Backward induction

Magnus Carlsen – Levon Grigori Aronian

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 3rd stage; Opera Euro Rapid; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, February 6, 2021

Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 0-0 8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. Qb5 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nb6 13. Nd2 Qd7? Not a good idea, as the exchange of Queens leaves White with a dominating position. An earlier game continued 13. ... c6 14. Qb3 Qe7 15. 0-0 g5 16. Bg3 Nh5 17. a4 Nxg3 18. hxg3 Rab8 19. a5 Nd7 20. c4 Nf6 21. cxd5 cxd5 22. Nf3 Rfc8 23. Ne5 Rc7 24. Rfc1 Rbc8 25. Rxc7 Rxc7 26. Nd3 Kg7 27. Nc5 Ne4 28. Qxd5 Nxc5 29. dxc5 Rxc5 30. Qb3 Qe5 31. Qa4 Rc4 32. Qa3 Rc3 33. Qa4 Rc4 34. Qa3 Qc3 35. Qxc3+ Rxc3 36. Rb1 Rc5 37. Rxb7 Rxa5 38. g4 Ra2 39. Kh2 Rxf2 40. Rxa7 Re2 41. Ra3 Kg6 ½ : ½ Guseva – Kashlinskaya, 67th Women’s Russian Championship Superfinal, Saint Petersburg 2017. 14. Qxd7 Nfxd7 15. a4 a5 16. Ke2±

16. ... Rfe8. 16. ... f5!? 17. Bg3 Rfc8 18. Rhb1! might not make too much difference. 17. Rhb1! It prevents ... c7-c5. 17. ... Re6. Black clumsily carries on his purpose, only to soon crash against the iceberg. 18. Bg3 c5

19. Rb5! c4. After this Black is doomed to sit and wait the avalanche. If, on the other hand, 19. ... cxd4 20. cxd4 Rc6 White might continue 21. Nb3! Rc2+ 22. Kd3 Rac8 23. Nc5 winning the Exchange. 20. Bc7! Rc6 21. Bxb6 Nxb6 22. g4! Kf8 23. h4 Ke8

24. e4! The rest is only a merciless cat and mouse game: 24. ... Rd8 25. e5 f6 26. f4 g5 27. hxg5 hxg5 28. f5 fxe5 29. dxe5 d4 30. Rh1 dxc3 31. Ne4 c2 32. e6 Rd4 33. Re5 Nd5 34. Rxd5! Rxe4+ 35. Kd2 Rxg4 36. Rh8+ Ke7 37. Rh7+ Ke8

38. f6 c1=Q+ 39. Kxc1 Rg1+ 40. Kc2 Rg2+ 41. Kd1 Rg1+ 42. Kc2 Rg2+ 43. Kc3 Rg3+ 44. Kd4 Rd3+ 45. Ke5 Re3+ 46. Kf5 Rcxe6 47. Rh8+ 1 : 0.