Eye of the Needle

Magnus Carlsen – Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2018
Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. f4 Bb4 9. Bd3 Na5 10. a3 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 d5 13. exd5 exd5 14. Nb3 Nc4 15. Bd4 Ne4 16. Nc5 Nxc5 17. Bxc5 Bd7 18. 0-0-0 0-0-0 19. Bxc4 dxc4 20. Bb6 Rde8 21. Rd4 Re6 22. Rxc4+ Rc6 23. Rxc6+ Bxc6 24. Rd1 Bxg2 25. Rg1 Be4 26. Rxg7 Bg6. “This ending must be a draw but given Carlsen’s huge advantage on the clock and Pawn up he must be odds on to win”, Grandmaster Daniel W. Gormally said.

27. a4 Rf8 28. Kb2 Kd7 29. f5 Bxf5 30. Bc5 Rc8 31. Rxf7+ Ke6 32. Re7+ Kf6 33. Bb4 a5 34. Ba3 Rc4. 34. ... Rg8 35. Rxb7 Rg2 36. Bd6 Bxc2 37. Ra7 Bxa4+ 38. Ka3 Be8 39. Rxa5 leads to the same kind of ending, which could even be drawn – from an absolute viewpoint – but that it’s not drawn enough, from a human standpoint. 35. Rxb7 Rxa4 36. Ra7 Re4 37. Rxa5 Re2 38. Bd6 Bxc2 39. c4 Ke6 40. Ra6 Bf5+ 41. Kc3 Be4 42. Kd4 Kf5 43. Ra5+ Kg4? No, the King had to stay on the weaker side: 43. ... Ke6(!) – that was surely the best way (and maybe the only one) to play for a draw. 44. c5 Bf3 45. Ra7 h6 46. Rh7 Re4+ 47. Kd3 Re6 48. Kc4 Bc6 49. Rc7 Bh1 50. Kb5 h5 51. Rg7+ Kh4? A desperate self-stalemating mirage, which in fact makes things much easier for White. 51. ... Kf5 was obviously called for, but very probably it would not have been enough to make the impossible happen. Carlsen had a huge time advantage, and could torment his opponent for as long as he pleased. No one can defend such a situation. 52. Rg1. 52. Be7+! Kh3 53. Rg3+ Kh2 54. Bd6+− is the machine’s “dual”, but that’s not necessary. 52. ... Ba8 53. Kb6 Re2 54. Kc7 Bd5 55. Rg3 Bh1 56. Rc3 Kg4 57. c6 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch