Edge of Tomorrow

Anish Giri – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Final match game 6; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 19, 2021

Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. g4 h6 8. h4 Nf6 9. Nxc6. From a strategic viewpoint, this looks very dubious. Worth considering was 9. Nb3 d6, switching from a Taimanov to a Scheveningen formation. 9. ... bxc6. In compliance with the theoretical precepts, Black strengthens the centre. If 9. ... Qxc6 10. Bg2 Ba3!? then 11. Bc1 with an edge for White. 10. Qf3 d5 11. g5 hxg5 12. hxg5 Rxh1 13. Qxh1 Ng4 14. Bd2 Bb7?! Black makes it too easy for White to play in attack. Decidedly better was 14. ... Rb8! seeking counterplay. 15. Qh3 Ne5 16. 0-0-0. Now White has reached a promising attack position without having to fear anything. 16. ... d4 17. Nb1 c5 18. f4 Nc6? This seems to be the losing move. Black had to play 18. ... Ng6, whether he liked or not.

19. g6!+− 0-0-0 20. gxf7 Qxf7 21. Bc4. Game over. 21. ... Kb8 (21. ... Re8 22. f5+−) 22. Bxe6 Qc7 23. Bc4 Ka7 24. Na3 Nb4 25. Re1 Be7 26. Kb1 Re8 27. e5 Bd8 28. Bb3 g5 29. Nc4 gxf4 30. Bxf4 Nd5 31. Bd2 Qg7 32. Nd6 Rh8 (32. ... Rxe5 33. Rxe5 Qxe5 34. Qd7+−) 33. Qe6 Bh4 34. Rc1 Nc7 35. Qc4 Qxe5 36. Nf7 Qh2 37. Qxc5+ Kb8 38. Qxd4 Rf8 39. Bf4 Bg3 40. Bxg3 Qxg3 41. Qb4 1 : 0.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Magnus Carlsen – Wesley So

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Third-place match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 19, 2021

Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. a4!? Bb4 5. Bd3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nd5 Bc5 8. c3 a5 9. Bc2 Nxd5TN (9. ... Ba7 10. d4 h6 11. Qd3 Re8 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. Be3 exd4 14. Bxd4 Ne5 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. Bxa7 Rxa7 17. Rfd1 Ra6 18. Bb3 Bg4 19. Rd2 Rd6 20. Qe3 Rxd2 21. Qxd2 Rd8 22. Qe3 Rd6 23. h3 Bd7 24. Rd1 Rxd1+ 25. Bxd1 Qd6 26. Bb3 Kf8 27. Qf3 Be8 28. Qe3 b6 29. Qe2 g6 30. h4 h5 31. Qe3 Bc6 32. Qe2 Qf6 33. Qc4 Kg7 34. Ba2 Qe6 35. Qxe6 fxe6 36. Bb3 Bxe4 37. Bxe6 Kf6 38. Bb3 g5 39. hxg5+ Kxg5 40. g3 Kg4 41. Kf1 h4 ½ : ½ L. van Foreest – Naiditsch, 46th SchachBundesliga, Lingen 2020) 10. exd5 Ne7 11. Ng5 h6 12. d4 Bb6

13. Nh7! 13. Qh5 Qe8! is nothing special for White, so Carlsen does not hesitate to give up a Knight for the initiative. 13. ... Re8 14. Nf6+ gxf6 15. Qh5 e4! 16. Re1! f5? This may be a mistake worth a double question mark, but defending such a position would probably require a classical time control. 16. ... Bf5 followed by ... Bf5-g6 offered better chances of holding on. 17. Bxh6+− Nxd5 18. Bg5 f6 (18. ... Nf6 19. Qh4 Re6 20. d5+−)

19. Bb3! c6 20. Re3 Kf8 21. Qg6 f4. If 21. ... fxg5 then 22. Bxd5 cxd5 23. Rh3 followed by mate in a few moves, whilst 21. .. Ke7 22. Bxf6+! would leave Black the choice between mate or loss of the Queen. 22. Bh6+ Ke7 23. Qh7+ 1 : 0. And Black resigned in view of 23. ... Ke6 24. Rxe4#.

