The Weight of a Crown

Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; Grand Finale Tournament; tie-break game 1; time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move; chess24.com/Oslo, October 1, 2021

Sicilian Defence B52

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. 0-0 Nge7 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qb6 7. Be3 Nxd4 8. a4 Nxb5!!?? A stunning, though possibly unsound, Queen sacrifice which throws Giri into anguish. Any human theory gave only 8. ... e5 9. c3 a6= Campora – Khatanbaatar, 34th Olympiad, Istanbul 2000. 9. Bxb6 axb6. Black has obtained three pieces for the Queen, but as long as his underdevelopment persists, any claim for compensation is to be deemed more virtual than real.

10. Nd2? This natural developing move may very well be the only mistake Giri made in the opening, and in any event it proves enough to justify Carlsen’s dashing sacrifice. The best seems to be 10. Qd3! Nc7 (10. ... Na7 11. Na3) 11. Qg3 keeping Black in bondage. 10. ... Nd6! Suddenly Black’s minor pieces spring to life as the lonely White Queen will have to deal with all them. 11. e5 Ndf5 12. Ne4 Nc6 13. g4 Nh4 14. f4 h5 15. h3. The alternative is 15. g5 on which Black can reply 15. ... Nf5 16. c3 Nce7! with a truly Nimzowitschian trademark. 15. ... hxg4 16. hxg4

16. ... d5! 17. exd6 Ra5 18. c4 f5! 19. b4! Nxb4 20. d7+ Bxd7 21. Nd6+ Bxd6 22. Qxd6 Nc6

23. Rad1? It will be immediately clear why White ought to have first played 23. Qc7 with an unsteady balance. 23. ... Bc8! 24. g5. Now 24. Qc7 is answered by 24. ... 0-0! 25. g5 Ng6−+ winning similarly as in the game. 24. ... Ng6 25. Rf2 Kf7 26. Qc7+ Nce7 27. Rd8 Rxd8 28. Qxd8 Rxa4 29. Qc7 e5 30. fxe5 Be6 31. Qxb7 Rxc4 32. Qxb6 Nxe5 33. Re2 Rc6 34. Qe3 N5g6 35. Kh2 Bc4 36. Rb2 Re6 37. Qf3 Re4 38. Rb7 Be6 39. Kg1 Rg4+ 40. Kh2 Rxg5 41. Rb6 Bd5 42. Qe3 Rg2+ 43. Kh3 Rg4 44. Kh2 f4 45. Qd4 Rg5 46. Rd6 f3 47. Rd7 Rf5 48. Qg4 Be6 49. Rd1 Ne5 50. Qh4 f2 51. Kg2 Bd5+ 52. Kf1 Bc4+ 53. Kg2 f1=Q+ 0 : 1.