Among the Lesser Gods

Magnus Carlsen – Javokhir Sindarov

1st Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour; first leg; Stage 2: Knockout; Third-place Final match game 2; time control: 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Wangels, February 14, 2025

rkqbrnbn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKQBRNBN w EAea - 0 1

Position #909

1. d4 d6 2. e4 e5 3. d5 f5 4. f3 f4 5. c4 c5 (5. ... c6 6. Nf2 Nd7 7. Nd2⩲)
6. Nf2 Ba5 7. Nd2 Nd7 8. Nd3 Qc7 9. a3 Bxd2 10. Qxd2 Bf7 11. g3 g5 12. b4 b6 13. Ba4

13. ... 0-0 (13. ... 0-0-0? 14. Bb5! Δ a3-a4-a5→)
14. h4 Bg6 15. gxf4 gxf4 16. Qg2 Nf6 17. Bc6 Rab8 18. Ka2 Nf7 19. Rab1 Kh8 20. Rb3 Nd8 21. Bb5 Bh5 22. Qb2 cxb4? (22. ... Bxf3 23. Nxe5 dxe5 24. Rxf3 Ng4 25. h5⩲)

23. Nxf4! a6 (23. ... exf4 24. Bd4+−)
24. Bxa6 Ra8 25. Bb5 Rxa3+ 26. Rxa3 bxa3 27. Qc3 Be8 28. Bxe8 Nxe8 29. Ne2 Nf6 30. Rb1 Nd7 31. f4 Nb7

32. Nd4! Ndc5 (32. ... exd4 33. Bxd4+ Kg8 34. e5+−)
33. fxe5 dxe5 34. Ne6 Nxe6 35. Bxb6 Qd6 36. dxe6 Nc5 37. Bxc5 Qxc5 38. Rb5 Rf2+ 39. Ka1 Rf1+ 40. Rb1 Rf8 (40... Rxb1+ 41. Kxb1 Kg7 42. Qd2 Qb6+ 43. Ka2 Qxe6 44. Qd5+−)
41. h5 Kg7 42. Rb7+ 1–0.