A Little to the Left

Magnus Carlsen – Vincent Keymer

7th GRENKE Chess Classic; time control: 45 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Karlsruhe, March 31, 2024

Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6 7. Nd2 Bb7 8. f3 e5 9. e4 0-0 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. Nb3 Ne7 12. 0-0 h6 (12. ... Nd7 13. Qc2 c5 14. d5⩲ Chatalbashev – C. Bauer, 7th International Open, Vaujany 2016)
13. Rb1 Ba6 14. f4 Nh7 15. f5 Kh8 16. Na1 Ng8 17. Nc2 g5 18. Ne3 Ngf6 19. Rb2 Re8 20. Qf3 c5 21. d5 Rg8 22. h3 Kg7 23. a4 Bc8 24. Ra2 Bd7 25. Qd1 Rb8 26. Bd2 Rb7 27. Be1 Kf8 28. Rff2 Ke7 29. Rfb2 Qc7 30. g4 a6 31. Qe2 a5 32. Qf3 Qd8 33. Rh2 Qe8 34. Bc2 Qf8 35. Kf1 Kd8 36. Bd1 Kc7 37. Ke2 Rb8 38. Kd2 Qg7 39. Kc1 Rh8 40. Rh1 Rbg8 41. Rah2 Qf8 42. Kb2 Qe8 43. Ka3 Qf8 44. Bd2 Qe8 45. Bc1 Qf8 46. Nf1 Qe7 47. Ng3 Qf8 48. h4 Qg7 49. Qg2 Bc8 50. hxg5 Nxg5 51. Nh5 Nxh5 52. Rxh5 f6

53. Qh2 Nxe4? This, with the underlying sacrifice of the Exchange, will prove to be unsuccessful. Black ought to defend himself stubbornly by 53. ... Bd7! 54. Bxg5 fxg5 55. Rxh6 Rxh6 56. Qxh6 Be8! 57. Qh7 Kd8! with a Pawn less, but a hard nut to crack.
54. Bxh6 Qe7 55. Kb2 Bd7?! Now after 55. ... Ng5 56. Bxg5 Rxh5 57. Qxh5 fxg5 58. Qh7 Qxh7 59. Rxh7+ Kd8 60. Kc2 the ending is quite hopeless for Black, who sooner or later will be zugzwanged.

56. Rh4! Be8 57. Bc2 Rxh6. Forced, as 57. ... Ng5 58. Nxg5 costs a piece.
58. Rxh6 Ng5 59. Rh8 Rxh8 60. Qxh8 e4 61. Qh2 Nf3 62. Qf4 Ng5 63. Kb3 Bd7 64. Re1 Qf8 65. Ka3 Qh8 66. Bxe4 Qh3 67. Kb2 Qh7 68. Bc2 Qg7

69. Re6! Carlsen is happy to give back the Exchange in order to breakthrough.

69. ... Nf7. 69. ... Bxe6 70. dxe6 is also hopeless for Black.
70. g5! Qxg5. Neither 70. ... Nxg5 71. Qxd6+ Kc8 72. Re7 nor 70. ... fxg5 71. f6 would be of any avail.
71. Qxg5 fxg5 72. f6 Ne5 73. Rxe5! 1–0.