World Championship: Game 10 annotated by Wesley So

by ChessBase
12/9/2021 – "A short and quite uneventful draw, which totally makes sense as Magnus is on the verge of match victory." This is how Wesley So summed up game 10 of the World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi. However, in his analyses he still managed to dig deep and indicates a lot of hidden subtleties of the game, particularly in regard to opening theory and match strategy. | Picture: FIDE

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World Championship match 2021, Game 10: M. Carlsen - I. Nepomniachtchi

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
What can we expect from this game? Magnus just won three of the last four games and the match has turned horribly for Ian, losing at least two games unnecessarily. After yesterday's blunder of a piece, Ian now has only five games left to try to do something in this match. Today he has the black pieces, so let's take a look at the game. 1.e4 Magnus is good with any first move, as he can play any position very well. But as predicted by most people, he goes for the 'best by test' 1.e4. 1.d4 is an option too, but since he only needs a few draws to retain the title the concrete 1.e4 makes sense, especially since Ian has been defending with the Petroff for this match. No need to go for the English or other more offbeat openings when you have such a big lead. e5!? This shocked almost all commentators watching the game. Many of them expected Ian to play his favorite Sicilian Najdorf. They thought that today was a must win game for Ian. But I'm sure Magnus has some deep preparation against the Najdorf too. 2.Nf3 There are a lot of safe lines for White in 1.e4 e5. The Scotch Four Knights, for example is very safe, so are the Ruy Lopez/Italian lines. Nf6!? Ian's strategy in this match confused many people including myself. In game 8 when he was only down one point he tried to unbalance the game as much as possible and play for the win (he avoided the early trade of the queens.) Now when he is down by three points he seems to be willing to make a draw with Black. You can't really expect to gain too many winning chances with a slow defensive opening like the Petroff. 3.Nxe5 I think it's clear at this point that Magnus is very happy to make a draw with White. He has such a huge lead in the match with so few games left. Another option to force the draw is 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxf7 this line is very heartbreaking for both sides. Kxf7 7.Qh5+ Ke7 7...Ke6 8.Qg4+ 8.Qe2 Kf6 9.Qf3+ and Black has no good way to avoid the repetition. But Magnus does not want to play such an unattractive line. However If I was White and had a three point lead in a match I will definitely consider this :) and get a rest day. 3...d6 4.Nd3!? This move has become very popular in recent years as it not so easy to get an advantage in the Petroff and White is looking for new unstandard ways. The knight wants to rerout itself to the logical f4-square. 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 is the fashionable line which Magnus played in game 4. 4...Nxe4 5.Qe2 Qe7 Black has to cover the e-file with the queen, since otherwise f3 wins a piece. 6.Nf4 Magnus also played this variation in the 2018 match against Fabiano Caruana. White's position is very safe and the queens will most likely be traded soon, with a close to equality ending. Nf6 In 2018 Fabiano played 6...Nc6 which is slightly more accurate as now ...Nd4 is a threat and after 7.c3 7.Nd5 Nd4! 8.Nxe7 Nxe2 9.Nd5 Nd4 is completely fine for Black theoretically and this is how the game Carlsen-Caruana 2018 continued. 7...Nf6 8.d4 we transpose back to the game while avoiding 8. Be3 later. 7.d4 Nc6!? A very provocative move by Nepo. Maybe he planned this move-order in order to provoke White to keep queens on the board? Here Magnus thought for a very long time. 8.Be3 is clearly a way to exploit Black's inaccurate move-order, but on the other hand 8.c3 and a trade of queens is very safe. Most commentators were hoping for 8.Be3 to see an exciting game. I'm sure Magnus considered it also very strongly and at some point everyone thought he would go for it. Black could also trade queens first with 7...Qxe2+ 8.Bxe2 Nc6 9.c3 d5 followed by ...Nd8 later, with similar play as in the game. 8.c3 I think this is the normal decision. White wants to play it as safe as possible, and keep the option to head for the endgame at all times. A more ambitious move is 8.Be3 which poses Black theoretical problems, as now Nc3 is a threat. But considering the match situation it's not necessary for Magnus to avoid the trade of queens. Bf5 8...g5 9.Nd3 looks complex, but Black has no real way to exploit his pressure on the e-file, for example after Bg4 9...Nd5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 is bad for Black, as after g3 followed by Bg2 Black has too many weaknesses. 10.f3 Bf5 11.Bxg5 0-0-0 12.Qxe7 Bxe7 13.c3 Rhg8 Black has some compensation for the pawn, but still has to be accurate to equalize. 9.Nc3 0-0-0 10.d5 10.0-0-0 d5 11.a3 here this might also be a bit better for White with g3 coming next. 10...Ne5 11.0-0-0 a6 12.Qd2 and White has extra space and can pose Black some problems. 8...d5 The main line here is actually 8...g5! kicking the enemy knight away from the good square on f4. 9.Qxe7+ 9.Nd3 h6 10.h4 Rg8 is actually just better for Black, since White lost a lot of time moving his knight back and forth and on d3 it's not well placed. 9...Nxe7 10.Ne2! This is an important move. h6 11.Ng3 from here the knight is well placed. White can play Bd3 or h4 next move, with a solid position and I'm sure Magnus had prepared this line and knows what to do. 9.Nd2 White can also play maybe 9.h4 to secure the f4-square for the knight. 9...Nd8 Black improves the position of his knight and prepares to trade it by playing ...Ne6. 9...Bf5 looks like a very natural move too, the point is to castle long right away. 10.Qxe7+ here we take with the knight Nxe7 followed by ...Ng6 next move, with equality. 10.Nf3 Qxe2+ 11.Bxe2 Bd6 12.0-0 0-0= Black has completely equalized. I think both players got what they were aiming for today. Magnus got a very safe position, and Ian has no problems with Black. I think for Ian though trying to bounce back in this match comes a little too late. Every draw brings Magnus closer to match victory. Three points is just way too big a deficit. Ian won an equal Petroff endgame with Black against Wang Hao in the Candidates tournament earlier this year, but Magnus is a completely different opponent. 13.Bd3 Of course there is all to play for with so many pieces on the board, and both sides need to display some level of accuracy and not fall asleep. But with only one open file and a symmetrical structure the most likely result is a draw. Re8 13...Ne6 14.Nxe6 Bxe6 15.Re1 Rfe8 16.Ne5 followed by Bf4 looks very sterile. 14.Re1 White has to fight for control over the open file. Rxe1+ 15.Nxe1 the knight is actually even better placed here than on f3, since White can rerout his knight over to g2 and later f4 or e3. Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.g3 g6 17...Re8 18.Ng2 Bg4 19.Bg5 Ne4 20.Bf4= followed by Re1, and a most likely draw. 18.Ng2 Re8 19.f3 Nh5 19...Bh3 20.Kf2 is very safe for White, since Nf4 is coming next and Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Re1 White can force a draw if he wants with 22.Kf2 Rh1 23.Kg2= 20.Kf2 If anything, White is very slightly better after 20.g4 Ng7 21.h3 since his knight is well placed and plans to play Bf4 next. White's light-squared bishop is slightly more active than Black's. 20...c6 20...Bh3 21.Bd2= 21.g4 Ng7 22.Bf4 22.h3 is a tiny bit better for White, to over-protect the pawn on g4. Black has to be slightly careful to avoid any trouble, for example after the logical continuation Bd7 23.Bf4 Bxf4 24.Nxf4 g5 25.Ne2 f5 26.Rg1 h6 27.Nc1 Re7 28.Bc2 White has some chances with the knight coming over to d3. 22...Bxf4 23.Nxf4 If White is allowed to play h4 then he gets to push, but Ian does not let this happen. g5! 24.Ne2 f5 25.h3 Kf7 Black equalizes very cleanly and the players soon agree to a draw. 26.Rh1 h6 27.f4 all the pawns on the kingside will now be traded and the draw is clear. 27.Ng3 Kf6 28.h4 is another way to make the draw. fxg4 29.hxg5+ hxg5 30.Rh6+ Ke7 31.Rg6= 27...fxg4 28.hxg4 Bxg4 29.Rxh6 Bf5 Obviously not 29...Bxe2? 30.Bg6+ winning the exchange. 30.Bxf5 Nxf5 31.Rh7+ Ng7 31...Kg6 32.Rxb7 g4 is interesting, threatening to create some play with ...Re3. But White can just trade the knights with 33.Ng3 33.Rxa7 and now 33...Re3 or Rh8 threatening ...Rh2+ gives Black some activity as compensation for the pawns. 33...a5 34.Rc7 Nxg3 35.Kxg3 Kf5 36.Rf7+ Kg6 37.Rc7 Kf5= and the game still ends in a draw thanks to Black's king activity and the ...Re3+ threat. 32.fxg5 Kg6 33.Rh3 Kxg5 34.Rg3+ Kf6 35.Rf3+ Ke7 36.Nf4 Kd6 37.Ng6 Re6 38.Ne5 Ne8 39.Rf7 Rf6+ 40.Rxf6+ Nxf6 41.Ke3 A short and quite uneventful draw, which totally makes sense as Magnus is on the verge of match victory. Ian barely used any time today and a draw Black is a very good result especially after two tough losses. With three points down and only four games left the match is almost over, but it'll be nice for Ian to come back and win a game or more and show what he is really capable of. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M-Nepomniatchi,I-½–½2021C429

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!

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