It Ain’t As Easy As It Looks

Levon Grigori Aronian – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Quarterfinal match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 16, 2021

Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. c3 d6 7. Bg5 Ba7 8. 0-0 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 h5 11. h4 Nh7 12. Kh1!? A novelty by Aronian which adds little or nothing to the “book”: 12. Nbd2 g4 13. Ne1 Nf8 14. d4 exd4 15. Bxc6+ bxc6 16. cxd4 Ng6 17. Qa4 Bd7 18. e5 d5 19. f3 c5 20. Qa3 c4 21. Nc2 Bf5 22. Nb4 Bxd4+ 23. Kh2 Qd7 24. Nxa6 Ra7 25. Rad1 Qc8 26. Qa4+ Bd7 27. Qa5 Be6 28. Nxc4 Qxa6 29. Rxd4 Qxa5 30. Nxa5 Rxa5 0 : 1 Shirov – Antón Guijarro, 1st Prague International Chess Festival, Challengers Tournament, Prague 2019. 12. ... g4 13. Nh2 Nf8 14. d4 Ng6 15. Bxc6+ bxc6 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Nd2 Be6

18. Nb3? The exchange of Queens is now not in White’s best interest as the ending proves to be much better for Black. 18. ... Qxd1 19. Rfxd1 Bb6 20. Nf1 Ke7 21. Ne3 a5! 22. Kg1 a4 23. Nc1 Bxe3 24. fxe3 Rhb8 25. Nd3 f6 26. Rd2 Nh8. Eventually heading for d6 via f7. 27. Nb4 Rb6 28. Rf1 c5 29. Nd3? If 29. Nd5+ then follows 29. ... Bxd5 30. exd5 c4! with a great advantage for Black. 29. ... Rd8 30. Rfd1 Rbd6 31. Be1

31. ... g3! 32. Nxc5. Of course 32. Bxg3 Bg4 wins outright for Black. With 32. Nc1 White could defend his weaknesses for a time, but after 32. ... Nf7! he would finally end up in zugzwang. 32. ... Bg4 33. Rxd6 cxd6 0 : 1.

Carlsen ate his snack dinner with skilled theatrical flair as he was crushing Aronian in the 2nd game of their quartefinal match. Photo: TV2 Sport.