Guest star analysis from St. Louis

by Macauley Peterson
12/15/2018 – Here's a handy guide for future reference. We present one-click access to all the special guests that you may have missed from the great 'Today in Chess' shows, courtesy the Saint Louis Chess Club. Garry Kasparov was a regular, but they also received virtual visits from Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, Peter Leko and more. Plus all the ChessBase contributors (video and text) annotations in once place.
On this DVD a team of experts gets to the bottom of Kasparov's play. In over 8 hours of video running time the authors Rogozenko, Marin, Reeh and Müller cast light on four important aspects of Kasparov's play: opening, strategy, tactics and endgame.

Today in Chess special guest segments

Each day, the Saint Louis Chess Club invited one or more special guests to their live commentary webcast. We've embedded video players for each day's guest segment linked directly for each access. At the bottom of the post, you'll find all the 'World Championship Edition', plus all the ChessBase annotations for each game. Expanded versions of our own guest annotators thoughts will be in the upcoming issue of ChessBase Magazine.

Game 1 — Garry Kasparov

Kasparov makes his first appearance

This show was also the genesis of the infamous "leaked" training video which got noticed worldwide a few days after it originally aired, prompting the live webcast to be unpublished. They haven't republished the video, but you can watch that segment below:

Caruana and his team at a pre-match training session

Game 2 — Bruce Pandolfini

Bruce Pandolfini is an American Master and prolific author who Caruana's first chess coach

Game 3 — Vladimir Kramnik

Game 4 — Irina Krush

Game 5 — Cristian Chirila

Game 6 — there was no live guest

Game 7 — Viswanathan Anand

Game 8 — Peter Leko

Game 9 — Peter Leko

Game 10 — Viswanathan Anand

Game 11 — Garry Kasparov

Game 12 — Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik

Kramnik is introduced at 2:44:30 in the video below.

Today in Chess, World Championship edition playlist

The Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube channel put together a playlist of all ten "fireside chats", four advance interviews with players about the World Championship shot a few months prior, and all 13 daily live shows, all of which you can replay in the video player below. Click the playlist icon in the upper left corner of the video player to select a video, and you can also follow along via the game viewer below.

All ChessBase guest annotations

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 c5!? A minor surprise, as early as on move 1. Normally people tend to play relatively solid openings at the beginning of the WCC matches. Magnus decided however to play in a principled way, instead of choosing a Ruy Lopez / Italian torture. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Rossolimo Variation, a favourite of the Challenger. Even though he lost beautiful game in the Wijk Ann Zee to Carlsen some years ago, everyone keeps in mind many of his masterpieces against strong opposition. And probably all kibitzers were happy - there is no easy draw in sight g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 Lately the favourite of Magnus 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 not allowing Bg4, which would ease Black's play Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7 7...b6 was played between the same opponents 3 years ago. White was probably better after the opening, but the game became very tense, and eventually the Black player won 8.Be3 e5 9.0-0 0-0 10.a3 Qe7 11.Qb1 Nh5 12.b4 f5 13.bxc5 f4 14.Bd2 bxc5 15.Qb3+ Be6 16.Qa4 0-1 (39) Caruana,F (2820)-Carlsen,M (2862) Wijk aan Zee NED 2015 7...0-0 is the most popular move 8.Be3 e5 in a similar way played Nakamura against Caruana some years ago: 8...b6 9.Qd2 h6 10.0-0 e5 11.Nh2 g5∞ Here Hikaru didn't allow White to go for f4. The position becomes a pretty manoeuvre one, where a stronger player is likely to win. Computers give modest edge for White, but Black has also an easy play on his own: to re-route the knight and then start the pawn offensive on the kingside: 1/2 (44) Caruana,F (2787)-Nakamura,H (2793) Saint Louis USA 2015 9.0-0 Usually White starts with 9.Qd2 h6 not allowing Bh6. After a sample line: 10.0-0 b6 11.Nh2 Nf8 12.f4 exf4 13.Rxf4 Be6 14.Rf2 there is the same position as in the game, but obviously both sides are flexible and can change something basically on every move 9...b6 9...Qe7 It's a much more common way to free the d7-knight. I am not an expert in this kind of positions, and can hardly say which way to over-protect the c5 pawn is better. 10.Qd2 Nf8 10.Nh2 Nf8 A typical maneouvre started with Nd7 11.f4 exf4 12.Rxf4 Be6!? Interesting set-up. I thought he was going to play Ne6-Nd4 asap, but this is even nicer, as it controls all important squares 13.Rf2 h6 14.Qd2 g5!? Restraining White pieces. Honestly, I don't know what is White's best bet here, as he lacks visible improvements. It would be lovely to get the h2-knight to f5, but how? Also loosening Black's queenside is not at all that easy. a4 can always be parried by a5, while it's not easy to achieve b4 in a comfortable way. Therefore I think Magnus won the opening duel, and now the Challenger move by move was using a large amount of time 15.Raf1 15.Nf1 Qd6 16.Rf3? Ng6 and White is not on time with Ng3-Nf5 15.a4 a5!? 15...Ng6 16.a5 0-0 15.a3 Qd6 16.Rb1 Ng6 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4 0-0= 15...Qd6 16.Ng4 The American decides to improve his worst piece, the h2-knight. Even though computer doesn't like it, it's still better to have a faulty plan than any 0-0-0 The king is safe on the queenside for the time being, and now Black is having all the fun on the kingside. 17.Nf6 Other plans are: 17.a4 Nd7 17...a5!? 18.a5 Qc7 even here profits are not visible. Black intends b5, and if White opens the a-file, Black is always on time with Kb7-Ra8 17.e5 is an easy-to-play sacrifice for everyone but White player. White gets some minute activity, but it may evaporate easily, and pawn down is pawn down. Bxe5 17...Qc7 18.Ne4 and White is likely to take on e5 anyway 18.b4!? 18.Ne4 Qc7 19.Nxe5 Qxe5 18...c4 locking down the queenside 18...cxb4 19.Ne4 Qc7 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Qxb4 Qc7 22.a4 19.Nxe5 Qxe5 20.d4 Qc7 and I don't see any advantages for White for the missing pawn 17...Nd7 18.Nh5 Not exchanging knight, which made so many moves Be5 19.g4 Such moves were unthinkable some 60 years ago, but now are standard. The kingside is so far locked, and White gains space. f6 20.b3 Bf7 21.Nd1 I would prefer 21.Ne2 defending some vital squares, but it's true that Black is in the driving seat, while White is solid but very passive at the same time Bxh5 22.gxh5 Kb7 23.Kg2 Nf8 and Black may go for the h5 pawn 21...Nf8 Imaginative, but not neccesary. Black could part with his light-square bishop, and try to gain the h5-pawn or break with g4. Important note is in that case White would remain even more passive than in the game 21...Kb7 22.c3 Bxh5 23.gxh5 Qe7 24.Qe2 Rhg8 and Black has many ideas like Nf8-Ne6 22.Nxf6 Ne6 23.Nh5 23.Nd7 Rxd7 was probably the idea 23...Bf4 24.Nf6 Bg3 comps think that Black is slightly better here, but White might try to complicate the position with some timely exchange sacriface 24.Rxf7 h5 25.Qg2 and engine show its usual 0.00 but over the board Black for sure is having fun and White is being under considerable pressure 23...Bxh5 24.gxh5 Nf4 25.Bxf4 gxf4 26.Rg2 26.Rxf4! was a good way to cut the gordian knot. Suprisingly it seems that Black can't stop White's d1-knight in reaching f5-square , from where it has a dominant position Bxf4 27.Qxf4 Qd4+ 28.Ne3 Kb7 28...Rdf8 29.Qxf8+ Rxf8 30.Rxf8+ Kb7 31.Rf7+ Ka6 32.Rf3= 29.Kh1 Rdf8 30.Nf5 Qc3 31.Qc1!?