A Day at a Time

Wesley So – Alireza Firouzja

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Quarterfinal match game 6; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 17, 2021

Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. 0-0 h6 7. Nbd2 Nd7 8. Nb3 g5 9. Bd2 a5 10. a4 Qc7 11. c3. In a relatively recent game, So preferred 11. Rc1 Bg7 12. c4 0-0 13. h4 g4 14. Ne1 f6 15. exf6 Nxf6 16. g3 dxc4 17. Bxc4 Ned5 18. Qe2 Ne4 19. Ng2 Nxd2 20. Qxd2 Qf7 21. Rfe1 b6 22. Re2 Rad8 23. Rce1 Kh8 24. Ne3 Rd6 25. Nxf5 Qxf5 26. Bd3 Qf7 27. Bb1 Nb4 28. Qe3 Qf3 29. Qxf3 Rxf3 30. Nd2 Rf8 31. Rxe6 Rxd4 32. Ne4 Rfd8 33. Kg2 Kg8 34. Nf6+ Bxf6 35. Rxf6 R4d6 36. Ree6 Rxe6 37. Rxe6 h5 38. Bg6 Rd5 39. b3 Kg7 40. Be4 Rc5 41. Rg6+ Kf7 42. Rh6 Kg7 43. Rh7+ Kf6 44. f4 gxf3+ 45. Bxf3 Kg6 46. Rh8 Rc2+ 47. Kh3 Rc5 48. Be4+ Kg7 49. Rh7+ Kf6 50. Rh6+ Kg7 51. Rg6+ Kf7 52. Rg5 Rxg5 53. hxg5 b5 54. Kh4 bxa4 55. bxa4 c5 56. Kxh5 c4?? (56. ... Kg7) 57. Kh6 Kg8 58. Bh7+ 1 : 0 So – Artemiev, 4th Speed Chess Championship, chess.com, December 5, 2019, Semifinal match game 10 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move). 11. ... f6?! An impromptu novelty which can be hardly regarded as an improvement on 11. ... Bg7 12. Ne1 c5 13. Bb5 Nc6 14. f4 c4 15. Nc1 0-0-0 16. b3 Nb6 17. fxg5 hxg5 18. Bxg5 f6 19. Bf4 fxe5 20. Bg3 Rdg8 21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. dxe5 Bh6 23. Bf4 Nd7 24. Qd4 Be4 25. Bxh6 Rxh6 26. Ra2 Qc7 27. Raf2 Qxe5 28. Qxe5 Nxe5 29. bxc4 Nxc4 30. Ned3 Rhh8 31. Nc5 Bxg2 32. Rxg2 Rxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Ne3+ 34. Kf2 Nxf1 35. Kxf1 Rxh2 36. Ne2 e5 37. Nd3 Rh5 38. Ng3 Rg5 39. Kf2 Kc7 40. Nf1 Kd6 41. Ne3 Rg8 42. Ke2 Rh8 43. Nf2 Rc8 44. Kd2 e4 45. Nf5+ Ke5 46. Ne3 Rd8 47. Nc2 Rg8 48. Ne3 Rg1 49. Nfg4+ Ke6 50. Kc2 Re1 51. Kb3 Re2 52. Nc2 Rd2 53. Nd4+ Kd6 54. Nc2 Kc5 55. Nd4 Rxd4 56. cxd4+ Kxd4 57. Kc2 e3 58. Kd1 Kd3 59. Ne5+ Kc3 60. Ke2 Kb3 61. Kxe3 Kxa4 62. Kd4 Kb3 63. Kxd5 a4 64. Kc5 b6+ 65. Kb5 a3 66. Nd3 Kc2 67. Nb4+ Kb3 68. Nd3 Kc2 69. Nb4+ Kc3 70. Na2+ Kb2 71. Nb4 a2 72. Nxa2 Kxa2 73. Kxb6 ½ : ½ Najer – Lobanov, 25th Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2018. 12. exf6 Ng6. Only consistent. If 12. ... Nxf6 then 13. Ne5 with great advantage to White. 13. c4 Bd6 14. cxd5 exd5

15. Bd3! White sacrifices the Bishop for two Pawns and a strong attack. 15. ... Bxd3 16. Bxa5 Rxa5 17. Qxd3 Kf7. After 17. ... Nf4 18. Rfe1+ Kf7 19. Qf5 White’s attack continues. 18. Nxa5 Qxa5? An automatic answer that loses the game. Black had to play 18. ... g4! 19. Ne5+ Ndxe5 20. dxe5 Bxe5 21. Nb3 Bxh2+ 22. Kh1 Qe5 (Δ ... Qe5-h5) 23. Nd4 Qh5 25. Qf5 Qxf5 25. Nxf5 Be5 26. Ra2 h5! with good chances for compensation. 19. Qf5 Qd8 20. Rae1. White’s massive centralisation looks quite Morphy-like. 20. ... Ngf8. After 20. ... Ndf8 the same move follows as in the game.

