9.11.14

Magnus Takes the Lead!

The second game of the WCC in Sochi must have been very demoralizing for the challenger and all his supporters. Carlsen did his usual thing of squeezing water out of the stone and won very convincingly. The fact that Anand's mistake was not obvious at all must have been very frustrating for the Indian GM.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 12)

[Event "World Chess Championship 2014"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2014.11.09"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C65"]
[WhiteElo "2863"]
[BlackElo "2792"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]

{Once people tended to say that this move demonstrates the determination of
the first player.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 {Nowadays some people regret
of the old days. It did not take us long to see the Berlin in the match.} 4. d3
{Magnus decided to try and squeeze something out of the Anti Berlin.} Bc5 5.
O-O d6 6. Re1 ({Adams tried the trade on c6 recently} 6. Be3 Bb6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6
8. h3 O-O 9. Re1 h6 10. Nbd2 {Adams,M (2743)-Ponomariov,R (2723) Dortmund 2014}
) ({Looking into advance in the game we should say that there is another
adherent of the approach that the World Champion used in the game. Gata Kamsky
is the man in question, although he prefers to develop the bishop on e3
whenever he captures on c6.} 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. h3 O-O 8. Nc3 Bb6 9. Re1 {Kamsky,
G (2723)-Ponomariov,R (2718) Moscow 2008}) 6... O-O 7. Bxc6 {The fact that
Carlsen inserted the rook move before trading shows that he has something
original on his mind.} bxc6 8. h3 Re8 {Diagram [#]} 9. Nbd2 $146 {The actual
novelty. Previously only} (9. Be3 {had been tried. White won that game too, is
this the refutation of the Berlin?!} Bb6 10. Nbd2 {Moritz,A (1237)-Kyas,P
(1506) Willingen 2006}) 9... Nd7 {One idea is to conduct d6-d5. Another- to
bring the knight to e6 from where it will control both d4 and f4 squares.} ({
Also interesting is} 9... h6 10. Nc4 Nh7 {intending f7-f5} ({or} 10... Be6 $5))
10. Nc4 Bb6 ({The central aproach is tactically justified} 10... d5 11. exd5
cxd5 12. Ncxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxf2+ 14. Kxf2 Rxe5 15. Rxe5 Qf6+ 16. Qf3 Qxe5 {
but this would have led to the typical Carlsen's position after} 17. Qf4 Qe7
18. Be3 $14 {[%csl Ya7,Yc7,Rc8,Yd5,Ge3] slight edge without much counterplay
for the opponent.}) ({Anand also disliked} 10... Nf8 11. c3 Ne6 12. d4 exd4 13.
cxd4 Bb6 14. Be3 {which seems a bit better for White as well.}) 11. a4 $1 {
Typical Scotch idea. Magnus wants to trade the bishop but does not want to
allow} (11. Nxb6 axb6 {[%csl Yc6,Ye6][%cal Gc6c5,Gd7f8,Gf8e6,Gd7b8,Gb8c6,Yc6d4,
Ye6f4] which will reinforce black's dark-squared control.}) 11... a5 12. Nxb6
cxb6 13. d4 {White managed to get something out of the opening. Still, it
should not be much.} Qc7 {One of the natural moves that remain unnoticed
without thorough analyzes. I would not call it a mistake but since White's
initiative grew after it with alarming speed this moment is worth mentioning!}
({Probably Vishy had to clarify the situation in the center with} 13... c5 $5 {
[%csl Yd4]} 14. dxe5 (14. c3 cxd4 15. cxd4 Bb7 16. Ra3 d5) 14... Nxe5 {with
the idea to meet} 15. Ra3 {with} Ba6 $11) 14. Ra3 $1 {[%csl Yg8][%cal Ga3d3,
Rd3d8,Gd3g3,Gg3g8] Diagram [#] The rook is looking for a career in the center
or on the king's flank.} Nf8 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Nh4 ({There is nothing to hope
for on the open file at the moment} 16. Rd3 Ba6 17. Rd2 Rad8 $11) 16... Rd8 17.
Qh5 (17. Rd3 Ba6 $11) 17... f6 {Anand is carefully defending. He brings fresh
forces on the flank- the queen at first, then centralizes the bishop} (17...
Ng6 {may transpose to the game.} 18. Nf5 f6 19. Rg3 Be6) 18. Nf5 Be6 19. Rg3 {
Carlsen also did everything that he could to create threats. Now the defense
is quite unpleasant for the Indian GM.} Ng6 ({Vishy could have also defended
with} 19... Rd7 20. Bh6 g6 21. Qh4 Qd8 22. Qg4 Kh8 23. h4 Raa7 ({Not} 23...
gxf5 $2 24. exf5 Qe7 25. fxe6 Nxe6 26. Qf5 $16) 24. h5 g5 {although Black's
situation remains unpleasant.}) 20. h4 {White already had a choice of
interesting continuations} (20. Bh6 $5 {Diagram [#] would have most likely
transposed to the previous note as if} gxh6 (20... Rd7 21. h4 {transposes to
the line above}) 21. Rxg6+ $1 hxg6 22. Qxg6+ Kf8 (22... Kh8 $2 23. Qxf6+ Kh7
24. Qxh6+ Kg8 25. Qxe6+ $18) 23. Qxf6+ Qf7 (23... Bf7 24. f4 $3 exf4 25. e5 {
Diagram [#] is mate in 8 if you ask your engine...}) 24. Qxh6+ Ke8 (24... Kg8
25. Re3 $18) 25. Qh8+ Kd7 26. Rd1+ Kc7 27. Qxe5+ Kb7 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 29. Nd6+
Rxd6 30. Qxd6 {the four pawns should be definitely stronger than the bishop.})
20... Bxf5 {A critical moment of the game! The knight was definitely annoying
but after this trade Vishy gives the keys of the castle to Magnus.} ({The
inhuman defense} 20... Rd7 21. Qg4 ({However, White can play better} 21. Bh6 $1
{with the point} gxh6 22. Qxh6 {that leads to unstoppable h4-h5 and powerful
attack.}) 21... Nf4 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Rf3 Re8 {is sugegsted by the engines} 24.
Rxf4 Qe5 25. c3 g6 26. h5 Kf7 27. hxg6+ hxg6 28. Nh6+ Kg7 29. Nf5+ Kf7 $11) ({
One more inhuman defense is the line} 20... Kh8 {I have no idea what marks to
put on that one...} 21. Rxg6 ({Most likely Carlsen would prefer} 21. Qf3 Bxf5
22. exf5 (22. Qxf5) 22... Ne7 {but this would be more favorable version of the
game continuation for Black.}) 21... Qf7 22. Bh6 {Still no idea...} gxh6 23.
Rxh6 Qxh5 24. Rxh5 Rd2 25. Ne3 {[%csl Yh5] Diagram [#] White is a pawn up but
play without the rook on h5.}) 21. exf5 Nf4 ({White is also better after} 21...
Nf8 22. Be3 c5 23. Qg4 Kh8 24. h5 Qf7 (24... h6 $2 25. Bxh6) 25. h6 g5 26. Qe2
{but was probably preferable to the game continuation.} (26. fxg6 Nxg6 27. f4 (
27. Qf5))) 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Rc3 $16 {[%csl Ya8,Gc3,Yc7,Ge1,Gh5] Diagram [#]
The difference in the activity of the heavy pieces spells trouble to the
Challenger.} c5 24. Re6 $1 ({Magnus wisely refuses to win the pawn in return
for activity} 24. Rc4 Qf7 25. Qxf7+ Kxf7 26. Rxf4 Rd2 27. Re6 Rb8 28. Rc6 Rb7 (
{There is no time for} 28... Rxc2 29. Rc7+ Kf8 (29... Kg8 30. Rg4) 30. Rg4 $18)
29. Rc4 Rd5 (29... Re7 30. Rxb6 Re1+ 31. Kh2 Rxf2 32. Rxc5) 30. g4 h5 31. f3
$16 {White has good winning chances but the game continuation was even
stronger!}) 24... Rab8 25. Rc4 Qd7 26. Kh2 $1 ({Once again discarding} 26. Rxf4
Qd1+ 27. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 28. Kh2 Rd2 29. h5 h6) 26... Rf8 (26... Re8 27. Rce4 Rxe6
28. fxe6 Qe7 29. Qf5 $16) 27. Rce4 Rb7 28. Qe2 $1 {[%csl Re2,Ge4,Ge6] Diagram
[#] The Alekhine doubling of the heavy pieces in action.} ({It was also
possible to grab the pawn} 28. Rxf4 Qd2 29. Qf3) 28... b5 29. b3 bxa4 ({Anand
will be happy to get rid of the queenside pawn but after} 29... c4 30. axb5
cxb3 31. b6 b2 32. Qc4 $1 {White wins due to the line} b1=Q 33. Re8+ Qf7 34.
Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Qc8+ Qe8 36. Qxe8#) 30. bxa4 {Once more no rush. It might have
been horrible to be in Anand's shows this game.} (30. Re7 Qd5 31. Rxb7 Qxb7 32.
Rxa4 $16) 30... Rb4 (30... h6 31. c3 {would not have changed the situation.
White will start the harvest soon.}) 31. Re7 Qd6 $1 {The best defense.} ({In
case of} 31... Rxe4 32. Qxe4 Qc8 {White would have taken the more valuable
pawns first} 33. Ra7 Re8 34. Qd5+ Kh8 35. Rxa5 $18) 32. Qf3 Rxe4 33. Qxe4 f3+
34. g3 h5 $4 {[%csl Rg7][%cal Ra7g7] Diagram [#] This loses instantly. Vishy
blunders under the constant pressure. After} (34... Qd2 35. Qxf3 Qxc2 36. Ra7
Re8 37. Rxa5 $16 {Magnus would still need to show good technique to deserve
the full point.}) 35. Qb7 {One of those typical Magnus games where one wonders
where did his opponent made a mistake! The new plan chosen by the World
Champion proved more venomous than expected. But it was the super neat play of
Carlsen that won the game!} 1-0




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