2/16/2018 – Grandmasters Daniel King and Daniel Fernandez each looked at the Chess960 rapid games between Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen in some detail, and we present all eight of those games for review at your leisure. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / frchess.com
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The backdrop
The Chess960 match played in Norway, at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter (Art centre), was surrounded by a photography exhibition from Dag Alveng, who photographed the graves of famous chess players. Here's a brief tour from commentator Anna Rudolf:
At the airport, in the hotel or at home on your couch: with the new ChessBase you always have access to the whole ChessBase world: the new ChessBase video library, tactics server, opening training App, the live database with eight million games, Let’s Check and web access to playchess.com
GM Daniel Fernandez's annotations were featured in our report on games seven and eight, but in fact he provided us with annotations on all eight games, which we're pleased to present here, so you can easily replay them all in one place. You'll also find all of GM Daniel King's Power Play videos on the tournament in a convenient playlist. Hours of entertainment for Chess960 fans!
Did you know that you can play Chess960 on Playchess.com? There's a special thematic room where you can find an opponent and start a game.
Fritz 16 is looking forward to playing with you, and you're certain to have a great deal of fun with him too. Tense games and even well-fought victories await you with "Easy play" and "Assisted analysis" modes.
At this point, other than the rooks in the corners, there is no real indication that this wasn't a normal chess game. The exchanges over the next few moves tell us all we need to know, i.e. that the game is essentially going to be symmetrical and stay that way.
13...Ne714.Bc314.Bb4springs to my mind, and doubtless it
occurred to Magnus as well, but it may be that followingBxb415.axb4Bb5!there is also no advantage. An optimistic try would be:16.Rd1Qh517.Bxb5Qxb518.Qc5Qxc519.bxc5looking for Rd7 next, butNd5!=keeps
comfortable equality.14...Ba415.Qb1Rc816.Rc1Ng617.h3b618.Bd3Be719.Be4Qd720.Ne5Nxe521.Bxe5Rxc1+22.Qxc1Qd1+23.Qxd1Bxd124.Bc6
True to form, Magnus tries to make something out of this position, but it
never really gets off the ground.Bb325.Kf1Bf626.Bxf6Bc4+27.Ke1gxf628.Kd228.g4!?was a different plan, trying to limit the number of pawn
moves Black has and then perhaps even head for a pawn ending later.Kg729.f4Kg630.Be4+Kg731.Kf2h632.Bc2Kf833.b3Ba6=It remains hard to
think of what White could do by way of continuation (Kh4 is always met by Bf1)
but he seems to slowly be gaining practical chances.28...Kf829.Kc3Bf130.f4Ke731.Kd4Kd632.Bf3f533.e4fxe434.Kxe4f5+Maybe as a matter
of principle this could have waited until after White's h4, but it is hardly
important.35.Kd4h636.b4Bb537.g4Bf1Not giving White g5 ideas, even
if they don't work.38.gxf5exf539.h4Bb540.Bd1Bd741.Bb3Bc842.Bc2Be643.Bb1Bc844.Bd3Bd745.Kc4Kc646.Bf1Be6+47.Kd4Kd648.Bg2Bc849.Bd5Bd750.Bb7Be6½–½
1.e4c52.d4cxd43.Rxd4d64.c4One thing which is quite interesting for
me is that within four moves, we have a Maroczy-type structure, and this
dictates the play so much that it can be of some use in understanding how to
play those positions in normal games too.b5!Black is able to execute a
favourite Maroczy push immediately. Normally, this occurs around move 15, or
even is not allowed.4...g6would have been more 'faithful'5.Nb3Nc66.Rd1bxc47.Bxc4Nb68.Be2g69.Bc3f69...Bg7could have been played
anyway; Black has a slight structural edge in Sicilian positions (hence 'all
Sicilian endgames are better for Black') so it makes sense to get pieces off.10.0-00-011.Bxg7Kxg712.Nc3f6=10.h4h510...d5!?was
'thematic for the Sicilian'11.Rh3Bf712.Rg312.Bd2!?is something of
a one-mover, but it's not completely clear what Black should do to dodge Rc3.
