After a dream

Magnus Carlsen – 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì)
7th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Tbilisi, September 9, 2017
Two Knights Defence C55

Today 16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen lost a very strange game to 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì), but – who knows – perhaps he only wished to call for Caïssa’s attention... 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Bb3 d6 7. c3 Be6 8. Re1 Qd7 9. Nbd2 Rab8!? This is quite an absurd move as it seems of no use, even though, strangely, it does not imply any negative effect upon Black’s position. The most usual continuation is 9. ... Rae8, e.g. 10. Nf1 a6 11. Ng3 Bd8 12. Bc2 Qc8 13. d4 Bg4 14. Be3 d5 15. h3 exd4 16. cxd4 dxe4 17. hxg4 exf3 18. Bf5 Nd7 19. g5 Ne7 20. Bh3 Nd5 21. Qxf3 c6 22. Qg4 Nxe3 23. Rxe3 Rxe3 24. fxe3 Qc7 25. Rf1 Nb6 26. e4 Qe7 27. Rf5 ½ : ½ Nunn – E. P. Geller, 2nd Phillips & Drew Kings Chess Tournament, London 1982. 10. Bc2 d5. Black has in mind a kind of Marshall Counter-gambit. 11. h3. I guess this might be really superfluous. 11. ... h6 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Rxe5 Bd6 15. Re1. Carlsen cashed in the Pawn without too many doubts as to his technical skill, but 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) is going to play something shocking:

15. ... Bxh3! 16. gxh3 Qxh3 17. Nf1 Rbe8 18. d4 f5. Black has only a Pawn for the Bishop, but enough play to compensate his losses. 19. Bb3 c6 20. f4 Kh7 21. Bxd5? This is a terrible mistake, apparently due to White’s unwillingness to resign himself to a dynamic balance. Stockfish’s first line 21. Re2 Nxf4 22. Rh2 Qg4+ 23. Qxg4 fxg4 24. Bxf4 Rxf4 25. Nd2 Rxd4 26. cxd4 Bxh2+ 27. Kxh2 Re2+ 28. Kg3 Rxd2 should ultimately lead to a draw. 21. ... cxd5 22. Re3? 22. Re2 was still White’s only move, even if in worse circumstances than before: after 22. ... Qg4+ 23. Kf2 g5! 24. fxg5 Re4 Black stands much better. 22. ... Rxe3 23. Bxe3 g5! Carlsen must have had bad dreams last night for reducing himself in such a horrible position. 24. Kf2. His Majesty hopes to sneak away. If 24. fxg5 then 24. ... f4 25. Qc2+ Rf5 with sad consequences for White. 24. ... gxf4 25. Qf3 fxe3+ 26. Nxe3 Qh2+ 27. Kf1 Rg8 28. Qxf5+ Rg6! Material is eventually equal, but Black’s attack is irresistible. 29. Ke1 h5? An inaccuracy that could cost 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) dearly. After 29. ... Kg7! 30. Qd7+ Kh8 31. Qd8+ Kh7! 32. Qd7+ Rg7 33. Qf5+ Kh8 there was nothing left for White to do. 30. Kd1? With only a few seconds on the clock, Magnus misses the last chance for a draw with 30. Rd1! (Stockfish) 30. ... Kh6 31. Rd2 Rg1+ 32. Nf1 and White – quite incredibly – should succeed in consolidating. 30. ... Kh6 31. Nc2 h4 32. Ne1 h3 33. Nf3 Qg2 34. Ne1 Qg4+ 35. Qxg4 Rxg4 36. Nf3 Rg1+ 0 : 1.