Tata Steel 2022: Duda, Giri, Erigaisi, Grandelius, Mamedyarov, Nielsen, Pragg and Shankland comment + videos by Rogozenco. "Special" on Levon Aronian. Opening videos by Werle, King and Marin. Plus 11 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire!
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Qc7 The Taimanov is a rare guest in Carlsen's repertoire, but the World Champion is of course able to play any opening in a very high class manner.
6.Be3 a6 7.g4
My own invention! By delaying f3 or Qf3 White is hoping to get an improved version of the usual attacking setups.
7...Nxd4 7...b5 is the main move.
8.Qxd4 In one move, rather than having to drop by d2 first. Already this should be some success for White, although chess is rarely that simple.
8...b5 9.0–0–0 Bb7 10.f3 Rc8 11.Qd2 Bb4 12.Bd4 f6 Looks odd, but necessary for a concrete reason.
12...Nf6 13.g5 Nh5 14.Be5! and due to the weakness of d7 White is seriously better.
13.g5
Chess the way I like it most - White is going for an all-out attack.
13...h6! This was still played quickly by both players, as we were following the engine's recommendation.
14.gxh6 14.gxf6!? allows 14...Nxf6 but on the other hand Black's structure is now more vulnerable.
14...Nxh6 15.a3! The most forcing continuation.
15...Bxa3! 16.bxa3 e5
17.Nxb5! axb5 18.Bb2 Here Carlsen spent a few minutes trying to recall his analysis. Alas, he failed...
18...d5?? Objectively speaking this move leads to a losing position for Black, but the World Champion played it within a few minutes. The reason, which he admitted in an interview the next day, is that he mixed up his preparation.
After 18...Nf7 19.h4 d5!? works out much, much better than in the game, as the move ...Nf7 is clearly more useful than h4.
19.Bxb5+ Kf8
20.Ba4?? Returning the favour. 20.Qb4+ was an excellent opportunity. 20...Kg8 21.Qb3! Nf7 22.exd5 Nd6 23.Rd3!+––
20...d4!20...d4! A good strategic move. With the pawn chain g7–d4 Black is no longer afraid of White's bishops.
21.Bb3 Nf7 22.Qb4+? 22.h4! Ba6 23.f4! Bc4 24.Kb1 is still very messy, but at least both sides are now fighting for the initiative.
22...Kg8 23.Rd2 Ba6 Now I realized that Carlsen is intending ...Rb8 next, after which my queen is almost trapped.
24.f4! Simlpy ignoring Black's threats - I need counterplay above everything else!
24...Rb8 25.Qa4 Bb5 26.Qb4 It was of course very scary to allow all sorts of discovered attacks during the game, but I couldn't find anything clear for him.
26...Ba6 27.Qa4 Bb5 28.Qb4 Rh3 29.fxe5 fxe5 With a few minutes left I now had an important and difficult choice, which I got wrong.
30.Rg1? 30.Rf2! Rxb3! 31.Qxb3 Bc4 32.Qa4 Ng5! 33.Rg1! Nh3 34.Rf6 Nxg1 35.Rc6 with an ongoing mess. If I would have been able to find it in the game though is a completely different matter...
30...Be2? Actually missing the best chance of the game! 30...Ba6! 31.Bxf7+ Kh8!! The beautiful point, which we both missed. For example 32.Qa4 Qxf7 33.Qxa6 Qa2! and the attack wins.
31.Bxf7+ Kxf7 32.Qa4 Qb7 32...Bc4!? 33.Rdg2 Rh7 and with my queen offside Black is still probably for preference. Making further progress is not easy at all though.
33.Qb4 Qc7 34.Qa4 Bb5?! 35.Rdg2!
I am fairly sure this was missed by Carlsen, who somewhat untypically also were running short of time.
35...Rh7 36.Qb3+ Bc4 37.Qg3 Qb6 38.Qg6+ Trading queens just in time.
38...Qxg6 39.Rxg6 Rc8 Now the ending should be a clear draw, but on move 40 I made an unnecessary mistake.
40.R6g5? Bd3! Woops. I can't defend both c2 and e4.
41.Rf5+ Kg8 42.Rf2 Rh6 43.Rd1?! 43.Rd2 Bxe4 44.Re1 Rh4 45.Rf2
43...Bxe4?! Slightly unusual for Carlsen, making it much easier for me to defend.
43...Bb5! is the strongest move, keeping the bishop and intending to put pressure on e4 later on.
44.Re1 Rh4 45.a4
Now Black is as stuck as White, and it's just a draw.
45...Rc5 46.Ba3 Rc8 47.Be7 Rg4 48.h3 Rg2 49.Rxg2 Bxg2 50.Rxe5 d3 51.Bc5 Ra8 52.cxd3 Rxa4 53.Kd2 Bxh3 54.Re4 ½-½
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