Resistance: Fall of Man

Magnus Carlsen – Hikaru Nakamura
3rd Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 31, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bf4 Nf6 5. e3 0-0 6. a3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Qc2 Qa5 10. Rd1 Be7 11. Be2 Ne4 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 14. bxc3 exd5 15. Rxd5 Bxa3 16. Nd4 Nxd4 17. exd4 b6 18. Kd2. “I was quite surprised that Hikaru played this line that is not favourable for Black”, thirteenth World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov said.

19. ... Be6. Here 18. ... a6 looks much sounder, e.g. 19. Ra1 Be6 20. Re5 Bd6 21. Re4 Bxf4+ 22. Rxf4 b5 23. Bf3 Ra7 24. Bc6 Rb8 25. Re1 with an edge to White, Moiseenko – Akobian, Montreal 2009. Nakamura “doesn’t know this opening”, Kasparov asserted. 19. Rb5 Bd7 20. Rb3 Be7 21. Bf3 Ba4. “This is the first new move in the game, but I don’t believe that Nakamura can change much with it. The evaluation of the position is White is close to winning. And most important – without even making a single original move”, Grandmaster Aleksander Delchev said. If 21. ... Rae8 then 22. Ra1 g5 23. Bg3 f5 24. Bd5+ Kh8 25. Rxa7 and Black resigned a few moves later, Atalik – Lekić, Vogosca 2007. 22. Rb2 Rad8 23. Ra1 b5 24. Bc6 a6 25. Bb7. “At least in the King’s Indian you go down kicking and screaming – here it’s just screaming!”, Kasparov said. 25. ... Bd6 26. Be3 a5 27. Bc6 Rb8 28. d5 Rfd8 29. Kd3 Bf8 30. Bd4 f6 31. Ke4 Bd6 32. c4 Bb4 33. a7 f5+ 34. Kf3 Rbc8 35. cxb5 Bxb5 36. Bxb5 Bc3 37. Rab1. “Even if it’s winning, Magnus clearly did something wrong... he rushed”, Kasparov said. 37. ... Bxb2 38. Rxb2 Rxd5 39. Be3?? “It was just one move. Just a moment of insanity”, then Magnus said. This is indeed a silly move which gives up control of b8. Instead “39. Ba4 should win in the long run, as the Bishops will work very well with the Rook”, writes Dennis Monokroussos. 39. ... Rb8 40. Bc4 Rxb2 41. Bxd5+ Kh8. “I don’t see how Carlsen wins this. Comp gives big plus for White but how to stop the a-Pawn?!”, Grandmaster Daniel W. Gormally wondered. Also Kasparov says it’s a draw – “I guess [Carlsen] couldn’t control his emotions”. 42. Bd4 Rb1 43. Ke2 a4 44. g3 a3 45. Kd2 h5 46. h4 Kh7 47. Bc4 g6 48. Kc2 Re1! 49. Be3 f4! “49. ... f4! looks drawn. Difference between 2v2 and 3v3 is that the White King on g5 has no shelter from lateral Rook checks”, Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson said. 50. Bxf4 a2 51. Bxa2 Re2+ 52. Kb3 Rxf2 53. Bb1 Re2 54. Kc4 Kg7 55. Kd5 Re1 56. Bc2 Re2 57. Bd3 Re1 58. Be4 Rd1+ 59. Ke5 Re1 60. Bd2 Re2 61. Bc3 Kh6 62. Bb4 Rf2 63. Bc5 Rf1 64. Bb4 Rf2 65. Be7 Rf1 66. Bf6 Rg1 67. Bg5+ Kg7 68. Bf4 Re1 69. Kd5 Rd1+ 70. Ke6 Re1 71. Ke5 Re2 72. Kd5 Re1 73. Bd3 Kh7 74. Kd4 Kg7 75. Be3 Ra1 76. Ke4 Ra4+ 77. Kf3 Ra3 78. Bb5 Rb3 79. Be8 Rb1 80. Bc6 Rb4 81. Bd2 Rb6 82. Bc3+ Kh6 83. Bd5 Rb1 84. Kf4 Rf1+ 85. Ke5 Rg1 86. Bd2+ Kg7 87. Bf4 Re1+ 88. Kd6 Kf6 89. Bf3 Kf5 90. Kd5 Rf1 91. Be4+ Kg4 92. Bxg6 Rxf4 93. gxf4 Kxf4 94. Bxh5 Kg3 95. Bd1 Kxh4 ½ : ½. “Right now I’m just sick of playing so badly!”, Magnus finally said.

All stars look down...
Photo: Ioan-Cristian Chirila (@CristianChirila)