21. Re7+! Bxe7 22. fxe7+ Kxe7 23. Re1+ Kd6 24. Ne5 Rh7 25. Nxd7 Qxd7 26. Qe5# 1 : 0.

It Ain’t As Easy As It Looks

Levon Grigori Aronian – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Quarterfinal match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 16, 2021

Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. c3 d6 7. Bg5 Ba7 8. 0-0 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 h5 11. h4 Nh7 12. Kh1!? A novelty by Aronian which adds little or nothing to the “book”: 12. Nbd2 g4 13. Ne1 Nf8 14. d4 exd4 15. Bxc6+ bxc6 16. cxd4 Ng6 17. Qa4 Bd7 18. e5 d5 19. f3 c5 20. Qa3 c4 21. Nc2 Bf5 22. Nb4 Bxd4+ 23. Kh2 Qd7 24. Nxa6 Ra7 25. Rad1 Qc8 26. Qa4+ Bd7 27. Qa5 Be6 28. Nxc4 Qxa6 29. Rxd4 Qxa5 30. Nxa5 Rxa5 0 : 1 Shirov – Antón Guijarro, 1st Prague International Chess Festival, Challengers Tournament, Prague 2019. 12. ... g4 13. Nh2 Nf8 14. d4 Ng6 15. Bxc6+ bxc6 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Nd2 Be6

18. Nb3? The exchange of Queens is now not in White’s best interest as the ending proves to be much better for Black. 18. ... Qxd1 19. Rfxd1 Bb6 20. Nf1 Ke7 21. Ne3 a5! 22. Kg1 a4 23. Nc1 Bxe3 24. fxe3 Rhb8 25. Nd3 f6 26. Rd2 Nh8. Eventually heading for d6 via f7. 27. Nb4 Rb6 28. Rf1 c5 29. Nd3? If 29. Nd5+ then follows 29. ... Bxd5 30. exd5 c4! with a great advantage for Black. 29. ... Rd8 30. Rfd1 Rbd6 31. Be1

31. ... g3! 32. Nxc5. Of course 32. Bxg3 Bg4 wins outright for Black. With 32. Nc1 White could defend his weaknesses for a time, but after 32. ... Nf7! he would finally end up in zugzwang. 32. ... Bg4 33. Rxd6 cxd6 0 : 1.

Carlsen ate his snack dinner with skilled theatrical flair as he was crushing Aronian in the 2nd game of their quartefinal match. Photo: TV2 Sport.

Terrestrial Time

Wesley So – Nils Axel Grandelius

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 15, 2021

Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Rb1 0-0 9. Be2 b6 10. 0-0 Qc7 11. Re1. A rare line. 11. ... Nc6 12. d5!? Theoretically speaking, this is a novelty, in place of the previously played 12. Be3, which after 12. ... Bg4 13. Qc1 Na5 14. Bf4 Qc8 15. h3 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 e5 17. dxe5 Qe8 18. Rd1 Bxe5 19. Bh6 Bg7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. e5 gave White an excellent attacking position in Rodrigues – Barbosa, 2nd Chess Open, Altinópolis 2013 — to be sure, however, Black could play better. 12. ... Ne5 13. c4 f5?! Who knows, maybe Black should look for something better here.

14. exf5! Bxf5 15. Rb3 Rad8 16. Bb2

16. ... e6? After 16. ... Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Bxb2 18. Rxb2 White stands much better, but certainly it is a lesser evil compared with losing a piece. 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. Bxe5 Qxe5 19. Bf3 Qf6. 19. ... Qd4 20. g4 doesn’t change things at all. 20. g4. The Bishop is gone. 20. ... b5 (20. ... Bxg4 21. Bxg4 Qxf2+ 22. Kh1 exd5 23. Be6+ Kg7 24. cxd5 Rf4 25. Rd3+−) 21. gxf5 bxc4 22. Rbe3 Qxf5 23. d6 Qf4 24. d7 Rf7 25. Bc6 Qxf2+ 26. Kh1 c3 27. Rxe6 c2 28. Re8+ Kg7 29. Qa1+ 1 : 0.

