Valentine’s Day at the Chocolate House

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 3rd stage; Opera Euro Rapid; Final match game 5; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, February 14, 2021

Sicilian Defence B30

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. 0-0 Nge7 5. c3 a6 6. Ba4 b5 7. Bc2 Bb7 8. Re1 Rc8 9. a4 b4 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 Ng6 (11. ... d5 12. Nbd2 Na5 13. Ne5 Ng6 14. Nxg6 hxg6 15. e5 Qb6 16. Nf3 b3 17. Bd3 Nc4 18. Qe2 Be7 19. Rd1 a5 20. Bg5 Qd8 21. Bxe7 Qxe7 22. Rdc1 0-0 23. h4 Nb6 24. Bb5 Qb4 25. Qd2 Nc4 26. Qxb4 axb4 27. Ne1 Na5 28. Rc5 f6 29. Nd3 fxe5 30. Nxe5 Rxc5 31. dxc5 Rc8 32. Rc1 Nc4 33. c6 Nxe5 34. cxb7 Rxc1+ 35. Kh2 Kh7 36. b8=Q Ng4+ 37. Kg3 Nf6 38. f3 Nh5+ 39. Kh2 Rc2 40. Qe5 1 : 0 Tkachiev – Sveshnikov, 15th Russian Team Chess Championship, Dagomys 2008) 12. Nbd2 Na5 13. g3 Be7. Black’s Bishop appears to be not well placed here as it blocks the most natural retreat square for the Knight in case of h2-h4-h5. Perhaps 13. ... h6!? 14. h4 Bd6 15. e5 Bb8 16. Ne4 Bd5 17. h5 Ne7 18. Bf4⩲ might be an improvement. 14. h4

14. ... Bxh4? A strange way to make history repeat itself, mirroring the outcome of the Skilling Open — the fact is that Carlsen’s coffee house sacrifice proves to be completely unreliable, allowing So to win the final match without a struggle. 15. gxh4 Nxh4 16. Nxh4 Qxh4

17. Re3! f5 18. Rg3 0-0 19. Nf3 Qh5 20. Ne5! Qxd1+ 21. Bxd1 d6 22. Nd3 fxe4 23. Nxb4 Nc4 24. a5 d5 25. Bg4 Rf6 26. Bg5 Rg6 27. Bh5 Rxg5 28. Rxg5 1 : 0.