qd7 11.h3 Nf5 12.Bf2 e6 13.Kb1 Ne7 14.Be3 Ned5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Rhf1 b4 17.g4 0-0 18.f5 Na4 0-1 (36) Byklum, B (2275)-Hillarp Persson,T (2557) Stockholm 2006 19.f6!?± 9.Be4 Bxe4 9...Qc8 10.Bxb7 Qxb7 11.dxc5 dxe5 12.Qd5 Qxd5 13.Nxd5 Rc8 14.Nb6 Nxb6 15.cxb6 Nf6 16.0-0-0 Ng4 17.Rhe1 Nxe3 18.Rxe3 Bh6= 0-1 (53) Mortensen,E (2450)-Hillarp Persson,T (2461) Denmark 2003 10.Nxe4 Nh6 11.dxc5 dxe5 11...Ng4 12.c6 Nf6 13.Qxd8+ Rxd8 14.Nxf6+ exf6 15.c7 Rc8 16.Bb6 Kd7 This kind of position should suit Carlsen. After an early exchange of queens White's far advanced pawn on c7 is vulnerable. 17.Ba5 Nf5 18.0-0-0+ Kc6 All this has been played before. 19.Rd8 19.Rd3 Nd6 and now 1/2-1/2 (19) in Tan,J (2322)-Buchal,S (2296) Haarlem 2013 - a bit premature. 19...Nd6 20.fxe5 fxe5 21.Rd1 Nc4 22.Bc3 Rxc7 22...b4 23.Bxb4 e4 24.Nd4+ Kxc7 25.Rxh8 Bxh8 26.Bc3 Be5= 23.b3 Ne3 24.Bxe5 24.R1d6+ Kb7 25.R8d7 Kc8 26.Rxc7+ Kxc7 27.Rxa6 Rc8 28.Ba5+ Kb7 29.Rb6+ Ka7 30.Rd6 Nxc2 24...Nxd1 25.Rd6+ 25.Bxc7 Nc3 26.Rxh8 Nxa2+ 27.Kd2 Bc3+ 28.Kd3 Bxh8 29.Ba5 and Black is a pawn up. 25...Kb7 26.Bxg7 Rg8 27.Bd4 Nc3 At the moment Black is an exchange up - however, he has to part with some material. 28.Rb6+ Kc8 29.Be5 Now White regains the exchange. Rd8 30.Kb2 But not 30.Bxc7? Kxc7 31.Rxa6 Rd1+ 32.Kb2 b4 and White is caught in a mating net. 30...Nd5 31.Bxc7 Kxc7 32.Rxa6 Now White is a pawn up but his rook is awkwardly placed and White has to return the pawn. Kb7 33.Ra3 White wants to keep his extra pawn. 33.Ra5 Kb6 34.b4 Nxb4 35.Ra3= leads to an equal position. 33...Ne3 Typical Carlsen. Only a few pieces remain on the board but he manages to exert enormous pressure. 34.c4 After 34.g3 follows Nd1+ 35.Kc1 Nc3 and Black again threatens 36.-- Rd1+ 37.Kb2 b4 38.Ra5 Rb1# 34...bxc4 35.Ne5? Not the best. The World Champion will now advance his c-pawn to reach the first rank for a touchdown. 35.bxc4?? Nxc4+ 35.b4 Nd5 36.Ra5 Ne3 37.a4 Nxg2 38.Ne5 Ne3 39.Rc5= 35.Ra4 cxb3 36.Rb4+ Kc6 37.Rxb3 Nc4+ 37...Nxg2 38.Ne5+ 38.Kc2 Ra8 39.Rc3 Kb5 40.Rb3+ Kc5 41.Rc3= 35...Rd2+ 36.Kc3 36.Kc1 c3 37.-- and Rd1# 36...Rc2+ 37.Kd4 Nf5+ 38.Kd5 c3 39.Kc5 Nd6! 40.Nc6 White is still in the game. He threatens to win a piece with Ra7+. 40.Kxd6? Rd2+ 41.Ke7 c2 and the pawn queens. 40...Ne4+ After 40...Kc7 41.Nb4 41.Ra7+ Nb7+-+ 41...Rd2 41...Rc1 42.Ra7+ Nb7+ 43.Kc4 c2 44.Kb5= 42.Ra6 c2 43.Rc6+ the position is objectively (engine) won for Black but subjectively (human) rather double-edged. Kb7 43...Kd7? 44.Kb6 and White stopped the pawn. 44.Rb6+ Ka8 44...Ka7?? 45.Nc6+ Ka8 46.Rb8# 45.Nc6 c1Q+ and Black queens with check. 41.Kb5 Kc7 42.Ra7+ Kd6 43.Ra4? Better is 43.Nb4 Rxg2 44.Rxf7 Rxh2 and White can still fight for the draw. 43...f5-+ 44.Kb6 Rxg2 White threatened 44...-- 45.Rd4+ Ke6 46.Rxe4+ fxe4 47.Nd4+ 45.Rd4+ Ke6 46.a4 Ra2 Maybe it was better to play 46...Rb2 immediately. 47.a5 Rb2 48.Kc7!? 48.a6 c2 49.Rc4 Rxb3+ 50.Ka7 Nc3-+ 48.b4 Nd6 48...c2? 49.Rc4 48...Nc5! 48...c2? 49.Rc4= 48...Rxb3?? 49.Rxe4+ fxe4 50.Nd4+± 49.Rc4
49...Na6+ 50.Kb6 Rxb3+ 51.Kxa6 Kd5 The point. The white rook is once again in trouble. 52.Rb4 c2 53.Ne7+ Kc5 54.Rxb3 c1Q 55.Rb6 Qc4+ 56.Kb7 Qe4+ 57.Nc6 Qd5 58.Kc7 Qd6+ 59.Kb7 Qd7+ 60.Kb8 f4 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wei Yi2696Carlsen,M28550–12016B069th Masters Final 20162


