17.1.15

Carlsen back in Business

The fifth round of Tata Steel tournament saw one of the main clashes in the event. The world champion Magnus Carlsen managed to outplay the former world's second rated player Levon Aronian in a game which was not quite typical for this level.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.01.15"]
[Round "5.6"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2862"]
[BlackElo "2797"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:54:10"]
[BlackClock "0:50:55"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 {The Ragozin line should not have been
a surprise for either of the players as they have already tested it twice in
Stavanger last year.} 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bxf6 {In both their previous
games Carlsen chose} (7. Bh4 {when the blitz saw} g5 ({While in the classical
game the Norwegian uncorked a very interesting novelty after} 7... Nbd7 8. e3
g5 9. Bg3 Ne4 10. Nd2 Nxg3 11. fxg3 $5 $146 {Carlsen,M (2881)-Aronian,L (2815)
Stavanger 2014}) 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. Nd2 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxc3 11. Rc1 Bb2 12. Rxc7 Na6
13. Rc2 Bxd4 {with compensation for the sacrificed pawn, Carlsen,M (2881)
-Aronian,L (2815) Flor & Fjaere 2014}) 7... Qxf6 8. Qa4+ Nc6 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2
Be6 11. O-O a6 12. Rfc1 Bd6 13. Qd1 {Diagram [#] A typical Carlsbad pawn
structure had arosen where the plans of both sides are crystal clear. White
will conduct the minority attack on the queenside and Black should try and
checkmate on the opposite wing.} Ne7 14. a3 ({White can start maneuvering with
the knight at once with} 14. Na4 b6 15. b4 g5 16. Nb2 Ng6 17. Nd3 {but if you
have noticed Black already has some play on the kingside, which proved enough
to hold the balance after} a5 18. b5 Rfe8 19. Rc3 h5 {in the game Roiz,M (2668)
-Tomashevsky,E (2710) Saratov 2011}) 14... Rfd8 15. b4 Nc8 $146 {The novelty.
Black often likes to transfer the knight on c4 in the Carlsbad. By doing this,
he blocks the half open c file thus protecting the c pawn itself. If White
ttrades on c4, then Black will have a good defended passeron that square.} ({
Black can also proceed with the kingside play instead} 15... Bf5 16. Na4 a5 17.
b5 g5 {as Tomashevsky did in the game above, Pogorelov,R (2459)-Garcia Vicente,
N (2214) Balaguer 2008}) 16. Na4 b6 $6 {Levon stopped on the half-way. He
probably disliked the position after} (16... b5 17. Nc5 Nb6 18. a4 ({In case of
} 18. Nb7 Rdb8 19. Nxd6 cxd6 {the doubled pawn on d6 will cover the vital e5
and c5 points.}) 18... Nxa4 19. Nxa4 bxa4 20. Rxa4 Rab8 21. Ne1 Bxb4 22. Nd3 {
Indeed, there is a strategical risk that Black loses the c pawn and the game
and it is yet hard to asses if this will happen in the next 10-20 moves. But
then, what was the move 15...Nc8 for?!}) 17. Nb2 $1 Ne7 18. Nd3 {White is some
tempoes ahead in comarison to Roiz-Tomashevsky and as Carlsen explained in the
press conferense Black's attempts to create counter play will create too many
weaknesses in his camp. he white knight is optimally placed on d3 both
threatening to occupy the e5 square and supporting the b pawn advance.} Ng6 19.
a4 {With the threat of a4-a5 that will also fix a weakness on c7 but will as
well make the a6 pawn a target. Levon chooses the lesser evil.} a5 20. b5 {But
