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
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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.
The Rossolimo Variation 3.Bb5 is considered to be one of the strongest replies to 2…Nc6 in the Sicilian Defence. The fact that the move has been played by practically all the top players proves its popularity and strength. But the most interesting aspect of playing 3.Bb5 is that we force sharp, attacking players who love to have the initiative to forget about the Open Sicilian and to adjust themselves to a new world, one full of positional ideas, manoeuvres and nuances.
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.
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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.e4c5So 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.Nf3Nc63.Bb5g64.Bxc6dxc65.d3Bg76.0-0This time Caruana allows Black to
play Bg4. Magnus instead chooses a sideline, in order to get a non-theoritical
position as quickly as possibleQc7!?6...Nf6is of course main move7.Re1A 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.a3A logical push once Black played
e5. The preference of the engine is8.Be3forcing Black to play b6, and
only then start the minority attackb69.a3Nf69...a5!?10.Nbd2Nf611.b4Ng412.Bg512.bxc5Nxe313.Rxe3b5!?with decent chances12...axb412...cxb413.axb4a414.c4b5looks risky for Black, but the comp holds on
15.h3f616.Bh4Nh617.Nb3!?13.axb4Rxa114.Qxa1cxb415.Qa40-016.Qxb4c517.Qb2f618.Bh4Be6∞and Black can regroup his forces easily,
while White's pieces on the kingside are stuck10.b410.Nbd2!?0-010...Ng411.Bg5f612.Bh411.b4cxb411...Ng412.Bg512.axb4Ng413.Bg5h614.Bh4Nf6∞10...c411.Nbd2cxd312.cxd30-013.Rc1with easier
play for White8.b4?is not working:cxb49.a3bxa310.Bxa3Ne711.Nbd20-012.Nc4c5with clear pawn up for Black8...Nf69.b40-010.Nbd210.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:Nd711.Be3f512.a4f413.Bc1Nxc5but White gets the upper hands after14.Ba3b615.Nbd2with some initiative10.Be3c4is completely toothless for White10...Bg4Only 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.h3Bxf312.Nxf3cxb412...Nd713.Be3cxb414.axb4a5was another way to play13.axb4a514.bxa5Rxa515.Bd215.Rxa5!I think this is stronger, because White gets control of the open a-lineQxa516.Bd2Qc717.Qa1Nd718.Qa7Rc8with the idea to play b5, e.g.:19.Ra1Bf820.Be3b521.g4and White has pressure15...Raa8Of course
Black doesn't allow White to get the a-file for free.16.Qb1Nd7At 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.Qb417.Qb2b518.Rxa8Rxa819.Ra1Qb7
looks drawish17.Qb3Nc518.Qc4Ne6only improves Black's position17.Be3!b518.Qb3Rfb819.Ra2Rxa220.Qxa2was probably the only way to
play for 'something'17...Rfe818.Bc3b519.Rxa8Rxa820.Ra1Rxa1+21.Bxa1Qa722.Bc3Qa223.Qb2Qxb224.Bxb2f6=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.Kf1Kf726.Ke2Nc527.Bc3Ne628.g3Bf829.Nd2It looks sensible to bring the knight to b3.29.d4was
also possible, exchanging knights, but on the other hand Black may get 'the
passer' on the queenside, which is always threating.exd430.Nxd4Nxd4+31.Bxd4c532.Bb2c433.f4b434.g4Bd635.f5=29...Ng5!Forcing
White to play h4, which later might be used as a 'hook'30.h4Ne631.Nb3h5Fixing the pawns on the wrong color.32.Bd2Bd633.c3c534.Be3Ke735.Kd1Kd736.Kc2f5The top preference of the engine. I also thought about36...g5but after37.f3gxh438.gxh4is harmless for White, because
Black can never get to the h4-pawn37.Kd1fxe4Objectively it was better
to keep the tension with37...Kc638.Na5+Kb639.Nb3Be7and now Black
has a choice between f4 and fxe4, depending on circumstances. But of course
the position is still close to equal.38.dxe4c439.Nd2Nc540.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.Bxc541.Ke2Kc642.Nf1b4Otherwise White plays Ne3, where the pawn
endgame is dead drawn.43.cxb4Bxb444.Ne3Kc545.f4exchanging as many
pawns as possibleexf446.gxf4Ba547.f5gxf548.Nxc4!a nice interlude
move, using the classical theme of a wrong cornerKxc449.exf5and 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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GM Yannick Pelletier has analysed the first three games
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The winner is the first player to 6½ up to a maximum of 12 games.
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Throughout the video course, Sasikran shows various examples from his career to explain sacrifices for initiative, an attack, a better pawn structure and much more.
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