Norway 07: All drawn

[Event "3rd Norway Chess 2015"] [Site "Stavanger NOR"] [Date "2015.06.23"] [Round "7"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, M."] [Black "Carlsen, M."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D43"] [WhiteElo "2723"] [BlackElo "2876"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "34"] [EventDate "2015.06.17"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. Bg3 Ne4 $6 {This move simply cannot be good, but it is clear that Carlsen had at least looked at the situation. MVL thought for a few minutes and decided to go for the sacrificial route.} 8. Nxe4 (8. Nd2 Nxg3 9. hxg3 Bg7 10. e3 a6 {was a blitz game between Grischuk-Kramnik from 2008. White obtained the better position and won the game.}) (8. e3 {might be the simple move and the true refutation of Black's intentions. He might have to start attacking with Bb4, but it should be insufficient} Bb4 9. Qb3 Qa5 10. Rc1 Nd7 11. Bd3 $14) 8... dxe4 9. Nd2 Qxd4 10. e3 {This is the point. The threat on the queen and on the e4 pawn is strong, so Black must keep munching pawns to stay in the game.} Qxb2 11. Rb1 Qc3 $1 {The only move} 12. Be2 Nd7 (12... Bb4 13. Rxb4 Qxb4 14. O-O {is already extremely dangerous for Black. For example:} f5 $2 15. Nxe4 $1 fxe4 16. Bh5+ Ke7 17. Qd4 {with a decisive advantage: the attack is too strong.}) 13. O-O Nc5 {Incredibly Black is holding. There are still many interesting possibilities in this position, but the situation is very unclear. Carlsen had blitzed up to this point and it was clear that he had seen this position in his analysis, so MVL took the practical decision to force the draw.} 14. Nb3 Nd3 (14... Be7 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. Bd6 {looks uncomfortable for Black.}) 15. Nd2 Nc5 {Black must defend the e4 pawn.} 16. Nb3 Nd3 17. Nd2 (17. f3 $5 {would have been a completely different story.}) 17... Nc5 1/2-1/2

[Event "3rd Norway Chess 2015"] [Site "Stavanger NOR"] [Date "2015.06.23"] [Round "7"] [White "Topalov, V."] [Black "Caruana, F."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "2798"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2015.06.17"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Ne5 e6 9. O-O Nfd7 10. Nf3 Nf6 11. Bf4 Nc6 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bd7 14. Qd2 Qe7 15. Rac1 Bc6 16. Rc2 Rfd8 17. Rfc1 Ne8 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. e3 Nd6 20. Ne2 Bb5 21. Nf4 Rac8 22. h4 Rxc2 23. Rxc2 Rc8 24. Rxc8 Nxc8 25. Qa5 Qd7 26. b3 b6 27. Qc3 Qc6 {The position almost fits the description of dead drawn. With a trade on c6 the symmetrical pawn structure would surely lead to a draw. Topalov wants to fight for a win, but in the way that he does it is rather strange.} 28. Qa1 {threatening e4 ideas, with a discovered check down the long diagonal in case of a capture by the d-pawn.} Qc7 29. Bh3 $2 {This move is just bad though. Black's position is still not that much better, but White is allowing Caruana chances for no reason.} (29. e4 dxe4 30. d5+ e5 31. Bxe4 Qe7 $15 {the knight comes to d6 with a nice position for Black.}) 29... Qc2 {This is the point. The queen penetrates in this square now that e4 is not really available.} 30. a4 (30. e4 Qxe4 31. Qc3 {is still equal, but hard to play.}) 30... Ba6 31. Qa3 Qd1+ (31... Qd2 {might have been an inch more precise as it doesn't allow White access to c1 too easily.}) 32. Kh2 Qd2 33. Bg2 $1 {in the nick of time.} h6 (33... Qxf2 34. Qc1 {gives White enough counterplay with Qc7 coming up and multiple threats.}) 34. a5 $1 {The only move to equalize.} Qxa5 (34... bxa5 35. Qc5 $11) 35. Qc1 Qb4 36. e4 Qxd4 37. exd5 e5 38. Ne6+ {The final detail. The perpetual is forced and the game ends in a draw.} fxe6 39. Qc7+ Kf6 40. Qd8+ Kf7 41. Qd7+ Kf8 42. Qd8+ Kf7 43. Qd7+ Kf8 44. Qd8+ 1/2-1/2