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Magnus Carlsen – Fabiano Caruana
6th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, May 28, 2018
Bishop’s Opening C24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 a5. If 7. ... dxe4 then 8. Nxe5 0-0 9. dxe4 Nxe4 10. Ndf3 with an edge for White, B. Larsen – Nunn, Greater London Council (GLC) Chess Challenge, London 1986. 8. c3 Nbd7 9. exd5 cxd5 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Re1 Re8 12. Nf1 b5!? A novelty. The reference game was 12. ... Qc7 13. Ne3 Nb6 14. a4 Bg4 15. Nxg4 Nxg4 16. h3 Nf6 17. Rc1 Rad8 18. Rc2 Nbd7 19. Rce2 e4 20. Nd4 Nc5 21. Bc2 g6 22. Re3 Kg7 23. Qa1 Qd6 24. Qd1 h5 25. R1e2 h4 26. Re1 Qf4 27. b3 Qg5 28. b4 exd3 29. Rxe8 dxc2 30. Nxc2 Rxe8 31. Rxe8 Nxe8 32. bxc5 Nc7 33. Nd4 Qe5 34. Qd2 Ne6 35. c6 bxc6 36. Nxc6 Qe4 37. Nxa5 Qxa4 38. Qxd5 Qa1+ 39. Kh2 Qxc3 40. Nc4 Qc2 41. Nd2 ½ : ½ Pirs – Akdag, 9th European Team Championship, Semifinal 1, by correspondence, 2011. 13. a4 b4 14. cxb4 axb4 15. Ne3 Bb7 16. d4! Carlsen goes for a very interesting positional Pawn sacrifice, which puts Black in a somewhat uncomfortable position – at least temporarily. 16. ... e4 17. Ne5 Nxe5. The Exchange sacrifice by 17. ... Rxe5!? 18. dxe5 Nxe5 looks a bit speculative, but it might have been more inspiring from a psychological standpoint. 18. dxe5 Rxe5 19. Qd4 Re7 20. Rac1 Rd7 21. Red1 h6 22. Rc5 Ra5 23. Rxa5 Qxa5 24. h3 Kh7 25. Rc1

25. ... Rc7? A bad judgment error. Caruana returns the Pawn in the worst manner, conceding White two united passers which are not counterbalanced by anything valuable. Best was 25. ... Qa6! in order to met 26. Qxb4? by 26. ... d4 with a dynamic counterattack by Black. 26. Rxc7 Qxc7 27. Qxb4 Qc1+ 28. Bd1 Ba6 29. Qd4 Be2 30. Kh2. The great Norwegian talent has no difficulty in winning the ending, despite an extremely stubborn resistance by Caruana. 30. ... Bxd1 31. Nxd1 Qc7+ 32. Kg1 Qc1 33. b4 e3 34. fxe3 Ne4 35. Qxd5 Nd2 36. Qf5+ Kh8 37. Qg4 f5 38. Qe2 Ne4 39. Qe1 Qa1 40. a5 Nd6 41. Qd2 Nc4 42. Qd4 Qc1 43. Kf1 Nxe3+ 44. Qxe3 Qxd1+ 45. Kf2 Qc2+ 46. Kg3 g5 47. Qe5+ Kh7 48. Kh2 f4 49. Qd5 Qa4 50. Qf7+ Kh8 51. Qg6 Qxb4 52. Qxh6+ Kg8 53. Qxg5+ Kh7 54. Qh5+ Kg7 55. Qg5+ Kh7 56. h4 Qd6 57. Qh5+ Kg7 58. Qg5+ Kh7 59. h5 f3+ 60. g3 f2 61. Qg6+ Kh8 62. Qxd6 f1=Q 63. Qh6+ Kg8 64. Qe6+ Kh8 65. Qe3 Qb5 66. Qc3+ Kh7 67. g4 Qd5 68. Qc7+ Kg8 69. Kg3 Qe6 70. Qd8+ Kh7 71. Qd3+ Kh8 72. a6 Qe5+ 73. Kh3 Qa1 74. Qd8+ Kh7 75. Qe7+ Kh6 76. Qe3+ Kh7 77. a7 1 : 0..

Magnus Carlsen (left) vs. Fabiano Caruana (right). Photo: Lennart Ootes/Altibox Norway Chess.

Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen)