World Championship Game 3: "I guess it's deadlocked"

by Macauley Peterson
11/13/2018 – 12.11.2018 - After the first rest day, the third match game of the World Championship between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana was played and, as in game one, Caruana opted for the Rossolimo variation in the Sicilian. The Challenger did not have any problems this time but neither could he gain much in the way of advantage. “I feel there are some encouraging signs but so far neither of us has anything to show for the games", the World Champion remarked after the game. Star analysis by GMs JAN-KRZYSZTOF DUDA and YANNICK PELLETIER. | Photo: Nikolai Dunaevsky / World Chess

Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen

Let endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller show and explain the finesses of the world champions. Although they had different styles each and every one of them played the endgame exceptionally well, so take the opportunity to enjoy and learn from some of the best endgames in the history of chess.

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A finely balanced draw

In advance of Game 3, a thunderstorm moved through central London, dumping rain and making quite a racket. But the weather proved not to presage any evident storms on the board.

Caruana showed he wasn’t averse to going for 1.e4 again and Carlsen was equally principled in following the script of Game 1 as well, by playing 1…c5 and 2.Nc6 inviting a repeat of the Rossolimo: 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7.

But unlike in the first match game, and the predecessor game between the two players from 2015, Fabiano opted to hold back his h3 pawn on his sixth move and instead castled 6.O-O. Magnus quickly played 6...Qc7, a rare sideline not seen before at the GM level. 

 
Caruana vs Carlsen, Game 3
Position after 6...Qc7

"I played [7.]Re1 because looked logical and it felt like a few moves later I have a very pleasant position", said the Challenger after the game. "I just made one really bad move when I played [15.]Bd2.

Caruana has settled into the match, but winning chances are elusive | Photo: Nikolai Dunaevsky / World Chess

 
Position after 14...Rxa5
White played 15.Bd2 next

I wanted to take [15.Rxa5 Qxa5] play [16.]Bd2 Qc7 is forced, [17.]Qa1 Nd7 [18.]Qa7", he rattled off. "I was going to take on a5 and I thought, 'why not first play Bd2 and get the same position?'”

Caruana called this misstep, "just a bit of a blackout”, but it signalled the moment when he gave his initiative away.

When Magnus was asked whether he was satisfied with the course of the opening he said simply and deliberately, “nope” — sort of popping the 'p' in the process. 

For a while, the game looked to be heading for a relatively early draw, but in the endgame, it was Black who could press a bit, as Caruana explained:

“I thought this ending would be equal when I went into it but then I couldn’t really see what to do and I realised I kind of have to sit and wait. I mean it’s very very drawish, it should be a draw in many ways.”

No draws were offered, but the players shook hands after 49 moves and about four hours of play.

Game 3 evaluation

ChessBase 15 evaluation profile

Magnus Carlsen says he's "not bored" but that the match is deadlocked | Photo: Nikolai Dunaevsky / World Chess

GM Daniel King takes a closer look at the ending in his daily summary:


Game 3 annotated by Jan-Krzysztof Duda

Today we have seen yet another Rossolimo Sicilian, where Magnus gradually equalised, and even tried to take over in the endgame. Caruana managed to draw with ease though. I am interested if in case of another 2...Nc6 Sicilian, Caruana will play 3.d4!? Or perhaps he will switch to another opening? The future will tell, but before reaching it, tomorrow he has to defend with Black first.

