Earth and Sea

Magnus Carlsen – Vladimir Alekseevich Potkin
34th European Chess Club Cup; Porto Carras, October 13, 2018
Giuoco Piano C54

Magnus Carlsen has elected Porto Carras, Greece as his last transit before hiding in London for his “Brexit” World Chess Championship match against Fabiano Caruana. Under such circumstances, there’s no sense in looking at his games with the eye of a “team maker” (after all, what is more boring than those who work as a team?), but, neverthless, even in his undercover role, Carlsen could not prevent himself from showing his exceptional talent for turning something out of nothing. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Nbd2 0-0 7. b4 Bb6 8. Bb3 Ne7 9. Nc4. 9. a4 c6 10. Nc4 Bc7 11. Bg5 Ng6 seems really comfortable for Black, Fressinet – Hammer, 22nd Sigeman & Co. Chess Tournament, Malmö 2014. 9. ... Ng6 10. 0-0 c6!? Or else 9. ... Ng6 10. 0-0 Be6 11. Re1 h6 12. Nxb6 Bxb3 13. Qxb3 axb6 14. b5 Re8 15. Bd2 Qd7 16. a4 d5 ½ : ½ Nunn – Azmaiparashvili, 9th OHRA Chess Festival, Amsterdam 1990. 11. Nxb6 axb6 12. a4 Re8 13. Be3 Be6 14. Bc2 d5 15. h3 Qc7 16. Re1 h6 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Bf5 19. d4 Bxc2 20. Qxc2 exd4 21. Nxd4 c5 22. bxc5 bxc5 23. Nf5 Qc6 24. c4 Ndf4 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Bxf4 Nxf4 27. Ne3 Rd8 28. Rb1. White got very little from his Giuoco Piano, but it’s a fact that Carlsen doesn’t use to win his games in the opening. 28. ... h5!? 29. a5! h4 30. Rb6 Qd7 31. Qb2 Nd3 32. Qb1

32. ... Nb4? On the eve of time control, Potkin loses his nerve. Correct seems 32. ... Qa4! 33. Rb5 (or 33. Rxb7 Qxa5) 33. ... g6! with a perfectly tenable game for Black. 33. Qe4! Now White wins a decisive Pawn, which Carlsen converts into a win with amazing easiness. 33. ... Qd4. Of course, 33. ... Nc6?? 34. a6 loses right off. 34. Qxd4. Not 34. Qxb7? because of 34. ... Qa1+ with a draw in sight. If, instead, 34. Qe7 there might follow 34. ... Nc6 35. Qxb7 Nxa5 with quite an unclear game, even if a little better for White. 34. .. cxd4 35. Rxb4 dxe3 36. fxe3 Rd1+. 36. ... Rd7 37. Kf2! Rc7 38. Ke2 followed by Ke2-d3-d4 also seems completely hopeless for Black. 37. Kf2 Ra1 38. Rb5 Ra2+ 39. Kf3 g6 40. c5 Kg7 41. Ke4 Rxg2 42. Rxb7 g5 43. c6 g4 44. c7 Rc2 45. Kd3 Rc1 46. Kd2 Rc6 47. a6 gxh3 48. a7 h2 49. Rb1 1 : 0.

Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Niki Riga.