Maybe the awkwardQa8!?12...Ne5!Black has now at least completely
equalised; the idea is ...Bh6 and White will face difficulties.13.Bxe5dxe514.Rc3Rxd1+15.Qxd1Qa816.N1d2Bh6Completing development. It is hard to
offer White advice, since his pieces are already reasonably well placed, but
this also means he lacks ideas.17.Rc7Qb817...0-0could have been
played already, and this was maybe marginally more accurate.18.Rxe7a5!and Black obtains full compensation, based on White's tactically
vulnerable pieces as well as the obvious bishop-pair.18.Qc2
19.Ba6!For tactical reasons, Black is now best advised to give back
the bishop pair.19.Rxe7Rc8!and the rook gets trapped on the next move
by ...B(K)f8.19...Bxd220.Nxd2Rd8?!20...Na821.Rb7Qd622.Bc4Nb623.Bxf7+Kxf724.Rxa7Rc8and Black still keeps quite good compensation
thanks to the back-rank and rook-trap motifs.21.Nf1?Missing a latent
resource.21.Rxe7!Qd622.Rxa7Qxd223.Qc7!was a freak tactical
option; Black now has nothing better thanQe1+24.Kh2Rd725.Qxb6Rxa726.Qxa7Qxe4or similar (White could also interpose Qb8+ at some point.) But now
White is clearly better.27.Bf1Qxh4+28.Kg1±and the queenside pawns
run21...Rd7Now this equalises.22.Rxd7Nxd723.Bc4Qd624.Ne3Qd425.b4?!This can only risk being worse.25.Bxf7+Kxf726.Qc4+Qxc427.Nxc4Nc528.f3=25...Nb626.Bxf7+Kxf727.Qb3+Kf828.Qb1Nc829.Nf1Nd630.Ng3Nb531.a3Qc431...Nxa3?!32.Qc1Qxb433.Qh6+31...Qc3!32.a4Nd432.Qd1Nd433.Qd2Kg734.Kh2Qc235.Qe3a636.f4exf437.Qxd4fxg3+38.Kxg3Qb3+Black had one last try, but it was hard to spot and
perhaps he had already reconciled himself to the draw.38...Qe2!is an
odd 'immobilising move' pointed out by the engine. Black wins a pawn under
better circumstances than in the game.39.Kh2Qg440.g3?Qe2+41.Kg1Qf339.Kh2Qxa340.Qc5Kf841.Qc8+Kf742.Qc4+½–½
1.f3c6Possibly not occupying enough of the centre- the Caro-Kann is a
normal enough opening in regular chess, but here Black lacks a way to gain
back space with the following moves.1...c52.c4b63.d4cxd44.Bxd4f65.Bd3Nc6would probably have been the continuation if I were playing myself2.c4e52...f63.d4d5might have been a slightly better central break
to play for, but it is hard to shake the feeling that White has a little
something here.3.d4d64.Bd3Ne65.e3Just like that, White has a plus.
This wasn't maybe the fairest position to start from.Nf66.Qc3exd47.exd4h58.Be3Bh78...Qd79.0-0d510.f4!?could have been another
continuation, and now maybedxc411.Bxc4Ng4when Black can hope for a
bulwark in the centre to counteract the increasing pressure along the f-file.9.d59.Bxh7Rxh710.d5came to the same thing9...cxd510.cxd5Qxc311.Nxc3Nc512.Bxh7Rxh713.Rc113.Rd1and Nd3 is the plan that
suggests itself to me, having watched many an experienced ex-Yugoslav
grandmaster play 'light square only' chess against the Kings Indian.13...a614.Bg5Not the most precise idea.h4With the idea of ...Rh5, presumably,
but Black then doesn't follow up with that move.15.Bxf6gxf616.Ne4Kg716...Rh5!equalised immediately. It might appear that Black loses a pawn,
but in fact White is unable to take it in either of the obvious ways.17.b4!?The real most critical move.17.Nxc5?dxc518.Rxc5Ba717.Nxf6Rf518.b4Rxf619.bxc5dxc520.Rxc5Ba721.Rc4Rd817...Nd718.Rc8+Ke7!=Black is untangling very soon, e.g.19.Nd3Nb620.Re8+20.Rg8Ba720...Kxe821.Nxf6+Kd822.Nxh5Nxd523.Nhf4Ne3+24.Ke2Ba7
There is nothing for Black to really worry about here.17.Nxc5Taking this
pawn always seems to free Black's game, just as in the previous note.17.g4!continues the structural constriction of Black's position. The idea is
Ng2-e3-f5.hxg318.Nxg3Ba719.h417...dxc518.Rxc5Ba719.Rc3Rh5
Black is completely fine again.20.Rd3Re520...Rd821.d6Rd7=
with ...Rb5 and ...Bb8xd6 to come is also fine21.f4?!This is a bit
ambitious and may hand Black an advantage.Re422.Nf3Rc8!22...Rxf423.g3hxg324.hxg3Rc425.Kg2is not something Black has to get into; White
wants Nh4-f5 with an initiative.23.Rc3Rce8!With the idea of ...Re2-f2.
24.Rc2Rxf425.d6?!25.h3was apparently the way to untangle,
keeping Black's edge to a minimum.25...Rd825...Re6!would have kept
White in real danger: now defending the pawn runs into further tempo moves.26.Rd2Rc4!27.Rd1Ree4‼Cutting out the interference move Nd4, and
thus cuing up ...Rc2 in earnest.28.Re128.Ng1Rc229.Nh3Bb630.d7Ra4-+28...f529.d7Bb6The d-pawn will drop for free and White still
won't be developed. His position is close to lost.26.Rd2Re427.d7f528.g3Forcing his way out of the cage, since ...h3 meets Ng5.hxg329.hxg3Re730.Rdh2Rexd731.Rh7+Kf632.Kg2White can't really get any tactical
pressure against the Black king and has to reconcile himself to just being a
pawn down.32.R1h6+Ke733.Ng5??only gets White mated:Rd1+34.Kg2R8d2+35.Kh3Rh1#32...Be3Black is now safe, but only slightly better
and White manages to whip up play.33.Rf1Rg834.Kh3Rd535.Nh4Rg536.g4!f436...Rxg437.Nxf5Rxf538.Rxf7+!+-37.Ng2Rd338.Kh4Rg738...Rd239.Nxf4!Bf2+40.Rxf2Rxf241.Nh3=39.g5+!The final
drawing move.Rxg540.Nxe3Rxe341.Rxf4+Kg642.Rhxf7Threatening mate
and the b7-pawn, so Black forces perpetual check.Rh5+43.Kg4Rg5+44.Kh4
Neither side has any way to play on.½–½
Baby it's cold outside | Photo: Lennart Ootes / frchess.com
Game 4
Play through the moves on the live diagram...
Carlsen vs Nakamura
Starting position for games 3 and 4
1. d4 c5 (1... d5 looks to me the most solid answer, but it makes little sense to go into theoretical speculations about 960 positions.) 2. dxc5 Qxc5 3. f3 Qc7 4. Qd2
Trying to play with e4, Ne3, c4 et cetera: a kind of Maroczy plan.
4...f5 (4... Nc6 5. e4 f6 6. Ne3 Nd6 7. b3 Bf7 8. c4 looks slightly unpleasant for Black; the follow-up could be Bd3, Bf2, 0-0.) 5. c4! The maximalist move. 5...Bxc4 6. Bxf5 Nd6 ! (6... e6 7. Bc2 d5 8. Rc1 is probably humanly hard to play as well as being slightly worse; the c4-bishop finds itself awkwardly situated outside an unusually shaped pawn chain.)
7.Bc2 Nc6 8. Rc1 Bf7 9. Bb3 O-O
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10.Bxf7+Nxf7Black has done well to get into a normal-looking
position and exchange the light-square bishops. Unfortunately, his d-pawn is
still a bit backward, which is why White probably mentally awarded himself a
small nibble here.11.e4e612.Ne3a612...Qb6!13.Bf2Qa6+generated
sufficient counterplay against the White king to compensate for the backward
d-pawn.14.Nd3Nfe513.Bf213.Nc4!?deserved consideration, but
here thanks to the position of the knight on f7, White lacks a toe-hold in
Black's structure and following the slightly unusual bishop exchangeBa714.Bxa7Rxa7=White will end up being driven back with ...b513...Nfe514.Nd3Nxd315.Qxd3b516.Qd2Qb7
17...Bf418.Bg3Bxg319.hxg3Rac820.Ng420.Qd6looks
positionally desirable to me, but maybe White didn't likeQa7!?20...Ne7
Trying to play ...d5.21.Qg5Preventing the idea in a slightly roundabout
manner.21.Qd621...Ng621...d522.Rxc8!Nxc823.exd5Qxd524.Qxd5exd525.Rc1is exactly the sort of thing everyone dreads against
the present World Champion21...d6!?=deserved consideration, taking
away the dark-squared outposts from White's pieces.22.Rxc822.Rfd1Rxc123.Qxc1Qb6+24.Qe3continues the cat-and-mouse game without ceding the
c-file22...Rxc823.Rd1Rc2Now Black gets play and the potential to take
some pawns, though White keeps it under control and retains an advantage
thanks to a superior king and queen.24.Qd8+Nf825.Kh2!Rc525...Qa7
is the engine suggestion, but after26.Qg5Black is still in trouble.
The threat is Nh6+ and Qe7.26.Rd626.b4Rh5+27.Kg1Qa7+28.Nf2
throws Black's major pieces a bit more out of position; White can now play g4
or try and use the c-file himself.26...b427.Rb6Qa728.e5Not the most
precise. A new tactical motif now appears in the position- the trapping of
White's g4-knight.Rc828...Rb5!=forces the trade of rooks since29.Rd6h5ends up trapping White's knight.29.Qe7Ng630.Qxb4h531.Rb7Qc531...Rc4!=was a random move that happens to keep complete equality
32.Qe4hxg433.Qxg6Qd534.Rb3gxf335.Rxf3Rf836.Rd3!Black will
probably offer the rook swap again; what is important is to effect a
favourable trade before accepting it.Qxe537.Rxd7Rf538.Rd8+Rf839.Rd7Rf540.Rd8+Rf841.Rxf8+Kxf842.b4This queen endgame is now pretty much
impossible to play for Black.Qe242...Qd543.Qc243.a4Qb3=43...Kf7might have been a start, trying to push ...e5 without further delays.
43.a4Qa244.a5Qc445.Qb1Kg846.Qe1White just has to keep playing
with small tactical motifs until Black misses one.Kh747.Qe3Threatening
Qc5, but if this hadn't been possible White could have played Qd2-d6-c5
instead.Qxb448.Qd3+g649.Qxa6Qc550.Qb6Now with best play White
should obtain a doubled-g-pawn position with queens.Qh5+51.Kg1Qd1+52.Kf2Qd2+53.Kf3g553...Qd5+54.Ke3Qxg255.Qc7+Kh656.Qd6±might have
been a better try, even though White's king will get to join his a-pawn.54.Qxe6Qxa555.Kg4Qa856.Qf7+Kh857.Qh5+Kg758.Qxg5+Kh859.Kh3Qa160.Qd8+Kg761.Qe7+Kg862.g4Now the position is technically winning, but of
course in practice it will be decided by a mistake by one or other side. Black
almost never has perpetual, so it is much easier for him to make the mistake
and then White will have a straightforward one. This is what happens in a few
moves.Qc3+63.Kh4Qb264.Qe8+Kg765.Qd7+Kg666.Qd6+Kg767.Qd5Kg6?A forced error in a lost position.67...Qf2+68.Kh5and the checks end68.Qg8+Queens will be swapped next.1–0
If you want to win with Black, you must decide which is the best strategy. Should you take risks and go for the win right from move one, or patiently set about achieving equality and then wait for mistakes by White? Alexei Shirov tries to answer this and other questions...
Black did well in the match, winning the last four games | Photo: Lennart Ootes / frchess.com
Game 5
You can play through the moves on the live diagram, up until castling.
Carlsen vs Nakamura
Starting position for games 5 and 6
1. d4 d5 2. Nb3 (2. e4 suggests itself, thanks to the hint from Black's next, and the central positions of the rooks.)
2... e5 (A hard move to understand properly. It is much better than it might initially appear — philosophically, there is some similarity with the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 in regular chess.)