 
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1.e4 c5 So it turned out that my guess was wrong, and Magnus repeats the Rossolimo Sicilian once more. After a little reflection, I realised that it's a perfect opening for Magnus - no theory, no repetitions, no super-sharp positions and a complex strategic game ahead - everything he needs. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.0-0 This time Caruana allows Black to play Bg4. Magnus instead chooses a sideline, in order to get a non-theoritical position as quickly as possible Qc7!? 6...Nf6 is of course main move 7.Re1 A useful move, with the intention to see what Black is going to do. e5 An interesting move, played when the White rook is on e1, from where it can't help achiving f4. On the other hand, this move is strategically risky, because now a break with b4 is on the agenda. 8.a3 A logical push once Black played e5. The preference of the engine is 8.Be3 forcing Black to play b6, and only then start the minority attack b6 9.a3 Nf6 9...a5!? 10.Nbd2 Nf6 11.b4 Ng4 12.Bg5 12.bxc5 Nxe3 13.Rxe3 b5!? with decent chances 12...axb4 12...cxb4 13.axb4 a4 14.c4 b5 looks risky for Black, but the comp holds on 15.h3 f6 16.Bh4 Nh6 17.Nb3!? 13.axb4 Rxa1 14.Qxa1 cxb4 15.Qa4 0-0 16.Qxb4 c5 17.Qb2 f6 18.Bh4 Be6∞ and Black can regroup his forces easily, while White's pieces on the kingside are stuck 10.b4 10.Nbd2!? 0-0 10...Ng4 11.Bg5 f6 12.Bh4 11.b4 cxb4 11...Ng4 12.Bg5 12.axb4 Ng4 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 Nf6∞ 10...c4 11.Nbd2 cxd3 12.cxd3 0-0 13.Rc1 with easier play for White 8.b4? is not working: cxb4 9.a3 bxa3 10.Bxa3 Ne7 11.Nbd2 0-0 12.Nc4 c5 with clear pawn up for Black 8...Nf6 9.b4 0-0 10.Nbd2 10.bxc5!? I think this deserves attention. Black can postpone recapturing the pawn, but then White has chances to expose the d6-square with one of his knights. Black can also take the pawn by means of: Nd7 11.Be3 f5 12.a4 f4 13.Bc1 Nxc5 but White gets the upper hands after 14.Ba3 b6 15.Nbd2 with some initiative 10.Be3 c4 is completely toothless for White 10...Bg4 Only now does Magnus decide to part with his light-squared bishop. A smart decision, because this piece has a very high potential to become a bad piece in the future. 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 cxb4 12...Nd7 13.Be3 cxb4 14.axb4 a5 was another way to play 13.axb4 a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15.Bd2 15.Rxa5! I think this is stronger, because White gets control of the open a-line Qxa5 16.Bd2 Qc7 17.Qa1 Nd7 18.Qa7 Rc8 with the idea to play b5, e.g.: 19.Ra1 Bf8 20.Be3 b5 21.g4 and White has pressure 15...Raa8 Of course Black doesn't allow White to get the a-file for free. 16.Qb1 Nd7 At first sight this position looks nice for White, but there is no obvious way to pose even slightest challenge for Black. He is going to play b5 and exchange everything down the a-line. 17.Qb4 17.Qb2 b5 18.Rxa8 Rxa8 19.Ra1 Qb7 looks drawish 17.Qb3 Nc5 18.Qc4 Ne6 only improves Black's position 17.Be3! b5 18.Qb3 Rfb8 19.Ra2 Rxa2 20.Qxa2 was probably the only way to play for 'something' 17...Rfe8 18.Bc3 b5 19.Rxa8 Rxa8 20.Ra1 Rxa1+ 21.Bxa1 Qa7 22.Bc3 Qa2 23.Qb2 Qxb2 24.Bxb2 f6= Now Black has easy equality, and Magnus as usual tries to squeeze his opponent in the endgame. This time the Challenger was very alert though. 25.Kf1 Kf7 26.Ke2 Nc5 27.Bc3 Ne6 28.g3 Bf8 29.Nd2 It looks sensible to bring the knight to b3. 29.d4 was also possible, exchanging knights, but on the other hand Black may get 'the passer' on the queenside, which is always threating. exd4 30.Nxd4 Nxd4+ 31.Bxd4 c5 32.Bb2 c4 33.f4 b4 34.g4 Bd6 35.f5= 29...Ng5! Forcing White to play h4, which later might be used as a 'hook' 30.h4 Ne6 31.Nb3 h5 Fixing the pawns on the wrong color. 32.Bd2 Bd6 33.c3 c5 34.Be3 Ke7 35.Kd1 Kd7 36.Kc2 f5 The top preference of the engine. I also thought about 36...g5 but after 37.f3 gxh4 38.gxh4 is harmless for White, because Black can never get to the h4-pawn 37.Kd1 fxe4 Objectively it was better to keep the tension with 37...Kc6 38.Na5+ Kb6 39.Nb3 Be7 and now Black has a choice between f4 and fxe4, depending on circumstances. But of course the position is still close to equal. 38.dxe4 c4 39.Nd2 Nc5 40.Bxc5! At first to me it felt counter-intuitive, but in fact it is a good move. White eliminates Black's strong knight, and all his weakness can be protected by his king. Bxc5 41.Ke2 Kc6 42.Nf1 b4 Otherwise White plays Ne3, where the pawn endgame is dead drawn. 43.cxb4 Bxb4 44.Ne3 Kc5 45.f4 exchanging as many pawns as possible exf4 46.gxf4 Ba5 47.f5 gxf5 48.Nxc4! a nice interlude move, using the classical theme of a wrong corner Kxc4 49.exf5 and White moves his king to h1, from where it can't be chased. Today we have seen yet another Rossolimo Sicilian, where Magnus gradually equalised, and even tried to take over in the endgame. Caruana managed to draw with ease though. I am interested if in case of another 2...Nc6 Sicilian, Caruana will play 3.d4!? Or perhaps he will switch to another opening? The future will tell, but before reaching it, tomorrow he has to defend with Black first. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F-Carlsen,M-½–½2018B313

Game 3 Round-up show

GM Yannick Pelletier has analysed the first three games


Match standings

The winner is the first player to 6½ up to a maximum of 12 games.

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Macauley 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.

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