The Eights

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – Magnus Carlsen
6th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 28, 2019
Sicilian Defence B30

Not surprisingly, Magnus Carlsen confirmed his supernatural status of invincibility even at the 6th GRENKE Chess Classic, so much that — I guess — the super-tournaments organisers will have to “revisit” their formats and lineups for an update, especially for the good of the one who always wins. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6 6. Nd2 Nf6 7. Nf1 Nd7 8. Nd5 Nb6 9. Nxb6 axb6 10. c3 0-0 11. Ne3 Bg5 12. 0-0 Kh8! More ambitious than 12. ... Bxe3 13. Bxe3 Qe7 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxf4 Be6 16. Bxe6 Qxe6 17. Qb3 Qxb3 18. axb3 Rad8 19. Bg3 Rd7 20. Rf5 Rfd8 21. b4 Ne7 ½ : ½ Lékó – Kramnik, 31st Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 2003. 13. a3!? Svidler’s quasi-novelty represents no improvement on 13. Bd2 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Qe7 15. Bd5 Be6 16. Qb3 Na5 17. Qc2 (if 17. Qxb6?? then 17. ... Ra6 18. Qb5 Bd7 traps the Queen) 17. ... Qc7 18. h3 h6 19. c4 Nc6 20. Qd1 Bxd5 21. exd5 Ne7 22. a4 f5 23. Bc3 Rf7 24. Qb3 Ng6 25. Rf2 Raf8 26. Raf1 f4 27. Bd2 f3 28. Rxf3? (28. Qd1!) 28. ... Rxf3 29. gxf3 (29. Rxf3 Rxf3 30. gxf3 Nh4 31. Qd1 Qf7−+) 29. ... Qc8! 30. Kh2 (30. Kg2 Nh4+ 31. Kg3 Qf5!−+) 30. ... Rf5 31. f4 Rh5 32. f5 Rxf5 33. Qd1 Qf8 34. Rxf5 Qxf5 35. Qe2 e4! 36. Qg4 (if 36. dxe4 then 36. ... Qe5+ 37. Kg1 Qxb2 followed by ... Ng6-e5 winning heavy material) 36. ... Qxg4 37. hxg4 Ne5 38. Kg3 exd3 39. b3 g6 40. e4 h5 41. gxh5 gxh5 42. Kf2 h4 0 : 1 Anand – Ivanchuk, World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2001/2002, Moscow 2001, match game 4. Both there and here, differently but similary, the Kingside is Black’s dreamtheatre, so Carlsen does not need to ask Caïssa what to do: 13. ... f5! 14. Nxf5 Bxc1 15. Rxc1 Bxf5 16. exf5 d5! The game is still about even, but Black’s play already comes easier. 17. Ba2 Rxf5 18. Qg4 Rf6 19. f4!? Svidler becomes impatient defending and embarks himself in a precarious adventure, which perhaps deserved better luck. 19. ... exf4 20. Qg5 Qf8 21. Qxd5 Rd8 22. Qf3? 22. Qg5! Rxd3! leaves Back a Pawn ahead, but, as a compensation, White would get plenty of play on the light squares. After the text, instead, White is doomed to fall apart pretty soon. 22. ... Ne5! 23. Qe4

23. ... Ng4! 23. ... Nxd3?? 24. Rcd1! would throw any advantage out the board. 24. Rce1 Ne3 25. Rf2 Re8 26. Qxb7!? At least White consoles himself with a Pawn, because 26. Qf3 g5! 27. h3 Re7 would give no hope for a different outcome. 26. ... g5! White is helpless against the coming ... g5-g4, and very chivalrously Svidler allows Carlsen to deliver checkmate on the board: 27. Rfe2 (27. Qf3 g4 28. Qe2 f3!−+) 27. ... g4 28. Rf2 Qh6 29. Qc7 Ref8 30. h3 gxh3 31. g3 fxg3 32. Rxf6 h2+ 33. Kh1 g2 mate.

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler (left) vs. Magnus Carlsen (right). Photo © Georgios Souleidis.