A Long Way Gone

Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2021
Catalan Opening E00

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3. Caruana managed to surprise his illustrious opponent, who now took his time to think. 3. ... d5 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Bg2 c6 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Qb3 Nd7 11. 0-0 Qe7. One time Carlsen said he saw Reuben Fine as one of his “role models”, so it is worth mentioning here the alternative 11. ... Rd8 11. Rac1 dxc4 12. Qxc4 Qe7 13. Rfd1 e5 14. Ne4 Bc7 with good chances for equality, S. N. Bernstein – Fine, 2nd U.S. Chess Championship, New York 1938. 12. c5!? A novelty which appears to give White more satisfaction than 12. Rfd1 Rb8 13. e4 dxc4 14. Qxc4 e5= Istratescu – Blübaum, Match Germany–Romania, playchess.com, April 25, 2020 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). 12. ... Bc7 13. e4 b6 14. exd5 exd5 (14. ... cxd5? 15. c6±) 15. Rfe1 Qf6. 15. ... Qd8 is probably wiser, but Carlsen doesn’t fear the challenge.

16. Nxd5! A petite combinaison which yields a Pawn to White. 16. ... cxd5 17. Qxd5 Rb8 18. c6 Rd8 19. cxd7 Bxd7. Of course Black’s Bishop pair and White’s isolani on d4 may be enough for Carlsen to be able to hold his own. 20. Ne5 Be6 21. Qe4 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qe7 23. Qe3 Rbc8 24. Be4 Qc5. 25. Qxc5 Rxc5 26. f4 g6 27. Kf2 a5 28. Ke3 a4 29. Rec1

29. ... Rb5! Carlsen abstains himself from regaining the Pawn (to the detriment of his position), preferring instead to seek dynamic equality. 30. Rc2 Rb4. Threat: ... Rb4xe4+. 31. Bd3 h5 32. Rd2 b5 33. a3 Rb3 34. Rc1 b4! 35. axb4 a3 36. bxa3 Bf5 37. Rcd1 Rxa3 38. b5 Bg4 39. Rc1 Bf5 40. Rcd1 Bg4 41. Rc1 Bf5 42. Rcd1 ½ : ½.

Three-time Norwegian Chess Champion Jon Ludvig Hammer in his live commentary for TV2 said he didn’t know whether Black’s 15th move was an oversight or a sacrifice, but whatever it was, “Carlsen made it look the easiest thing in the world to draw the game”. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.