Sergey Karjakin and Anish Giri showed fireworks and mutual attacks. Giri's king first came under heavy fire but Karjakin failed to find a way to win and the turbulent game finally ended in a draw.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 5...d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Na3 Ne7 9.Nc2 0-0 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Nxe3 a5 12.Re1 Ng6 13.Bb3 c6 14.Bc2 Re8 15.d4 Qc7 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.g3 h6 18.Qe2 Be6 19.Red1 Rad8 20.b4 Nf8 21.Nc4 axb4 22.cxb4 Bg4 23.Rxd8 Qxd8 24.Rd1 Qe7 25.Rb1 Ne6 26.Ncxe5 Nd4 27.Qd3 Nxf3+ 28.Nxf3 Qxe4 29.Qxe4 Nxe4 30.Rb3 Nf6 31.Kg2 Be6 32.Ra3 Bd5 33.Kf1 Ng4 34.h3 Bxf3 35.hxg4 Bxg4 36.Kg2 Kf8 37.Rc3 Rd8 38.b5 cxb5 39.axb5 Rc8 40.Rxc8+ Bxc8 41.f4 Ke7 0-1 (41) Anand,V (2770)-Carlsen,M (2855) Leuven 2016 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a6 9.a5 b5 9...Bg4 10.Nbd2 Nf6 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Qb3 Rb8 13.Ng5 Bh5 14.Nf1 h6 15.Ne4 Bg6 16.Nfg3 1-0 (62) Ponomariov,R (2706)-Ismagambetov,A (2542) Almaty 2016 10.axb6 Nxb6 11.Bb3 Bg4 11...Bf5!? 12.Bc2 Qd7= 12.Qe2 Kh8 13.Be3 Bd6 14.h3 Bh5 15.g4 Bg6 16.Nbd2 Be7 17.Ne4 f5 18.gxf5 Bxf5 19.Kh2 It seems as if the white king is in a precarious position but it is Black's king which soon is under fire. Qe8 20.Nfd2 Qd7 21.Rg1 Bxh3? 21...a5= 22.Qh5 Bf5
23.Rxg7!? 23.Bh6! may have been a better way to open the g-file. Now Black's best is g6 23...Rg8 24.Rxa6 Rxa6 25.Qf7 Raa8 26.Bxg7+ Rxg7 27.Qxg7# 23...gxh6 24.Qxh6 Bg4 25.f3 Rf4 26.fxg4± 24.Bxf8 Bxf8± 24...gxh5 25.Bg7# 23...Kxg7 24.Rg1+ Kh8 25.Qh6 Bd6 25...Rg8 26.Ng5 Rg7 27.Nf7+ Rxf7 28.Bxf7 Bg4 29.Bg6 29.f3? Bf8 29...Bf8 30.Qh4 and Black is under pressure. 26.Bxb6 Correct was 26.Nxd6 cxd6 and now 27.Bxb6= 26...Bxe4 27.Nxe4 cxb6
28.Rg6!? 28.Nxd6? does not work: Rxf2+ 29.Kh1 Qe7 30.Ne4 Rf4-+ 28.Qxd6?? is even worse: Rxf2+ 28...Na5 28...Bc5!? 29.Rxc6 Rf4-+ 29.Rxd6 Qg7 30.Qxg7+ Kxg7 31.Rd7+ Kh8 32.Be6 h6?! 32...Rad8= 33.b4 Nc6 34.Bd5 Rac8 35.Rb7?! 35.Nd6!± 35...b5 36.Kh3 Rf4 37.Kg2 Things have quietened down. Black is an exchange up but his king is in danger and his pawns are weak. Rg4+ 38.Kf1 Rg7 39.Rb6 Ne7 40.Rxh6+ Rh7 41.Rd6 Nxd5 42.Rxd5 Re7 43.Rd6 Ra8 44.Kg2 Rf7 45.Kf1 Re7 46.Ke2 a5 47.bxa5 Rxa5 48.Rb6 Rc7 49.Ke3 Kg8 50.Re6 b4 51.cxb4 Rb5 52.Nc5 Ra7 53.Rxe5 Rxb4
Now White is playing for a win. 54.Ne4 Kf7 55.f4 Ra1 56.f5 Re1+ 57.Kd2 Rf1 58.Nd6+ Kf8 59.Re8+ Kg7 60.Re6 Rbf4 61.f6+ Kg6 62.f7+ Kg7 63.Re8 Rf6 64.Rg8+ Kh7 65.Rd8 Kg7 66.Ke2 R6f2+ 67.Ke3 Rxf7 68.Nxf7 Kxf7 69.Rd4 Ke6 70.Rf4 Rxf4 71.Kxf4 This is a very basic endgame but the grandmasters still make a few moves... Kd5 72.Ke3 Ke5 73.d4+ Kd5 74.Kd3 Kd6 75.Kc4 Kc6 76.d5+ Kd6 77.Kd4 Kd7 78.Ke5 Ke7 79.d6+ Kd7 80.Kd5 Kd8 81.Ke6 Ke8 82.d7+ Kd8 83.Kd6 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S2773Giri,A2785½–½2016C549th Masters Final 2016