3. dxe5 Rxe5 4. Bf4 (4. g3 possibly improved, trying to play e4 within the next few moves.) 4... Re8 5. Nc3 Bb4! 6. Bd2 (6. e3 is not such a catastrophe, but it is understandable that White would prefer to play without doubled pawns. For instance: Ne6 7. Bg3 Nb6 8. Rd1 Bxc3 9. bxc3 O-O=) 6... Nb6 7. e4 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 (8. exd5 !? was an interesting freak tactical possibility which lends validity to White's last. 8...Be5 9. f4 Nxd5 10. Rxe5 Rxe5 11. fxe5 b6 =)
8...dxe4 Now White must either take his pawn back or prove compensation. He chooses the second but it doesn't quite work. 9. Qd1 (9. Bd3=) (9. f3 e3 10. Bd4=) 9... f5 10. Qd4 Ne6 11. Qe5 O-O
Now Black has caught up in development, he should not be in any kind of trouble at all and White should in fact take urgent measures to not end up worse.
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12.Nc5Re713.Rd113.Be2Rff714.0-0-0 equal-ish13...Rff7
Now Black consolidates.14.Be2Nf815.Qf4Ng616.Qg316.Rd8+Rf817.Rxf8+Kxf818.Qd2c6is also not quite enough.16...f417.Rd8+Rf818.Rxf8+Kxf819.Qg5c620.h4f320...Nd5was also fine, giving back
the pawn but tying White in some awkward knots.21.h5Ne522.Nxe4h623.Qh4Bf521.gxf3Nf422.Bf122.Kf1!?could have been tried, keeping the
re-sacrificed pawn by hook or by crook. Now Black should accept this and playNbd522...Nxe2?!23.Bf6‼gxf624.Qxf6+Ke825.Qh8+=22...exf3Not the best here either, and White is nearly able to wriggle away.23.Nd3Nxd324.Bxd3h624...Nd525.Qg3Qxg3+26.fxg3Na427.Bd2Now Black
gets to rebuild his advantage.27.Bb4!c528.Ba3Re1+28...b629.O-O
+/= with Bb5-c6 to come and only White can be better29.Kh2Re530.b3Nb631.Bb2Re732.Ba3=27...Kg828.b3Nb2!29.Bg6Nd1
30...Bg4!An unusual domination motif. Black will just sit with Bg4,
pf2, Nd1 and bring his king and pawns closer until something crops up or White
gets frustrated and sacrifices an exchange.31.Bd3f2+32.Kg2b533.a4a634.axb5axb535.Bb4Re536.Bd2Re837.Bf4b437...Kf7was a better way
to creep closer- the next move can be ...Kf6 and then ...g5.38.Bd238.Bc4+Kh839.Ba6with the idea of Bb7 might have offered some practical
chances38...c539.Bf4Kf740.Bd6Here it is- the frustration. The rest
is not difficult really:Ne3+41.Kxf2Nxf142.Bxf1Rc843.Be5Bf544.Bc4+Kg645.Ke3Bxc246.g4Re847.Kf4Rf8+48.Ke3Re849.Kf4Rd8A really
good conversion overall by Nakamura, considering the unfamiliarity of the
position type and the time control.0–1
1.e4Not allowing Black ...d5, but it transpires that occupying the centre
with other pawns- any will do-is just as good.e52.Nb3c53.Ne3Nc64.h4
Presumably trying for g3, Bh3 against Black's ...d6 rather than making a
genuine attempt at a kingside pawn storm!h55.g3b56.d3d67.Bg27.Bh3Bxh38.Rxh3Nb69.Nd2=was actually a reasonable way to play- the game
now takes on a rather strange Italianesque feel.7...Be68.f4?!
