Theatre of Tragedy

Magnus Carlsen – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
5th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, June 15, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E48

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Ne2 Re8 8. Bd2 Bf8 9. 0-0 b6 10. Rc1 c5 11. Nf4. A one-shot try was 11. Bb5!? Bd7 12. Bd3 Nc6 13. f3 g6 14. Kh1 when Jobava ended up winning quite in Sämisch-style, Jobava – Karjakin, Eurasian Blitz Chess Cup of the President of Kazakhstan, Almaty 2016. 11. ... Bb7 12. Qf3 Na6. For 12. ... Nc6 13. Nh5 Nxh5 14. Qxh5 g6 15. Qxd5 cxd4 16. exd4 Nb4 see Wemmers – A. Muzychuk, 12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2014. 13. Rfd1 cxd4!? I suspect very few people would like to repeat 13. ... Nc7 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Na4 which in fact costed Black a Pawn, Nguyễn Chí Minh – Fayard, 89th Championship-Paris IdF, Paris 2014. 14. exd4 Nc7 15. Bc2 Bd6 16. Be3 Ne4 17. Ba4 Re7 18. Bb3 Qd7 19. h3 Nxc3 20. bxc3! A very difficult move, but only for a computer! From a human viewpoint it is very easy and clearly indicates Carlsen’s attacking intentions. 20. ... Bc6 21. Nh5 Re6! 22. Bc2 Ba4 23. c4! dxc4 24. d5! Rg6 25. Bd4 Bxc2 26. Rxc2 Qa4 27. Rcc1 Qxa2 28. Nxg7! It’s not a matter of material, but rather to keep the Black King constantly exposed. 28. ... Rxg7 29. Bxg7 Kxg7 30. Qg4+ Kf8 31. Qh4. That’s all and that’s enough: White never runs the risk of losing, while Black has to defend with the most accuracy for not losing. 31. ... Qb2 32. Rxc4 Ne8 33. Re1 Qf6 34. Qxh7! Not 34. Rxe8+?? Rxe8 35. Qxf6?? Re1 mate. 34. ... Qg7 35. Qc2 Qf6 36. Rg4 Bc5 37. Re2 Qh6 38. g3 Nf6 39. Rh4 Qg7 40. Kg2 Qg5. Somehow they reached time control, and the situation hasn’t changed so much: Carlsen attacks, Karjakin defends. 41. Qc3 Bd6?? After a very long thought, here comes the crisis. Sometimes it happens, and not without a reason. 41. ... Qg7 (Stockfish) would have kept the status quo. 42. Rh8+ Ng8 43. Re4!! Qg7. Could Karjakin have overlooked that 43. ... Qxd5 was met by 43. Qf3! which wins at once?

44. Rxg8+! 1 : 0. For after 44. ... Qxg8 45. Qf6 Bc5 46. Rg4 Qh7 47. d6 Black is dead and buried. Great game, very much in Alekhine’s style.