 

Results of round two

Board. Title Name ELO Res. Title Name ELO
1 GM Wesley So 2775 ½ - ½ GM Hikaru Nakamura 2787
2 GM Yi Wei 2694 0 - 1 GM Magnus Carlsen 2851
3 GM Anish Giri 2790 ½ - ½ GM Sergey Karjakin 2779

Games of rounds 1 and 2

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.h3 Ne7 8.d4 Bb6 9.Bd3 Ng6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nbd2 c6 12.Nf1 d5 13.Bg5 dxe4 14.Rxe4 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Re3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Qxf5 18.Ng3 Qd7 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Rxe5 21.dxe5 Qe7 22.Qh5 g6 23.Qe2 Qg5 24.Kf1 Kf8 25.Re1 Re8 26.Qd3 Rxe5 27.Qd6+ Re7 28.Ne4 Qf5 29.Re2 Bc7 30.Qd4 Qe5 31.Qxa7 Qh2 32.Ng3 Bxg3 33.Rxe7 Qh1+ 34.Ke2 Kxe7 35.Qe3+ Kf6 36.Qxg3 Qb1 37.Qf4+ Kg7 38.Qd4+ Kg8 39.Qb4 Qxa2 40.Qxb7 Qc4+ 41.Ke3 Qc5+ 42.Kf3 Qd5+ 43.Kg3 Qg5+ 44.Kh2 Qf4+ 45.Kg1 Qc1+ 46.Kh2 Qf4+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S2773So,W2770½–½2016C659th Masters Final 20161
Carlsen,M2855Nakamura,H27870–12016B209th Masters Final 20161
Giri,A2785Wei Yi2696½–½2016C509th Masters Final 20161
So,W2770Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E329th Masters Final 20162
Wei Yi2696Carlsen,M28550–12016B069th Masters Final 20162
Karjakin,S2773Giri,A2785½–½2016C509th Masters Final 2016

 

Standings after two rounds

In Bilbao the three-point rule applies.

Tournament page...

 

André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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