Seven Pagodas

Magnus Carlsen – Georg Meier
44th Chess Olympiad; Mamallapuram, July 30, 2022
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. c3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 Nxe4 7. Bxe4 Nf6 8. Bc2 c5 9. Nf3 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Bc5 11. 0-0 Bxd4 12. cxd4 b6. Of course Meier knows very well what he’s doing and where’s he’s going. In short, he would very happy to make a draw against the World Champion. The text is only a minor alternative route to 12. ... Bd7 13. a4 Bc6 that brought Meier the desired result after 14. Ra3 Nd5 15. Qg4 g6 16. Bh6 Qe7 17. Bg5 f6 18. Re1 0-0-0 19. Bd2 Rhe8 20. Rh3 Rd7 21. Qg3 Red8 22. Bb3 Nc7 23. Bc3 Bd5 24. Bc2 Na6 25. Bd3 Nb4 26. Bxb4 Qxb4 27. Rc1+ Bc6 28. Rxc6+ bxc6 29. Ba6+ Rb7 30. Qe3 Qxd4 31. Qxe6+ Qd7 32. Bxb7+ Kxb7 ½ : ½ 李瑞峰 (Lǐ Ruìfēng) – Meier, 1st Fall Chess Classic, Saint Louis 2017. 13. Qd3 Bb7 14. Ba4+ Kf8 15. Bd2 h5. An original way to develop his King’s Rook, via h6. 16. Rac1 h4 17. h3 Qd6 18. Bd1 Rd8 19. Re1 Kg8 20. Be3 Nd5 21. Qd2 Nxe3 22. fxe3 Rh6 23. Rf1 Rg6 24. Bg4 f5 25. Bf3 Bxf3 26. Rxf3 Rg3 27. Qf2

27. ... e5!? Meier feels himself, more than ever, determined to dynamically pursue his object. 28. Rxf5 exd4 29. exd4 Qxd4. 29. ... Qg6!? also seems perfectly playable (threatening both ... Rg3xg2+ and ... Rg3xh3). 30. Rf8+ Kh7 31. Rxd8 Qxd8 32. Qf5+ g6 33. Qf4 Rd3 34. Rc7+ Rd7 35. Rxd7+ Qxd7 36. Qxh4+. The most Carlsen’s got is a Queen ending a Pawn ahead, but with almost no chance of a win. And yet once again His will shall triumph. 36. ... Kg7 37. Qf4 Qd5 38. a3 b5 39. Qc7+ Kh6 40. Qxa7 Qd1+ 41. Kh2 Qd6+ 42. Kh1 Qd2 43. b4 Qc1+ 44. Qg1 Qxa3 45. Qe1 Qd3 46. Qh4+ Kg7 47. Qe7+ Kh6 48. Kh2 Qd4 49. h4 Qf4+ 50. Kh3 Qf5+ 51. Kg3 Qd5 52. Qc5 Qd3+ 53. Kh2 Qe4 54. Qg5+ Kh7 55. h5

55. ... Qxb4 56. Qxg6+ Kh8 57. Qf6+ Kh7 58. Qf5+ Kg8 59. Qe6+ Kh7 60. Qf7+ Kh8 61. Qf6+ Kh7 62. Kh3 Qe4 63. g4 Qe3+ 64. Kg2 Qe2+ 65. Kg3 Qe1+ 66. Qf2 Qc3+ 67. Kh4 b4 68. Qf7+ Kh8 69. Qe8+ Kg7 70. Qe7+ Kh8 71. h6 b3 72. Kh5 b2 73. Qe8+ Kh7 74. Qe4+ Kh8. The “dual” is 74. ... Kg8 75. Kg6 Qg7+! 76. hxg7 b1=Q! (now the underpromotion does not work: 76. ... b1=B?? 77. Qf5!+−) 77. Qf5 Qe4! with a draw. 75. Kg6 b1=B! What aesthetic satisfaction! 76. Qxb1 Qc6+ 77. Kg5 Qc5+ 78. Qf5

78. ... Qe3+?? A final blunder — most probably due to tiredness and/or lack of time — which makes Carlsen obtain the victory. The only move was 78. ... Qc7!= 79. Kg6 Qf7+! forcing a draw. 79. Qf4 Qc5+ 80. Kg6 1 : 0.

In the absence of China and Russia, Carlsen is the main attraction of the 44th Chess Olympiad — the first-ever one to be held in India. Photo © Lennart Ootes.