A Masked Ball

Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand
6th World Rapid Chess Championship; Riyadh, December 27, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E49

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Bxc4 c5 9. Nf3 Qc7 10. Be2 b6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. c4 Rac8 14. Rc1 Rfd8 15. Qb3 Ng4 16. g3 Ngf6. In Passerotti – Janjghava, 3rd Giornate Scacchistiche Romane, Rome 1990 was seen 16. ... Qc6 17. Rfd1 Ngf6 18. h3 (but 18. d5! must be the critical move) 18. ... h6 19. Ba1 Ba8 20. Qb2 Qe4 with a more comfortable game for Black. 17. Rfd1 Ne4 18. Ne1 Nd6 19. d5!? exd5 20. cxd5 c4! 21. Qc2 b5 22. Ng2 Nc5 23. Nf4 Qe7 24. Bg4 Rc7 25. Qc3 f5 26. Bf3 Rcd7 27. Qb4 Nb3 28. Ne6 Nxc1 29. Rxc1 Nc8! 30. Qxb5 Rxd5! 31. Bxd5 Rxd5 32. Qb4 Nd6. There is not much to say except that, after some skirmishes, the game seems now to be headed to a draw. But no!

33. Nc5?? An awesome blunder which loses right off. Correct was 33. Nf4! Rb5 34. Qc3 with a tense balance. 33. ... Rxc5! 34. Qxc5 Qe4 0 : 1. For after 35. Kf1 Qh1+ 36. Ke2 Bf3+ 37. Kd2 Ne4+ Black wins material.