Outer space

Magnus Carlsen – Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 14, 2021

Sicilian Defence B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. a3 Be7 7. f4 0-0 8. e5 Nd5. This is, no doubt, an improvement on 8. ... Ne8 9. Nf3 f6 10. Bd3 fxe5 11. fxe5 d6 12. exd6 Nxd6 13. 0-0 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Bd7 15. Qe1 Rae8 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Qg3 Qa5 18. Qh3 g6 19. Rad1 Bc8 20. Bh6 Rf7 21. Ne4 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Rd8 23. Bd2 Qc7 24. Bd3 Rd5 25. Qg4 Ne5 26. Nxe5 Rxf1+ 27. Rxf1 Qxe5 28. Qf3 Qg7 29. Bh6 Rf5 30. Bxf5 Qxh6 31. Bg4 1 : 0 Lutikov – Khasin, 28th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1961. 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. Nxc6. This move cannot be good, at least in line of principle — which apparently doesn’t mean very much. 10. ... bxc6 11. Bd3 Bc5 12. Qf3 d6 13. Be3 Rb8. For what is worth, here 13. ... Bxe3 14. Qxe3 Re8 followed by ... f7-f6 seems to give Black a very comfortable game. 14. b4 Bxe3 15. Qxe3 a5 16. 0-0 axb4 17. axb4 dxe5 18. fxe5 Rxb4. This may seem a bit risky, but probably Black is quite right. 19. Ra8 g6? Stopping the threat of Bd3-f5, but allowing White an unexpected opportunity of breakthrough. Black ought to play 19. ... Qb6! 20. Qxb6 Rxb6 21. e6 Bxe6 22. Bxh7+ Kxh7 23. Rxf8 Rb2 24. c3 d4! 25. cxd4 Bd5 with a draw in sight.

20. e6! fxe6 21. Rxf8+ Qxf8. Of course Black cannot recapture with the King due to the Queen check on c5. 22. g3. White actually threatens Bd3-a6. 22. ... Rb1+? The Rook probably stood well on b4. 22. ... e5 at once seems better. 23. Kg2 e5

24. g4 e4? Losing at once, but 24. ... Rb4 25. h3 can hardly be regarded as more than a postponement of an inevitable surrender. 25. Ba6 Bxa6 26. Rxf8+ Kxf8 27. Qa3+ 1 : 0.

“Hello, World!” program

Daniil Dmitrievich Dubov – Nils Axel Grandelius

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 4th stage; Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2021; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, March 13, 2021

English Opening A37

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3 Nge7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Nd2 d6 9. a3 a6!? 9. ... a5 has also its own good merits. A game Lein – Tukmakov, 39th USSR Chess Championship, Leningrad 1971 continued (by transposition): 10. Nd5 Rb8 11. Ne4 Nxd5 12. cxd5 Ne7 13. Nd2 h5 14. e4 Bg4 15. Qc2 a4 16. Qxa4 Be2 17. Re1 Bxd3 18. Qb3 Ba6 19. a4 Bh6 20. Qc3 Qd7 21. b4 cxb4 22. Qxb4 Rbc8 23. Bf1 Bxf1 24. Rxf1 Bxd2 25. Bxd2 Rc7 26. Bc1 Ra8 27. f4 Rc2 28. f5 (should be the losing move) 28. ... gxf5 29. Qb3 Rac8 30. Qf3 R8c4 31. exf5 Qxf5 32. Qxf5 Nxf5 33. Bg5 Nd4 34. Rab1 Rxa4 35. Rxb7 Raa2 36. Rfxf7 Ra1+ 37. Rf1 Nf3+ 0 : 1. 10. Nd5 Rb8 11. Ne4 h6 12. b4 cxb4 13. Nxe7+ Nxe7 14. axb4 d5 15. cxd5 Nxd5 16. Qb3 Nc7 17. Qb1 Nb5 18. Bb2 Be6 19. Rc1 Bd5 20. Rc5 Kh8 21. Qf1 Re8 22. Rac1 Bc6 23. Nd2 Bxg2 24. Qxg2

24. ... Nd4? (24. ... Qe7 25. h4⩲↑) 25. Bxd4 exd4 26. Qf3 Re7 27. h4!→ Qe8 28. h5 g5 (28. ... Rxe2? 29. Ne4+−) 29. Ne4 Qd7 30. Kg2 Rf8 31. g4 (Δ Ne4-g3-f5) 31. ... Qa4. Sheer desperation, but by now there was no saving. Now Dubov energetically concludes his attack: 32. Rc8. Mutatis mutandis, 32. Nf6 Re6 33. Rc8+− would lead to a similar finale. 32. ... Qd7 33. Qf5! Qe6

34. Nf6! Qxf5 35. gxf5 Rxe2 36. Nd7 Rxc8 37. Rxc8+ Kh7 38. f6 Rb2. If 38. ... Bh8 then 39. Nf8+ Kg8 40. Ng6+ followed by mate in two moves. 39. fxg7 Kxg7 40. Rc4 1 : 0.