Magnus Carlsen dominates SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz

The star of the show

Magnus Carlsen is making headlines, one way or another. After announcing his withdrawal from the World Championships in a rather bizarre interview, the Norwegian had a remarkable performance at the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Tournament in Zagreb.

Opening package: 1.b3 and Black Secrets in the Modern Italian

Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!

A notorious late starter, Carlsen ‘let’ others take the lead in the rapid section of the tournament. Jorden van Foreest was topping the standings with 12 points after the first three days of play, during which the nine rounds of rapid chess were played — two points were awarded per win in the rapid.

Wesley So, Magnus Carlsen and Alireza Firouzja followed with 11 points. Carlsen had three wins, but lost to Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The world champion drew five games, which is quite a high rate by his standards. Jorden van Foreest, by comparison, drew only two games, won five and lost two. Carlsen’s draw rate was surpassed by Wesley So, who drew seven games and won two.

Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes

In the blitz tournament, things looked very different. Carlsen won seven of his nine games on the first blitz day, and thus took the lead in the overall standings. With 18 points, the World Champion already had a comfortable lead over Wesley So, who had 16½ points, and thus laid the foundation for the overall victory.

On the second day of blitz, Carlsen did not miss a beat, winning some of his games and drawing the rest. When his victory was already clear, Carlsen’s tension dropped and he suffered two defeats, against Alireza Firouzja and Ivan Saric.

In the game against Firouzja, Carlsen gave away a big advantage and ended up in an increasingly complicated endgame with a rook and a pawn.

 

Carlsen, Magnus2864

0–1

Firouzja, Alireza2793

Super United Croatia GCT Blitz 2022 Zagreb24.07.2022[Schulz,A]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 5.e3 a6 6.Bxc4 b5 7.Bd3 Bb7 with good results for Black. 5...b5 6.Nxb5 The main variation is 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 6...Nxe4 7.Qa4 Threatening a discovered check. Nd7 7...Bd7 8.Qxc4 Bd6 9.Bd3 7...c6 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Ba6 10.Bxc4 Bxc4 11.Qxc4 Bd6 12.0-0 0-0= 1/2-1/2 (100) Carlsen,M (2847) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2789) chess24.com INT 2021 8.Qxc4 Bd6 9.Nxd6+ Nxd6 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.Bg5 Qc8 11...Nf6!? 12.Rc1 0-0 13.Qxc7 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nf5= 12.Rc1 Nf5 13.Qxc7 Qxc7 14.Rxc7 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Nxd4 16.Be3 Ne5

16...Nxf3+ 17.Ke2 Nh4 18.Bg5 Nf5 19.Bg2 Rb8 20.Rd1 Nf6 21.Bc6+ with a large advantage for White. 17.Bg2 17.Bxd4?! Nxf3+= 17...Rd8 17...Nd3+!? 18.Kd2 Rd8 18.Rxa7 More precise was 18.0-0 Nexf3+ 19.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 20.Kg2 Nh4+ 21.Kh1 0-0 22.Rxa7± 18...Nd3+ 19.Kd2 Nf4 20.Bxd4 After 20.Bxf4 Nb5+ 21.Kc2 Nxa7 22.Be3 Nc6 23.a4 White has plenty of compensation for the exchange with his passed pawns on the queenside. 20...e5? 20...Rxd4+ 21.Ke3 e5= 21.Bf1 21.Kc2! Rxd4 22.Rd1 In contrast to the game, the second white rook came into play here. Rxd1 22...Rc4+ 23.Kb1 0-0 24.Bf1+- 23.Kxd1 0-0 24.Bf1 Rd8+ 25.Kc2 the white passed pawns decide the game. 21...Rxd4+ 22.Kc2 0-0 23.Rc7 Ne6 24.Rc4 Rd6 The white rook on h1 is not in play. White has an advantage, but to convert it is difficult. An active knight is very dangerous in blitz. 25.Rc3 Rfd8 26.Bc4 Rd2+ 27.Kb1 Nd4 28.Rf1 Rb8 29.b3 g5 30.h3 Kg7 31.Rd3 Rxd3 32.Bxd3 Nxf3 33.Kb2 e4

The endgame is far too complicated for a blitz game. 34.Be2 Not 34.Bxe4? Nd2 35.Re1 Re8 36.f3 f5 34...f5? 34...Ne5 35.a4 f5= 35.Rd1? Some calcuation is required 35.Bxf3 exf3 36.a4 g4 37.Ka3 but White is quicker: Kf6 38.b4 Kg5 39.b5 Kf4 40.hxg4 fxg4 41.Kb4 g3 42.a5 gxf2 42...g2 43.Ra1+- 43.Rxf2 Kg3 44.Rxf3+ Kxf3 45.a6 h5 46.a7 Ra8 47.b6 h4 48.b7 Rxa7 49.b8Q with a winning position. 35...h5 36.Rd5? A mistaken concept. According to the engines 36.Bxf3 exf3 37.a4 led to a draw. For example: g4 38.Ka3 f4 39.b4 g3 40.b5 g2 41.Rb1 Kf6 42.b6 Kg5 43.a5 Kh4 44.Kb4 Kxh3 45.Kb5 Kh2 46.a6 g1Q 47.Rxg1 Kxg1 48.a7 Ra8 49.b7 Rxa7 50.b8Q Re7 51.Qxf4 Kxf2 Black needs to hold the fortress. But this alternative was better than the text move. 36...Kf6 37.a4 h4 Black is now faster with his passed pawns. 38.a5 g4 39.hxg4 fxg4 40.a6 h3 41.Bf1 Ng5? 41...h2? 42.Bg2 The right path was 41...Ne1 42.Kc3 Rc8+ 42...Rh8-+ 43.Kd2 h2 44.Rh5 Nf3+ 45.Ke3 Kg6-+ 42.Kc3 42.a7 Rh8 43.Ra5 Ra8 44.b4 e3 45.fxe3 g3 46.Ra1 g2 47.Bxg2 hxg2 48.Rg1 Rxa7 49.Rxg2 with a theoretical draw. Rook and knight against rook is a draw. 42...e3 43.fxe3 g3 44.Rd4 Kf5 45.Rf4+ Ke5 46.Bxh3?

White wants to play rook against rook and knight in the endgame, but overlooks a fork. 46.Rg4 Ne4+ 47.Kb2 g2 48.Bxg2 hxg2 49.Rxg2 is a draw. 46...Nxh3 47.Rg4 Nf2 48.Rg7 48.Rxg3 Ne4+ Carlsen missed this tactic. 48...Kf6 There were three more moves recorded, but they make no sense. 0–1

Master Class Vol.8 - Magnus Carlsen 2nd Edition

Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.

The winner | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Final standings - Blitz

Overall standings - Rapid & Blitz

All games - Rapid

All games - Blitz

Links

• Official site
• All ChessBase reports: SuperBet Rapid & Blitz Poland | Superbet Chess Classic