The Awareness

Richárd Rapport – Magnus Carlsen
79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 22, 2017
Réti Opening A06

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Bf5 3. Bb2 e6 4. d3 h6 5. Nbd2 Nf6 6. c4 c6 7. g3 Be7 8. Bg2 0-0 9. 0-0 Nbd7 10. a3 a5 11. Qb1. For 11. Rc1 Bh7 12. Rc2 Bd6 13. Qa1 Qe7 14. Nh4 e5 see Rapport – Svetushkin, 10th Balagne Rapid Open, Calvi 2013. 11. ... Bh7 12. b4. Else 12. Bc3 Qb8 13. Qb2 Bd6 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Bh3 Re8 16. Bxd7 Nxd7 17. Bxg7 Rxe2 18. Bxh6 Be5 19. d4 Bf6 20. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 Nc5 22. Ne5 Ne6 23. Qc3 Qd8 24. Qf3 Bxe5 25. Rxe5 Bg6 26. h4 Kh7 27. Be3 Qe7 28. h5 Bc2 29. Qf4 f6 30. Qh6+ Kg8 31. Bg5 Rf8 32. Bh4 Qf7 33. Re3 Nxd4 34. Qf4 Nf5 35. Rc3 Qxh5 36. Nf3 Be4 37. g4 Qg6 38. Bg3 Nxg3 39. Qxg3 Bxf3 40. Rxf3 Re8 41. Rf5 ½ : ½ Nikolac – Zichichi, 8th Banco di Roma International Tournament, Rome 1984. 12. ... axb4 13. axb4 Qb6 14. Bc3 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 Bxb4 16. Bxb4 Qxb4 17. Rb1 Qd6 18. Rxb7 e5. Rapport has quite prudently and wisely played for not losing, and, not unstrangely, is Carlsen who feels like he didn’t achieve anything. 19. d4 exd4 20. Nxd4 c5 21. N4b3 d4 22. Bh3

22. ... d3? “Giri entombs his Bishop on a8, Carlsen puts his on h7 and plays ... d4-d3. Why isn’t anyone thinking of the Bishops?”, jokes Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana. Indeed, the text seems overambitious, indicating Carlsen’s impatience with his position. Very probably Black has nothing better than playing for a draw with 22. ... Rb8. 23. e3 Ne5 24. Bg2 Rc8 25. f4 Neg4 26. e4. Black’s position is desperate, so he decides to sacrifice a Knight vainly hoping for the actual game to start again soon. 26. ... Re8 27. e5 Nxe5 28. fxe5 Rxe5 29. Rb6! Game over. 29. ... Qe7 30. Rb8+ Ne8 31. Bc6 Re1+ 32. Qxe1 Qxe1+ 33. Nf1 1 : 0.

Richárd Rapport (R.) vs. Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Alina l’Ami/Tata Steel Chess (Facebook)