∞ 26...Rhg8 White's king is open, and Black is enjoying a long-lasting initiative 27.Qe2 The position is not easy to analyse, and even harder to play. Both sides have many ideas, which sometimes are similar to each other. From now on I will focus on the most critical positions. Rxg2+ 28.Qxg2 Qe6 29.Nf2 Rg8 30.Ng4 Qe8! Going after h5-pawn, and then kicking White's knight with h5 31.Qf3 Qxh5 32.Kf2 The least place where White's king is safe is kingside, so logically Fabiano removes it to the center Bc7 33.Ke2 33.e5 Kb7 34.Nf6 Qh4+ 35.Ke2 Rg3 36.Qxf4 Qxh3 37.Rf2 doesn't look any good, but in the game after a couple of moves the a1-h8 diagonal was wide open for Black pieces 33...Qg5 34.Nh2?! Looks strange, because White gives away the control of the big diagonal without even gaining a tempo, Black has to spend on h5. Still there is no good enough preparatory move, and I think Black is winning already 34.Kd2 h5 35.Nh2 Qe5 36.Qf2 Qb2 37.Rg1 Rg3 it would be very odd that White can defend here 34...h5? Why not 34...Qf6 with Qb2 coming, penetrating the queenside? White would be lost in that case 35.Rf2 Qg1 The wrong direction! 36.Nf1 h4? 36...Qg7!-+ 37.Kd2? 37.e5! Rg5 37...Bxe5 38.Qxc6+ Kb8 39.a4 Paradoxically White can allow himself luxury of playing such a slow move. But there is nothing really threatening Black can do 38.Kd2 Kb7 39.e6 Re5 40.Re2 Qg6 41.Qg4 and White got his own play 37...Kb7 The position is still dead lost for White, because of the threat Qg7-Qa1, there is one more, namely Rg3! It's really amazing that Caruana survived this storm! 38.c3 Be5 38...Rg3! 39.Nxg3 hxg3 40.Rg2 Qa1-+ is game over. It transpires than in zeitnot, even the World Champion plays far below his normal strength! 39.Kc2 Qg7?! This would be a serious blunder, if not the fact that Black can repeat his position. 39...b5! with b4 next would create too many holes in White's position 40.Nh2 40.Qh5 Ka6! it's very important to avoid eventual checks on f7 41.Qe2 b5 42.a4 40...Bxc3?? Actually this move let all the advantage go. Black still could win by means of 40...Qg1! 41.Nf1 b5!-+ with transposition to the position, which is mentioned in the earlier comment 41.Qxf4 Bd4 Now by force White can save himself in an rook endgame with pawn down. Other alternatives also failed to win: 41...Ka6 42.Nf3 Ba1 43.e5= 42.Qf7+ Ka6 43.Qxg7 Rxg7 44.Re2 Rg3 45.Ng4 Rxh3 46.e5 Rf3 47.e6 Rf8 48.e7 Re8 49.Nh6 h3 50.Nf5 Bf6 Initially when I first saw this position, I thought Black has nearly 50/50 chances, but on the closer inspection I understood that White is going to play either d4 or b4, and 2 vs 3 pawn on the queenside is draw 51.a3 b5 Being on Magnus' place I would have tried to play with the pawn on b6, but still this should be an easy draw 51...Bxe7 52.Nxe7 h2 53.Rxh2 Rxe7 54.Rh5 52.b4 cxb4 53.axb4 Bxe7 Otherwise Black runs out of moves 54.Nxe7 h2 55.Rxh2 Rxe7 56.Rh6 Kb6 57.Kc3 Rd7 58.Rg6= The endgame is a draw, although White needs to be a bit careful not to allow Black to get two rolling pawns. Magnus tries to win for another 60 moves, but the draw is trivial Kc7 59.Rh6 Rd6 60.Rh8 Rg6 61.Ra8 Kb7 62.Rh8 Rg5 63.Rh7+ Kb6 64.Rh6 Rg1 65.Kc2 Rf1 66.Rg6 Rh1 67.Rf6 Rh8 68.Kc3 Ra8 69.d4 Rd8 70.Rh6 Rd7 71.Rg6 Kc7 72.Rg5 Rd6 73.Rg8 Rh6 74.Ra8 Rh3+ 75.Kc2 Ra3 75...Kd6 76.Rxa7 Kd5 77.Rc7= 76.Kb2 Ra4 77.Kc3 a6 78.Rh8 Ra3+ 79.Kb2 Rg3 80.Kc2 Rg5 81.Rh6 Rd5 82.Kc3 Rd6 83.Rh8 Rg6 84.Kc2 Kb7 85.Kc3 Rg3+ 86.Kc2 Rg1 87.Rh5 Rg2+ 88.Kc3 Rg3+ 89.Kc2 Rg4 90.Kc3 Kb6 91.Rh6 Rg5 92.Rf6 Rh5 93.Rg6 Rh3+ 94.Kc2 Rh5 95.Kc3 Rd5 96.Rh6 Kc7 97.Rh7+ Rd7 98.Rh5 Rd6 99.Rh8 Rg6 100.Rf8 Rg3+ 101.Kc2 Ra3 102.Rf7+ Kd6 103.Ra7 One of possible defensive set-ups for White Kd5 104.Kb2 Rd3 104...Ra4 105.Kc3 Ra1 106.Rd7+ Ke6 107.Ra7= 105.Rxa6 Rxd4 106.Kb3 Re4 107.Kc3 Rc4+ 108.Kb3 Kd4 109.Rb6 Kd3 110.Ra6 Rc2 111.Rb6 Rc3+ 112.Kb2 Rc4 113.Kb3 Kd4 114.Ra6 Kd5 115.Ra8 A fighting, nerve-racking, and unpleasant game for both players. Fabiano Caruana didn't manage to get even the slightest of an opening initiative, and quickly had to defend himself. Magnus Carlsen on the other hand was winning several times before the 40th move, but in time trouble he spoiled, what looked like an easy win, and had to settle for the endgame which was drawn. Still 11 games to come, and it seems it will be entertaining match! ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F-Carlsen,M-½–½2018B311
Carlsen,M-Caruana,F-½–½2018D37World Championship 20182
Caruana,F-Carlsen,M-½–½2018B313
Carlsen,M2835Caruana,F2832½–½2018A29World Championship4
Caruana,F2832Carlsen,M2835½–½2018B31World Championship London5
Carlsen,M2835Caruana,F2832½–½2018C42FIDE-Wch M6
Carlsen,M-Caruana,F-½–½2018World Championships 7
Caruana,F2832Carlsen,M2835½–½2018B33London 20188
Carlsen,M2835Caruana,F2832½–½2018A29World Chess Championship 20189
Caruana,F-Carlsen,M-2018World Chess Championship 201810
Carlsen,M2835Caruana,F2832½–½2018C42WCh 201811
Caruana,F2832Carlsen,M2835½–½2018London 201812
Carlsen,M-Caruana,F-1–02018A22WC Playoffs 20181
Caruana,F-Carlsen,M-0–12018WC Playoffs 20182
Carlsen,M-Caruana,F-1–02018B44WC Playoffs 20183

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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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