now the c7 pawn is a permanent pain. This position is very unpleasant for
Black. The bishop pair is not particulary strong, on the contrary-in the semi
closed positions it is much better to have knights. The pawn on c7 clues the
bishop on the d6 square, thus turning the d5 pawn into a weakness.} Re8 21. Rc3
Bf5 22. Rac1 Rad8 {Diagram [#] Magnus suggested the more subtle} (22... Re7 23.
Nd2 Rae8 {which would have saved Black some tempi.}) 23. Nd2 {Magnus wants to
play g2-g3 to kill all the black play on the kingside and bring the bishop on
f3. However, the immediate} (23. g3 {has a tactical flaw} Bg4 {and if} 24. Nd2
$2 Bxe2 25. Qxe2 Qxd4 $1 {wins a pawn for the second player (Carlsen).}) 23...
Rd7 ({The opposite colored bishops will not bring Black any relief. After}
23... Bxd3 24. Bxd3 Nf8 {or else While will chop this knight off the board.}
25. g3 {Whihte will mount pressure by bringing the bishop on the long diagonal,
the rook on c6 and the knight eventually on c3.}) 24. g3 (24. Bg4 {was already
interesting.}) 24... Nf8 25. Bg4 $1 {The trades are favorable for White who
will get an easier access to the d5 pawn.} Nh7 26. Bxf5 Qxf5 27. Qf3 Qg5 ({In
the endgame after} 27... Qxf3 28. Nxf3 {White can put the rook on c6, one of
the knights on c3 and the other on f4. Any time Black swaps off the bishop,
the c7 pawn will be lost.}) 28. h4 Qe7 29. Rc6 {Magnus calmly improves his
position.} ({The capture is no good yet} 29. Qxd5 Ba3) 29... Nf6 30. Nf4 $6 {
Levon tries to bail out with tactics but as often happens this makes things
even worse. Still, it is very hard to suggest something constructive for Black.
} g6 {Diagram [#]} 31. h5 $1 ({As Carlsen pointed out at the press conference,
the pawn is not yet yummie} 31. Nxd5 $6 Nxd5 32. Qxd5 Ba3 33. Rxg6+ Kh7 34.
Rxh6+ $6 ({Better is} 34. Rxc7 Rxd5 35. Rxe7 Bxe7 36. Rxb6 {with absolutely
crazy position.}) 34... Kxh6 35. Rc6+ Rd6 $17) 31... Kg7 ({In case of} 31... g5
32. Nxd5 $1 {things work well for White!} Nxd5 33. Qxd5 {The main line runs}
Ba3 ({Or} 33... Bxg3 34. Qf3 ({There is no need to allow any tactics} 34. Qf5
Bxf2+ 35. Qxf2 Qxe3 36. Qxe3 Rxe3 {although White should be better here as
well.}) 34... Bd6 35. Nc4 {with strategically won position for White.}) 34. Qf5
Bxc1 35. Rxh6 $1 {and White checkmates (Carlsen)} Qd8 (35... Ba3 36. Qh7+ Kf8
37. Qh8#) (35... Qb4 36. Qxg5+ Kf8 37. Rh8#) (35... f6 36. Qg6+ Qg7 37. Qxe8+)
36. Qh7+ Kf8 37. Qh8+ Ke7 38. Qe5+ Kf8 39. Rh8#) (31... Bxf4 {does not help
neither due to} 32. Qxf4 Nxh5 33. Qxh6 {[%cal Gd2f3,Gf3e5] with Nd2-f3-e5 to
follow (Carlsen)}) 32. hxg6 fxg6 33. Nxd5 Nxd5 34. Qxd5 Bxg3 ({Once more
tactics helps strategy in the line} 34... Ba3 35. Qxd7 $1 Qxd7 36. Rxc7 {
(Carlsen)}) 35. Qg2 Bd6 36. Nc4 {Diagram [#] The knight got an access to the
c4 square. Next, Magnus will trade it for the bishop and one of the pawns on
c7 or b6 will fall and with it the Black position.} Rf8 {This makes things
easier for White.} 37. Ne5 $1 Bxe5 38. Qxg6+ Kh8 39. Qxh6+ Kg8 40. dxe5 Qxe5
41. Rg6+ Kf7 42. Rc4 Qa1+ 43. Kg2 Rh8 44. Rf4+ Ke8 45. Re6+ Re7 46. Rxe7+ Kxe7
47. Re4+ {Diagram [#] Some of Aronian's decisions in this game are hard to
explain but Carlsen's play to prove him wrong was perfect.} ({Levon resigned
due to the lines} 47. Re4+ Kd8 (47... Kd7 48. Rd4+ Qxd4 49. Qc6+) 48. Rd4+ Qxd4
49. Qg5+) 1-0



Aronian keep struggling with himself. Full report.

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