Prematurely opening the centre. Combined with the lack of castling this is to
blame for a lot of White's future problems.8.Nd5=was more consistent.8...exf49.gxf4Nb6Now the centre is open and Black is better prepared
for this. There will follow ...c4, or under certain circumstances even ...d5.10.c3c411.Nd411.Nd2cxd312.Qxd3Nd713.O-O was a reasonable attempt
to turn things around11...Nxd412.cxd4Be713.d5Bd714.d4Qd8Just
winning a pawn, for which White now tries to find some compensation.15.Bd2Bxh416.Rf1Bg317.e5h418.Rf3Bc819.Nf1?Not the best try in a bad
position, and possibly missing the impact of Black's 20th.19.Qe4
kept Black's advantage to a minimum. There is genuinely a fair bit of
compensation here, though Black should keep something after for instanceNd7
trying for ...Nf6.19...Bg4!20.Ra3b4!21.Rxa721.Bxb4Bxf4-+
is even worse.21...Qb821...c322.bxc3bxc323.Bc1dxe524.fxe5Nxd5was probably a better continuation, and Black's c3-pawn and much better
co-ordination will be a huge headache going forward.22.Ra622.Rxf7!?Kxf723.e6+was worth a try, since Black runs into tactical problems trying
to keep all the material.Bxe6!23...Kf624.Ne323...Kg8?24.Nxg3hxg325.Rxh8+Kxh826.Qg624.dxe6+Rxe625.Rh322...Qb723.Nxg3This way, White has still lost the exchange but has not been able to
open any lines against the Black king.Qxa624.Ne4c324...h3could have
been an even better move, but it is all much of a muchness right now.25.bxc3Nc426.Bf1Nxd227.Nxd2Qc828.Rh228.c4!?tries to generate some
counterplay based on the pawn mass, even if White is still close to lost.
Possibly, the problem White saw with this was the rook sacrifice:dxe529.fxe5Rxe5‼which, if Black manages to find, is winning on the spot after
some tactics. Nevertheless, in a lost position I would want to make my
opponent take this risk-in a game between humans, trying a move like this is
always a risk.28...bxc329.Nc4Bf330.Ne3dxe531.fxe5Qd8Winning the
d5-pawn thanks to the threat of ...Qg5. The rest could really have been spared.
32.Qf5Bxd533.Qf4Be634.Bh3Rh635.Bxe6fxe636.Ng4Rg637.Rg2Rf838.Qe4Rf539.Nf6+Rfxf60–1
Magnus was in command through game 7 | Photo: Lennart Ootes / frchess.com
Game 7
Play through the moves on the live diagram...
Nakamura vs Carlsen
Starting position for Games 7 and 8
1.f4 f6 2.e4 e5
Both players have abandoned any kind of hypermodern approach — when there is no theory, or you don't know the theory, you can't go for the equivalent of a Gruenfeld, there is simply no choice but to play classically as that is the most reliable style. Put pawns in the centre, and pieces behind them.
3.fxe5 fxe5 4.Nbc3 Ne6 5.Nd5 It's not clear to me what White wanted to acheive by this knight leap, except if he wanted c3 and d4 (and if so, then why his 4th?) (5.Bc4 was a good 'classical' move.)
5...c6 6.N5e3 d6 7.g3 Nd7 The initial position used this time was quite an equal one, and White has played a bit lackadaisically, so maybe Black is more comfortable already. 8.Bh3 O-O-O
Nakamura vs Carlsen, game 7
Position after 8.O-O-O
9.d3 Kb8 =/+ 10.Qf2 Ndc5 11.Nc3 Nd4 Thinking of ...d5. 12.Ne2 (12.O-O-O g6 doesn't really help; here Black probably changes tack and plays without ...d5.) 12...Nxe2+ 13.Qxe2 d5 14.exd5 cxd5 15.Ng4 (15. O-O-O could have been a good try with the centre opening up, though Black is better after say Qa4 !? =/+)
15...d4 16.Bg2 Bd6 17.h3 Rc8 18.Bf2 Trying to evacuate the king, which in this case is quite a creative defence! (18.Nf2 was consistent, but too slow: Qb5 with the idea of ...Na4 forces major concessions and Black is close to winning.) 18...h5 19.Nh2 e4! (19... Qb5 20. O-O !! is the point, and while Black's position is still more pleasant he has no real attack as such. 20.O-O
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20...e321.Be1Ne622.Nf3g5With so much of a space advantage,
Black finds that his forces re-route themselves easily.23.c3Basically
