UniBeth

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Semifinal match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 27, 2020

Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bd2 Bg7 6. e4 Nxc3 7. Bxc3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Nf3 Bg4 10. d5 Bxf3 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. gxf3 Ne5 13. 0-0-0 c6 14. Bh3!?TN (14. Qc3 f6 15. Bh3 cxd5 16. exd5 Nf7 17. f4 Qd6 18. Qd4 Rad8 19. Be6 Qb6 20. Qd2 Rd6 21. Rhe1 Nd8 22. f5 Nxe6 23. Rxe6 Qc7+ 24. Kb1 Rc8 25. Rde1 Rxe6 26. Rxe6 Rd8 27. Qe3 Rd7 28. d6 exd6 29. Qd4 Rf7 30. fxg6 hxg6 31. Rxd6 a6 32. a3 Qa5 33. f4 Qh5 34. Qd2 Qc5 35. Rd5 Qc4 36. Rd7 Qc6 37. Rd6 Qe4+ 38. Ka2 Re7 39. Qc1 a5 40. Qf1 a4 41. Rd1 Qc2 42. Rd4 Re2 43. Rb4 b5 44. Qh1 Re7 45. Qd5 Re1 46. Qd7+ Kh6 47. Qh3+ Kg7 48. Qd7+ ½ : ½ Anand – Carlsen, Sochi 2014, World Chess Championship match game 1) 14. ... Kg8 15. Qc3 Qb8?? A grave oversight, which loses the Knight. 15. ... Qc7! was correct, as if then 16. d6 exd6 17. f4 Black can retreat his Knight to d7.

16. d6! exd6 17. f4. Game over. 17. ... Re8 18. Rhe1 a5 19. Kb1 a4 20. fxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Rc5 22. Qf6 a3 23. b3 Rh5 24. Rxd6 Qe8 (24. ... Rxh3 25. Red1+−)

25. Be6! A pretty interference. 25. ... fxe6 26. Red1 1 : 0.