Brink!

Magnus Carlsen – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
3rd Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 25, 2015
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 0-0 7. Nc3 Qc7 8. Nd5 Qxc4. Maxime doesn’t hesitate to play an unbalanced position! For 8. ... Nxd5 9. cxd5 Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. Bc3 e5 see 王皓 (Wáng Hào) – Grischuk, 4th SportAccord World Mind Games; Blitz Event; 北京 (Beijīng) 2014. 9. Nxe7+ Kh8 10. Nxc8 Rxc8 11. 0-0 Nc6 12. Be3. For 12. Nb3 Re8 see 王皓 (Wáng Hào) – Aronian, 4th SportAccord World Mind Games; Blitz Event; 北京 (Beijīng) 2014. 12. ... Ng4 13. Nc2 Nxe3 14. Nxe3 Qe6 15. Nd5 Bxb2. Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov on Carlsen’s game: “I believe Vachier-Lagrave should hold somehow, but...”. 16. Rb1 Be5 17. Rxb7 Rab8 18. Rxb8 Rxb8 19. e3. Black is a long way from a draw, though it’s not “mission impossible” because of Bishops of opposite colours. 19. ... Rb2 20. a4 Ne7? Dennis Monokroussos recommends 20. ... Qd6 when Black’s position is only slightly inferior. 21. Nf4 Bxf4 22. exf4 Qb6 23. a5! The Pawn is obviously immune (23. ... Qxa5?? 24. Qd4+). 23. ... Qc5 24. Qxd7 Ra2 25. Qd3 Kg7. Maxime afterwards regretted not having played 25. ... Rxa5, but after 26. Qe2 Kg8 27. Rd1 White stands clearly better. 26. a6 h5 27. Bb7 Nf5 28. Qe4 Nd6 29. Qb1 Rd2 30. Qa1+ Kg8 31. Bg2 Nf5 32. Qe5! Qxe5. Black should refrain from swapping Queens because the ensuing endgame is hopeless, but it’s not easy to suggest good moves. For instance, after 32. ... Qb6 33. Bd5 Nd6 34. f5! gxf5 35. Bf3 Black’s King is dangerously exposed. 33. fxe5 Re2 34. Rb1! Rxe5 35. Rb7 Re1+ 36. Bf1 h4 37. Rxa7 h3. Desperately trying to get something for his Pawn deficit, but Magnus is merciless. 38. Rd7 Ra1

39. g4. Take it easy. After 39. a7! Kg7 40. g4 Nh4 41. f4 Ng2 42. Kf2 Nxf4 43. g5 Black is in Zugzwang. 39. ... Nh4 40. Rd3 Ng2. Time control is reached and Black is down two Pawns for no compensation. 41. Rxh3 Nf4 42. Rf3 g5 43. Rb3 1 : 0.

Magnus Carlsen vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club (‏@CCSCSL)