obliging Black to at least sacrifice a pawn for his attack.g424.Nxd424.hxg4?hxg425.Nxd4Qh5is of course close to mate24...Nxd425.cxd4gxh326.Be4h427.Qxe3Bh727...Bd528.Rf3Qg8is better implementation,
just because d5 is a better square for the bishop.28.Rf328.g4!?Qe629.Qxh3Rcg8-+doesn't seem like a fully conclusive attack just yet, but Black
is of course close to winning.28...Qh529.Bf2Rhf830.Rxf8Rxf831.Bxh7Qxh732.g4The best practical chance.h2+33.Kh1Qg834.Bxh434.Re1Qxg435.d5might oblige Black to do more work, since he doesn't have obvious
attacking moves now.34...Qxg435.Bf2Qg836.Bh4Qd5+37.Qe4Qf738.Qg2Qf439.Bg5Qxd4Restoring the material parity, not that that has mattered
for a while. Eventually, White's chronically insecure g5-bishop and long
diagonal will combine in some decisive way.40.Bh6Re841.Rd1Qxd342.Rf1Ka843.Rc1Bb844.Qd2Qe4+45.Qg2Qe1+46.Qf1Qe6White didn't see a
point continuing with the dance; at any rate, ...Rg8-g3 will force the White
queen off the long diagonal.0–1
The game everyone will remember for its crazy blitz finish, and surprising result!
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1.d4f52.f4g5!?An interesting 'Benko Gambit'!3.fxg5h64.Ndc34.g6!?It is interesting, perhaps, to see how far we can take the analogy to the
Benko.Qxg65.h4!?e5!Here Black doesn't need to get involved in the
struggle for the squares g5 and g6- a theme which reminds me of the American
puzzle game 'connect 4'. Instead, he can hit back in the centre, using the
fact that in this Benko, the kings are already more or less safe.6.Nbc36.dxe5?!Nbc66...Nbc67.d54...d5!?An ambitious and maybe not
entirely correct move.4...hxg55.e4f4gives Black play of full
value.5.g4!The centre is much more important than some flank pawn.5.gxh6e5!Here, since e3 is not possible, the White centre instantly loses
all its solidity.5...fxg46.e4White seems to have won the opening
battle, but of course the position remains messy and unstereotyped enough that
almost anything can happen on short notice.dxe47.Nd2hxg5
8...Nd79.Ndxe4Nf710.d5a610...Nfe5immediately deserved
attention.11.Bd4Rh612.Be212.Qg3Qxc813.Be2Nd614.Nxd6exd615.Bxg4was another way to consolidate the advantage, but probably that
chosen in the game was better.12...Nfe513.Nxg5Rg614.Ne614.h4
would likely have ended up winning a pawn, since Black cannot really take en
passant. White can continue Be3-f4, Qg3, etc, and take on g4 with a position
that must be close to winning.14...Bxe614...Nf3?!15.Bxf3gxf316.Rf1±looks like it makes the position interesting, but in fact the
clarification is only to White's advantage.15.dxe6Rxe6Logically, the
only way Black can try and hang on is to take a pawn for his troubles.16.Bxe5Rxe517.Qg3Bh6+18.Kb1Re319.Qxg4
19...O-O-O! Black has played the last five moves perfectly and it seems that things are gradually becoming less clear.
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20.Nd5Re521.Bxa621.Qg3!?is a hard move to spot. The point ise622.Nxc7!Kxc723.Rxd7+and White emerges with an extra pawn.21...c621...bxa622.Qc4Rxd523.Qxa6+Kb824.Rxd5Nb625.Rxd8+Qxd8
is not curtains, but White would likely have enjoyed this a fair bit.22.Nb6+Kc723.Nxd7Rxd724.Rxd7+Qxd725.Qxd7+Kxd726.Bxb7!Maximalist
and... correct.26.Bd3is more conservative and White could have tried to
press here instead, although in fairness it does seem to me that Black can
hold the balance with active play.Kd627.a3Re3and next there may
follow ...e5 and ...Bf426...Ra527.Re127.Rg1!was playable
immediately, based on Bxc6-type tactics.Bf428.Rg4!28.Rg6Bd6is less
clear28...Bxh229.Rc4±White has managed to extricate the bishop.27...Bg528.Rg1Now White still gains a tempo, but it is the wrong one, and
...Rb5 will gain it back later.Bf629.Rg8Rb530.Bc8+Kc731.b3Re532.Kc1Re2The idea of ...Bc3 means that White's pieces are still just about
tactically unfortunate enough to generate some counterchances for his opponent.
33.h333.Bg4Rxh234.a4is of course a try but not really what
White wants to do if there is a choice33...e6?!33...Bc3leads to
White holding both pawns, even if the resulting position looks nearly
impossible for him to win:34.Bg4Re1+35.Bd1Rh136.Rg3Be537.Rd334.Ba634.Kd1!Re335.Kd2Rxh336.Bxe6±34...Re335.Kd2Rxh336.Bd3Rh2+37.Ke3Bc338.a4White has played slightly inaccurately and
had to give back one of the pawns, but his king is now out of any danger.Kd639.Rg6Rh3+40.Ke4Rh4+41.Kf3Rh3+42.Kg2Rh7!?Trying to swap rooks,
even at the cost of a pawn.43.Rg443.Rxe6+Kxe644.Bxh7Kd545.Kf3Kd446.Be4c547.Bd3Ba548.Kf4Kd5=is a draw: Black meets Ke2 with ...Kd4
and Ke8 with ...Kd6, then White has no way in.43...Rg744.Bg6c545.Kf3Ba546.Ke2c4Reasonable active defence, although it was also possible to
sit and ask White what he intends to do about the pin on the g-file.47.Rd4+Ke748.Be4cxb349.cxb3Rg350.Bf3Rg151.b4Bc752.Rc4Bd653.Be453.b5and I suspect the position is now technically winning.53...Rg354.Kd2Rb355.b5Be556.Bc2Rb257.Rc6Kd758.Ra6Bd659.Kc3Be5+60.Kd3Bf461.a5Bc7!Avoiding the cheap tactic; now sooner or later White has to consent
to the swap of two pawns for a bishop.62.Ra7Kd663.Ra6+Kd764.b6Bxb665.axb6Kc666.Ba4+Kb767.Ra7+Kxb668.Re7Kc569.Rxe6Now, White tried
for 50 moves to win with rook and bishop against rook, but it didn't exactly
work out!Rb470.Bc2Rd4+71.Ke3Rd872.Be4Rd673.Re5+Kb674.Bd5Kc575.Ke4Rd876.Bf7+Kc677.Rh5Rd178.Bb3Rd279.Bd5+Kc580.Bf7+Kc681.Bb3Kd682.Ke3Rb283.Bc4Rg284.Bd3Rg185.Kd4Rd186.Rh6+Ke787.Ra6Kd788.Ke4Ke789.Bc4Rd690.Ra7+Rd791.Ra5Rd192.Ke5Re1+93.Kd4Rd1+94.Bd3Kd695.Ra6+Ke796.Ke4Rd297.Ke3Rd198.Ke4Rd299.Bc4Rd6100.Ra5Rd1101.Ke5Re1+102.Kd5Rd1+103.Kc5Kf6104.Ra6+Kf5105.Re6Rc1106.Re2Rd1107.Bb3Rd8108.Bc2+Kf4109.Re4+Kf3110.Rc4Rf8111.Kb4Ke2112.Kc3Ke3113.Re4+Kf3114.Rd4Rc8+115.Rc4Re8116.Rb4Re3+117.Kb2Re2118.Rb3+Kf2119.Rc3Re70–1
After the match, Carlsen gave his thoughts on the contest as a whole, including his explanation for what happened in the last rapid game, which made the match overall much closer than it otherwise would have been.
Not the way you wanted the match to go | Photo: Lennart Ootes / frchess.com
On this DVD, Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black with the QGD and against the Catalan. The repertoire is demonstrated in 20 stem games, covering all White's major systems.
Below is a playlist containing all the videos on the match by grandmaster Daniel King on his PowerPlay channel:
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Macauley PetersonMacauley served as the Editor in Chief of ChessBase News from July 2017 to March 2020. He is the producer of The Full English Breakfast chess podcast, and was an Associate Producer of the 2016 feature documentary, Magnus.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
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