The Day of the Mighty Wind

Magnus Carlsen – Anish Giri

80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; tie-break game 1 (5+3); Wijk aan Zee, January 28, 2018

English Opening A13

Magnus Carlsen won for the sixth time the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, after beating Anish Giri 1½ – ½ in the blitz tie-break. On the other hand, it was the first time that Giri has arrived so high, so it’s hopeful that both the winner and the loser have reasons to be happy with their marriage! 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. b3 d5 4. Bb2 Be7 5. e3 0-0 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 exd5 9. d4 Qa5+!? Giri improves on 9. ... cxd4(?) that helped 6th World Chess Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik to create one of his most famous strategic masterpieces: 10. Qxd4 Bf6 11. Qd2 Nc6 12. Be2 Be6 13. 0-0 Bxb2 14. Qxb2 Qa5 15. Rfd1 Rad8 16. Rd2 Rd7 17. Rad1 Rfd8 18. h3 h6 19. Ne5 Nxe5 20. Qxe5 Qc5 21. Bf3 b6 22. Qb2 Rc8 23. Qe5 Rcd8 24. Rd4 a5 25. g4! Qc6 26. g5 hxg5 27. Qxg5 f6 28. Qg6 Bf7 29. Qg3 f5 30. Qg5 Qe6 31. Kh1 Qe5 32. Rg1 Rf8 33. Qh6 Rb8 34. Rh4 Kf8 35. Qh8+ Bg8 36. Rf4 Rbb7 37. Rg5 Rf7 38. Qh5 Qa1+ 39. Kg2 g6 40. Qxg6 Bh7 41. Qd6+ Rfe7 42. Qd8+ 1 : 0 Botvinnik – Zagoriansky, Sverdlovsk 1943. 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 Nc6 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Bb5 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 Be6 15. Rac1 Rac8 16. Rhd1 Be7 17. h3 a6 18. Bd3 Nb4 19. Bb1 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21. Rd1. It makes no much sense to say too much about a blitz game, but one cannot but admire Carlsen’s skill in keeping his sleeping beauties almost continuously ready to awaken. 21. ... Nc6 22. g4 h6 23. Nd4 Nxd4+ 24. Bxd4 Ba3 25. f4 f6 26. Bg6 Kf8 27. Kf3 Ke7 28. h4 Bb4 29. Bd3 Bd7 30. e4. Finally making something happen. 30. ... Bc3. After 30. ... dxe4+ 31. Bxe4 Bc6 it seems impossible that Black may ever lose, but with Carlsen you never know it for sure. 31. Bf2! Bc6 32. exd5 Bxd5+ 33. Be4 Bxe4+ 34. Kxe4

34. ... Ke6? This should be the losing move, in spite that in a blitz game it’s very easy to play such a move. 34. ... Bb4(!) would have worked better in order to keep fighting for a draw. 35. f5+! Ke7 36. Rc1! Rc6. 36. ... Rc7 37. Bb6! makes no difference at all. 37. Kd3 Bb4 38. Rxc6 bxc6 39. Kc4 Bd6 40. Bc5. Now it’s an easy technical win. 40. ... Kd7 41. h5 Bf4 42. Bf8 Ke8 43. Bc5. 43. Bxg7?? Kf7 only draws. 43. ... Kd7 44. Kb4 Bd2+ 45. Ka4 Kc7. If 45. ... a5 there follows 46. b4! very much the same. 46. b4 Bf4 47. Bf8 Kb6 48. Bxg7 Bg5 49. Bf8 Bf4 50. Be7 Bg5 51. Kb3 Kc7 52. Kc4 Kd7 53. Bc5 Kc7 54. Kd3 Kd7 55. Be3 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch‏