Matter and Form

Magnus Carlsen – Aryan Tari
8th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, October 13, 2020
Spanish Game C84

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bd7 9. c3 Na5 10. Ba2 c5 11. Bg5 0-0 12. Nbd2!?TN (12. axb5 axb5 13. Na3 Qb8 14. Nc2 h6 15. Bh4 c4 16. Nb4 Be6 17. Re1 Qb7 18. d4 Bg4 19. Bb1 Nb3 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 21. Ba2 Nxe4 22. Bxe7 Ned2 23. Bxb3 Nxf3+ 24. gxf3 Bxf3 25. Bxd6 Bxd1 26. Bxd1 exd4 27. cxd4 Qd7 28. Bg3 Qxd4 29. Bf3 Qd2 30. Rd1 Qxd1+ 31. Bxd1 Ra1 32. Kg2 Rxd1 33. Be5 f6 34. Bc3 Kf7 35. Nc2 g5 36. h3 Kg6 37. Na3 Rd5 38. Kf3 f5 39. Kg3 f4+ 40. Kg2 Kf5 41. f3 h5 ½ : ½ Caruana – Topalov, 5th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2016) 12. ... Rb8 13. axb5 axb5 14. Re1 b4?! (14. ... Nc6 15. Nf1⩲) 15. Nc4 Nxc4 16. Bxc4 bxc3 17. bxc3 Qc7 18. Qc2 Bb5 19. Bxb5 Rxb5 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Nd2 Qc6 22. Qa4 Rfb8 23. Nc4 Be7 24. g3 Qc8 25. Qd1 g6 26. Kg2 Bf8 27. Qf3 Rb3 28. Rec1 Qe6 29. Ra7 R8b7 30. Rxb7 Rxb7 31. Ra1 h5 32. Ra8 Kg7 33. Ne3. White enjoys a typical Ruy López bind, which, after Black’s next move — in fact a mistake — becomes simply overwhelming. 33. ... Rc7? If nothing else, after 33. ... Qd7 Black could still hope to defend by offering to exchange Rooks with ... Rb7-a7.

34. Nd5+− Rc8. Or 34. ... Rb7 35. h3 followed by the advance of the g-pawn, as in the game. 35. Ra7 Rb8 36. h3 Rd8 37. g4 hxg4 38. hxg4 Rd7 39. Ra8 f6 40. g5 f5 41. Qh3 Rf7

42. Re8! A most spectacular finish. 42. ... Qxe8 43. Qh6+ Kg8 44. Qxg6+ Kh8 45. Nf6 1 : 0.

Carlsen served his countryman Tari with a crystal clear display of strategic and tactical dominance. Photo © Lennart Ootes.