Isbrytar (Icebreaker)

Magnus Carlsen – Levon Grigori Aronian
5th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 11, 2017
Spanish Game C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a4 b4 9. a5 d6 10. d3 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. Nbd2 Rb8 13. c3 Qe8 14. Nc4! Much stronger than 14. d4 bxc3 15. bxc3 exd4 16. cxd4 Rb5 17. Nc4 Qg6 18. Qe2 Nd7 19. Bd2 Bf6 20. Bc3 Rb3 21. Qc2 Rb5 22. Na3 Rb7 23. Qe2 Ra8 24. Rac1 Nd8 25. Nc4 Rb5 26. e5 Be7 27. exd6 cxd6 28. Bd2 Qf7 29. g3 Rab8 30. Bf4 Qf8 31. h4 h6 32. Kg2 Nf6 33. Bd2 Nd5 34. Ne3 Nxe3+ 35. fxe3 Qe8 36. e4 Nb7 37. Qc4 Bd8 38. Qc6 Bxa5 39. Bxa5 Rxa5 40. Re2 Qxc6 41. Rxc6 Rf8 42. Rb6 Ra3 ½ : ½ Topalov – M. Adams, 4th Gashimov Memorial, Şəmkir 2017. 14. ... Qg6 15. h3 Nd7 16. Be3 d5. With this and the next two moves Aronian shows his aggressive intentions, but Carlsen keeps the situation firmly under control. 17. Ncd2 bxc3 18. bxc3 Nc5 19. Bxc5 Bxc5

20. Qa4! Now Black’s Queenside is doomed to fall apart, unless Aronian does not make up something. 20. ... Rb2 21. Rf1! Clearly not 21. Qxc6?? on account of 21. ... Bxf2+! turning the tables. 21. ... Na7. Aronian’s temporary Pawn sac will not prove good enough for discouraging Carlsen from tightening his grip. In any event, after Stockfish’s 21. ... Qe8 22. Rab1 Rxb1 23. Rxb1 Qd7 24. d4 White stands better. 22. Nxe5 Qh6 23. Ndf3 Nb5 24. Rae1! This as well as White’s 26th and 30th moves are as merciless as an icebreaker. Completely wrong would have been 24. Rac1? because of 24. ... Rxf2! with Black turning the tables again. 24. ... Nxc3 25. Qc6 Bb4 26. Kh1! dxe4 27. dxe4 Ne2 28. Rb1 Rxb1 29. Rxb1 Bd6 30. Qxa6! Nf4 31. Qb5. Carlsen’s (basic) aim is manifestly to promote his a-Pawn, and Aronian must find a way to avoid it. 31. ... c5. Stockfish dislikes it, but 31. ... c6 32. Qc4(!) does not seem particularly better. 32. a6 Bxe5 33. Nxe5 Qg5 34. Ng4 h5 35. Ne3 Nxg2. One last desperate mirage, but Carlsen doesn’t go astray. 36. Nxg2 Rxf2 37. Rg1 Kh7 38. Qd3. 38. Qe8 Qg3 39. Qxh5+ Kg8 40. Qe8+ Kh7 41. Qxe6 (Stockfish) was also very strong. 38. ... Qe5 39. Qe3 Ra2 40. Qf4 Qc3 41. Ne3 Qf6 42. Qxf6! We’d have expected something like 42. Qg3! Rxa6 43. e5, but Carlsen chooses the most elegant technical way, looking really study-like. 42. ... gxf6 43. Rc1! Rxa6 44. Kg2! Ra2+ 45. Rc2! Black is in Zugzwang. 45. ... Ra5. 45. ... Ra4 46. Kf3 Ra5 47. h4 transposes into the game. 46. Kf3 Kg6 47. h4 Rb5 48. Ra2 Rb1 49. Rc2. I thought White’s Rook was heading for c6 via a6, but no... 49. ... Rb5 50. Rc3! And that’s the epitaph, preparing for Ne3-g2-f4+. 50. ... f5 51. exf5+ exf5 52. Rd3! 1 : 0. What a formidable game!