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Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen
77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2015
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nc3 b6 8. Be3 e5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. a3 Qe7 11. Qb1 Nh5!? Magnus adopts his sharp, tactical style! He could also try a more quiet approach with 11. ... a5. 12. b4 f5!? 13. bxc5 f4 14. Bd2 bxc5 15. Qb3+ Be6 16. Qa4 Rac8 17. Qa5 g5 18. Na4 g4 19. hxg4 Bxg4 20. Qxc5 Qf6 21. Nh2. Here 21. Rfe1 was worth considering, for eventually hide His Majesty on e2. 21. ... f3! “Vintage Carlsen: playing a boring solid line does not mean he is not trying to win. 21. ... f3 or 21. ... Qh4, both scary”, Grandmaster Jan Gustafsson tweeted. 22. Nxg4 Qg6 23. Qe7! fxg2 24. Rfb1 Qxg4 25. Qg5 Qe2 26. Qe3 Qg4 27. Qg5 Qxg5. Carlsen refuses the draw by repetition. 28. Bxg5 Nf4 29. Bxf4? “29. Bxf4 was probably bad”, then Carlsen said. White ought to have played 29. Kh2, although after 29. ... Kh8! (Ramírez Álvarez) Black retains the upper hand. 29. ... exf4 30. Kxg2 f3+! 31. Kf1? Fabi is willing to sacrifice an Exchange in order to neutralize the powerful White’s initiative, but... Magnus flies higher. 31. Kh3 looks like White’s only chance.

31. ... Rf4!! This amazing move wins by force! Black is threatening 32. ... Rh4 and if 33. Ke1 then 33. ... Bh6. 32. c3 Rd8! 33. d4. No better is 33. Rd1 Rh4! 34. Kg1 (or 34. Ke1 Bh6 and mate next move) 34. ... Rd6! and mate in two moves. 33. ... Bh6. Even stronger would have been 33. ... Bxd4! 34. cxd4 Rh4 35. Kg1 (or 35. Ke1 Rxd4 and mate in four moves) 35. ... Kh8! and mate in three moves. 34. Ke1 Rxe4+ 35. Kd1 c5! A shining deflecting sacrifice. On 36. Nxc5 Re2 wins. 36. Kc2 cxd4 37. Kd3 Re2 38. c4 Rxf2. More accurate is the “zwischencheck” 38. ... Rd2+ 39. Ke4 Rxf2 winning on the spot. 39. Rd1. With 39. Rb2 the game would have lasted just a bit longer, but not too much: 39. ... Rxb2 40. Nxb2 Rb8 and Black must win. 39. ... Re2 0 : 1. An impressive display of royal power by Carolus Magnus!

Fabiano Caruana vs. Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Tata Steel Chess

Tarjei J. Svensen (@TarjeiJS)