New Dramaturgy

Hikaru Nakamura – Fabiano Caruana
The Magnus Carlsen Invitational; match game 4 (15+10); chess24.com, May 1, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E60

Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura are the two finalists of The Magnus Carlsen Invitational online tournament, after eliminating 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) and Fabiano Caruana respectively. The game which follows is a good example of Caruana’s brilliant style — in spite of him being penalised by both the format and the time control. 1. Nf3 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. Nh4 Bd7 6. e4 e5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Be2 Bg7 10. Be3 0-0 11. Nd2 c6. Previous theory gave 11. ... Ne8 12. 0-0 f5 13. f3 c5 14. dxc6 bxc6 15. b4 a5 with a typical King’s Indian formation (the game ended as a draw at move 42), Prohászka – Jobava, 41st Bosna Open, Sarajevo 2011. 12. 0-0 Ne8 13. dxc6 bxc6 14. b4 Be6 15. Nb3 f5 16. f3 Nf6 17. Na5 Qd7 18. Rc1 Rac8 19. Qd2 Rfd8 20. Rfd1 Bf7 21. Bf2 h6 22. b5 c5 23. Bd3 f4 24. Nd5 Nexd5 25. cxd5 g5 26. Nc6. Caruana’s opening strategy has quite failed, as White dominates the Queenside, while Black’s Kingside counter-attack is anything but imminent. On the other hand, Black may still rely upon the “unprofessional” time control, hyping up his tactical threats. 26. ... Re8 27. Kh1 g4 28. Bh4 Kh8 29. Be2 Bg6 30. Qe1 Nh7 31. a4 Ng5 32. Qf1? A strange loss of time, which gives scope to Black’s Kingside counter-attack. 32. ... Bf6 33. a5?! It was not too late to get back there again (33. Qe1).

33. ... Nxe4! Maybe not a game winner, but a game changer for sure — both psychologically and objectively. 34. Bd3 Bxh4 35. Bxe4 Bxe4 36. fxe4 Rf8 37. b6! axb6 38. axb6 Qb7 39. Ra1 Ra8 40. Rxa8 Rxa8 41. Qb5 f3! 42. g3 Bg5 43. Na5. 43. h4 Bxh4! 44. gxh4 Rf8 goes into something similar to the game. 43. ... Qf7 (43. ... Qh7!) 44. b7 Rb8 45. Rf1 Kg7 46. Qa6? Not 46. h4? on account of 46. ... Bxh4! 47. gxh4 Kg6!−+ winning as in the game, but 46. h3!∞ was probably White’s best. 46. ... Qg6 47. Qd3 h5 48. h4 (48. Qb1 h4! 49. gxh4 Bxh4 50. Nc6 g3! 51. Rxf3 Qg4!−+)

48. ... Bxh4!−+ 49. gxh4 Qf6! 50. Kg1 Qxh4 51. Qd2 Kg6! Just like a powerful, calm machine. 52. Nc4 Qf6 53. Na5 Qh4 (53. ... g3−+) 54. Nc4 Qf6 55. Ne3 Qf4 56. Qf2 Qxe4 57. Re1 Rxb7 58. Ng2 Qd4 0 : 1.