Little by Little

Magnus Carlsen – Hikaru Nakamura

Champions Chess Tour 2021; Grand Finale Tournament; match game 3; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com/Oslo, September 29, 2021

Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. 0-0 Bd6 7. Bg5. Varying from 7. Nbd2 Be6 8. b3 0-0 9. Bb2 Nd7 10. d4 f6 11. dxe5 fxe5 12. Qe2 Qe7 13. a4 Rf7 14. h3 Raf8 15. Rad1 h6 16. Nh2 c5 17. Nc4 Rf6 18. Qd3 Qf7 19. f3 h5? (⌓ 19. ... Bxc4 20. bxc4 h5 21. a5 b6=) 20. Nxd6 cxd6 21. Qe3 Qe7 22. Qg5 Re8 23. Rf2 Bf7 24. Nf1 Nf8 25. Qd2 Ng6 26. Ne3 Nh4 27. Kh2 Kh7 28. Rdf1 Ng6 29. Nf5 Qf8 30. f4! Nxf4 31. Rxf4 exf4 32. Bxf6 gxf6 33. Qxd6 Qxd6 34. Nxd6 Re7 35. Rxf4 Kg6 36. Kg3 Be6 37. Rf3 b6 38. Kf4 h4 39. g4 hxg3 40. Rxg3+ Kh7 41. h4 Rd7 42. e5 fxe5+ 43. Kxe5 Bg8 44. Nf5 Kh8 45. c4 Rd1 46. Ne7 Bh7 47. Nd5 Rh1 48. Nf6! (the corollary to a masterly endgame demonstration) 48. ... Rxh4 49. Nxh7 Kxh7 50. Kd6 Rh6+ 51. Kc7 Rf6 52. Kb7 Rf7+ 53. Ka6 Rc7 54. Rd3 Kg6 55. Rd8 Re7 56. Rb8 Kf5 57. Rb7 Re3 58. Kxa7 Rxb3 59. a5 Rb4 60. a6 (60. axb6 and 60. Rxb6 win as well) 60. ... Ke5 61. Rxb6 Rxc4 62. Kb7! Ra4 63. a7 Rxa7+ 64. Kxa7 c4 65. Rc6 1 : 0 Carlsen – Nakamura, ibidem, match game 1. 7. ... h6 8. Bh4 Qe7 9. Nbd2 Bg4 10. h3. Or 10. Nc4 0-0-0 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qe2 g5∞ Firouzja – Nakamura, 4th Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Tournament, lichess.org, September 19, 2020 (time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move). 10. ... Bh5 11. d4 0-0-0 12. Re1

12. ... Qe6?! 12. ... g5 13. Bg3 Nd7 was probably more congruent with the theoretical input requirements. 13. c4! A Pawn to be offered in sacrifice, with the aim of opening up attacking lines against the Black King. 13. ... Bxf3 14. Nxf3. However, 14. Qxf3 was also strong: 14. ... g5 (14. ... exd4 15. e5! Bxe5 16. Qa3! is nevertheless discouraging) 15. d5 and White stands much better. 14. ... Qxc4 15. dxe5 Bxe5 16. Nxe5 Qb5

17. Nxc6! Making a tactic of technique. 17. ... Qxc6 18. Qb3 Rd7 19. Rac1 Qe6. There is nothing better for Black than to offer the exchange of Queens, leaving White with much the better endgame. 20. Qxe6 fxe6 21. Bg3 b6 22. Rc6 Re8 23. Be5 Kb7 24. Rec1 Ree7 25. f3 Ne8 26. h4 h5 27. Kh2 g6 28. Kg3 Rd2 29. R6c2 Rxc2 30. Rxc2 Rf7 31. b4 a6 32. a4 Rf8 33. b5 axb5 34. axb5 Kc8 35. Ra2 Kd7 36. Ra8 Rf7 37. Ra1 Rf8

38. Kf2?! This seems a strange inaccuracy. Simply 38. Rd1+! followed by Rd1-c1-c6 would have kept Black irremediably tied up to his weaknesses. 38. ... Nd6! 39. Bxd6. Now after 39. Rd1 Ra8! Black would successfully escape the bind. 39. ... Kxd6 40. Rd1+ Ke7? The King’s passivity in the endgame may never be in the best interest of the defendant. Both 40. ... Kc5 41. Rc1+ Kxb5 42. Rxc7 e5 and 40. ... Ke5 41. Ra1 Rc8 42. Rc1 Ra8 43. Rxc7 Ra5 offered excellent chances for a draw. 41. Ke3 Ra8 42. Rc1? An inversion of moves by which White risked throwing away the win. The right way was 42. Kf4! Ra2 43. Rc1 Kd7 44. g4+− transposing to the game. 42. ... Kd7? Black’s luck slips away. 42. ... Ra5! 43. Rxc7+ Kf6 would put up a strong fight. Now Carlsen executes his performance with perfect technique: 43. Kf4 Ra2 44. g4 Ra3 45. Rf1 Ke7 46. Kg5 Kf7 47. Kh6 Rc3 48. g5 Rd3 49. Rc1 Rd7 50. Rc6 Re7 51. f4 Rd7 52. f5 gxf5 53. exf5 exf5 54. Rf6+ Kg8 55. Rxf5 Rd6+ 56. Kxh5 c6 57. bxc6 Rxc6 58. g6 Rc8 59. Kg5 Rb8 60. h5 b5 1 : 0.