Countdown to Midnight

Magnus Carlsen – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
7th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 25, 2019
Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 0-0 5. Bg5 c5 6. Rc1 h6 7. Bh4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 d5 9. cxd5 g5 10. Bg3 Qxd5 11. e3 Qxa2!? 12. Qc2. Quite recently 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) managed to get a laborious draw after 12. Bd3 Qxb2 13. 0-0 Bxc3 14. Rc2 Qb4 15. Nb5 e5 16. Rxc3 Nc6 17. f4 Bg4 18. Qc2 exf4 19. exf4 Rac8 20. Bc4 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Qf5 22. Bd3 Qd7 23. fxg5 Nb4 24. Qf2 Nxd3 25. Qxf6 Qxb5 26. gxh6 Nf2+ 27. Rxf2 Qb1+ 28. Rf1 Qg6 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Qe7 Be6 31. Qxb7 Qxh6 32. Qxa7 Rc1 33. Rg1 Rxg1+ 34. Qxg1 Bd5 35. Qd1 Qe6 36. Qd2 Qf5 37. Kg1 Qb1+ 38. Be1 Db6+ 39. Kh1 Qf6 40. h3 Qf5 41. Kh2 f6 42. Bf2 Kf7 43. Bd4 Ke6 44. Qe3+ Qe4 45. Qf2 Qf5 46. Qg3 Qe4 47. Bc3 Kf5 48. Qf2+ Qf4+ 49. Qxf4+ Kxf4 50. Bxf6 Kf5 51. Bc3 Kg6 52. g4 Be6 53. Kg3 Bd7 54. h4 Be6 55. h5+ Kh7 56. Kf4 Bd7 57. g5 Be8 58. Kg4 Bf7 59. g6+ Bxg6 60. hxg6+ Kxg6 ½ : ½ Topalov – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), 4th “心桥杯” (“Xīnqiáo Cup”), 温州 (Wēnzhōu) 2018, match game 3. 12. ... Nd5 13. h4 Nxc3 14. bxc3!? Carlsen introduces his novelty, which, by itself, doesn’t seem better than 14. hxg5!? as after 14. ... Na4+! 15. Kd1 Qxb2! 16. Qxb2 Nxb2+ 17. Kc2! hxg5 18. Kxb2 White’s initiative apparently fully compensates for the two Pawns minus, Brunner – Lékó, 2nd Bundesliga Sud 2016/2017, Deizisau 2017. 14. ... Qxc2 15. Rxc2 Be7 16. hxg5 hxg5 17. f4 Nc6 18. fxg5 Bxg5 19. Rh5 f6

20. Nf3! Even here White gives up two Pawns for a powerful attack. 20. ... Bxe3 21. Re2 Bc1 22. Re4 e5 23. Bc4+ Kg7 24. Reh4. Carlsen can at least be content with the fact that Black’s staying alive requires a quasi-continuous series of “only” moves. 24. ... Kg6 25. Rh7 Bg4. Not the only move, but the most natural. Now, 25. ... e4!? 26. Nd2 Ne5! was the engines’ alternative. 26. Bd3+ f5. Clearly not 27. ... Bf5?? on account of 24. R4h5! (Δ Nf3-h4 mate) 24. ... Bg5 25. Nh4+ Bxh4 26. Bxf5 mate. 27. Nxe5+ Nxe5 28. Bxe5 Kg5! 29. g3 Rg8! 30. Rxb7. Enough is enough, and a draw is now enough for Carlsen too. 30. ... Rae8 31. Rb5 Rg6 32. Kf2 Rb6 33. Rxb6 axb6 34. Rh1 Rxe5 35. Rxc1 f4 36. gxf4+ Kxf4 37. Rb1 Rc5 38. Rb4+ Kg5 39. Rxb6 Rxc3 40. Ke3 Bf5 41. Rd6 Rxd3+ 42. Rxd3 Bxd3 ½ : ½. “The disadvantage of playing a forced opening, if your opponent calculates well, he’s gonna be fine but people don’t usually do that every time”, Carlsen eventually said.

Appearances to the contrary, Carlsen’s and 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s lively opening can be considered a drawing line. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.