Sunday, November 29, 2020

Way Up, Way Out

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen
Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 29, 2020
4Q3/8/1k1q1b2/2p2B2/5P1p/1Pp5/5PK1/8 w - - 7 83

Position after 82. ... Ka5-b6

In the second game So apparently blundered away a win at move 36 in a middlegame with Queens and opposite-coloured Bishops, only to reach, after more 46 moves, the position in the diagram — that is not winnable. 83. Be4 Kc7 84. Qa8 Qxf4 85. Qc6+ Kd8 86. Qd5+ Ke8 87. Bg6+ Ke7 88. Qxc5+ Qd6 89. Qe3+. Check! Now there are plenty of sound replies, so if anything Carlsen has is the embarrassment of choice, but he astonishingly finds the only move that loses! 89. ... Kf8??


90. Qe8+ Kg7 91. Qf7+ Kh6 92. Qh7+ Kg5 93. Qh5+ 1 : 0. For there follows 93. ... Kf4 94. Qf5 mate.

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