Svipdagr

Magnus Carlsen – Étienne Bacrot
GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, February 9, 2015
Torre Attack A48

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3. On page 236 of the October 1963 Chess Life Robert James Fischer called this move “a rather common mistake”. 2. ... g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 0-0 5. e3 d6 6. Bc4 Nbd7 7. 0-0 Qe8 8. a4. For 8. c3 e5 see Rustemov – Areshchenko, Schachbundesliga, Wattenscheid 2011. 8. ... e5 9. a5 e4!? 10. Ne1 h6 11. Bh4. “I think Étienne has gone for the wrong plan. Much easier for White to play”, Grandmaster Nigel David Short said. 11. ... c6 12. Bb3. “Magnus is obviously taking great risks here, Bacrot has chances too. Critical position now after 12. Bb3”, Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen said. 12. ... Nh5!? 13. f3 exf3 14. Qxf3 Ndf6 15. Nd3 Bg4 16. Qf2 Be6 17. Bxe6 Qxe6 18. Qf3. Bad is 18. Rae1? on account of 18. ... g5 19. Bg3 Ng4 20. Qf3 Nxg3 21. Qxg3 Nxe3! with advantage to Black. 18. ... g5 19. Bf2 g4 20. Qe2 Rae8 21. a6. “The trend is very good for Magnus, but not overwhelming”, Nielsen said. 21. ... b6. “Both sides have very bad positions”, Short joked. 22. Rae1 Nd5. After 22. ... Ne4 Black would have a perfectly fine position. Has Étienne missed something? 23. e4 f5!?? This is a very committal move, which implies the sacrifice (the loss?) of a Pawn. 24. Qd1! “Has Bacrot been playing a bit too ambitiously? Carlsen seems to have an advantage now, Naiditsch pushing”, Tarjei J. Svensen (‏@TarjeiJS) tweeted.

24. ... fxe4 25. Rxe4 Qf5 26. Qxg4 Qxg4 27. Rxg4 Re2!? 28. Rd1 Nhf6. “Will Bacrot handle the pressure with only 6 minutes (+increment) for 12 moves? Magnus advantage now” Tarjei J. Svensen (‏@TarjeiJS) tweeted. 29. Rg3 Nh5!? 30. Rf3 Rxf3 31. gxf3. White emerged a Pawn ahead with excellent winning chances. 31. ... Ne3. Black’s position was bad and perhaps already lost. The text move, however, makes matters even worse. 32. Bxe3 Rxe3 33. Nc4 Rxf3 34. Nb4 b5 35. Na5! c5 36. Nbc6! Rf7 37. Nb7 Nf4 38. dxc5 dxc5 39. Nxa7?? Magnus’ last move is a careless blunder, which is punished immediately. Of course 39. c3 was called for. 39. ... Bd4+! Nielsen: “It’s probably just a draw right now”. 40. Kh1. Also after 40. Rxd4 Ne2+ 41. Kg2 Nxd4 42. c3 Rf6 43. cxd4 Rxa6 44. Nxb5 cxd4 45. Nxd4 Rb6 46. Na5 Rxb2+ Black should draw. 40. ... Nh3! “It looks like he’s completely botched it up”, Short said. 41. Kg2. 41. Ra1 Rg7 is far too dangerous. 41. ... Nf4+ 42. Kg3 Ne2+ 43. Kg4 Rf4+ 44. Kh3 Rf3+ 45. Kg4 Rf4+ 46. Kh3 Rf3+ ½ : ½. “Playoff is nice, but it would be much better if I had decided the tournament alone”, Magnus said.

Magnus Carlsen vs. Étienne Bacrot
Photo: GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden