Outer space

Magnus Carlsen – Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 14, 2021

Sicilian Defence B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. a3 Be7 7. f4 0-0 8. e5 Nd5. This is, no doubt, an improvement on 8. ... Ne8 9. Nf3 f6 10. Bd3 fxe5 11. fxe5 d6 12. exd6 Nxd6 13. 0-0 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Bd7 15. Qe1 Rae8 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Qg3 Qa5 18. Qh3 g6 19. Rad1 Bc8 20. Bh6 Rf7 21. Ne4 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Rd8 23. Bd2 Qc7 24. Bd3 Rd5 25. Qg4 Ne5 26. Nxe5 Rxf1+ 27. Rxf1 Qxe5 28. Qf3 Qg7 29. Bh6 Rf5 30. Bxf5 Qxh6 31. Bg4 1 : 0 Lutikov – Khasin, 28th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1961. 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. Nxc6. This move cannot be good, at least in line of principle — which apparently doesn’t mean very much. 10. ... bxc6 11. Bd3 Bc5 12. Qf3 d6 13. Be3 Rb8. For what is worth, here 13. ... Bxe3 14. Qxe3 Re8 followed by ... f7-f6 seems to give Black a very comfortable game. 14. b4 Bxe3 15. Qxe3 a5 16. 0-0 axb4 17. axb4 dxe5 18. fxe5 Rxb4. This may seem a bit risky, but probably Black is quite right. 19. Ra8 g6? Stopping the threat of Bd3-f5, but allowing White an unexpected opportunity of breakthrough. Black ought to play 19. ... Qb6! 20. Qxb6 Rxb6 21. e6 Bxe6 22. Bxh7+ Kxh7 23. Rxf8 Rb2 24. c3 d4! 25. cxd4 Bd5 with a draw in sight.

20. e6! fxe6 21. Rxf8+ Qxf8. Of course Black cannot recapture with the King due to the Queen check on c5. 22. g3. White actually threatens Bd3-a6. 22. ... Rb1+? The Rook probably stood well on b4. 22. ... e5 at once seems better. 23. Kg2 e5

24. g4 e4? Losing at once, but 24. ... Rb4 25. h3 can hardly be regarded as more than a postponement of an inevitable surrender. 25. Ba6 Bxa6 26. Rxf8+ Kxf8 27. Qa3+ 1 : 0.