[Event "World Chess Championship 2018"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Site "London"]
[Round "9"]
[Annotator "Navara, David"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2018.11.21"]
[ECO "A29"]
[WhiteElo "2835"]
[BlackElo "2832"]
[PlyCount "112"]
{While the Women’s World Championship Cycle is going to imitate the overall
World Championship, it might also hold the other way around. After eight
rounds, there remained four games and an eventual tie-break to be played to
determine the winner. The finale of the Women’s World Championship looks
quite similar in this respect, doesn’t it? The match has been quite tense,
both players have been fighting hard and it is therefore surprising that all
the games finished in draws. This shows high class of both players as well as
their superb defensive abilities. Moreover, the permanent progress of the
opening theory makes it increasingly difficult to achieve an advantage with
White against a well-prepared opponent. We all have probably hoped to see more
decisive games, but it is really very hard to beat a 2800-rated player.} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 {This is currently
the most fashionable continuation. It had been played by club players many
times before GM Grischuk introduced it to a top level.} 7. 0-0 ({White could
win a pawn by means of} 7. Nxe5 Nxc3 8. Bxc6+ (8. bxc3 Nxe5 9. d4 Bd6 $11 )bxc6 9. bxc3 {, but Black would get an ample
compensation after} (9. dxc3 Qxd1+ 10. Kxd1 Bxf2 11. Rf1 Bc5 12. Rxf7 Bd6 13. Rf3 Bxe5 14. Re3 0-0 $1 15. Rxe5 Rf1+ {should be fine for Black as well according to GM
Marin and IM Stoica (NIC Yearbook 125).} )Qd5 10. Nf3 Bh3 {owing to his better development.} )0-0 8. d3 ({A funny-looking continuation} 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Ng5 Qd8 10. Nxh7 Re8 11. Ng5 Qxg5 12. d4 Qh5 13. dxc5 Rd8 14. Bd2 Nd4 {gives Black a decent
counterplay according to GM Marin and IM Stoica.} )(8. Nxe5 Nxc3 9. Nxc6 $2 {
is not to be recommended in view of} Nxd1 10. Nxd8 Bxf2+ $1 11. Kh1 Bg4 $1 {.} )Re8 {This variation has already been played in the 4th round.} ({A bishop
retreat} 8... Bb6 {is equally playable, but it enables White to play b2-b4 in
certain lines.} )9. Bg5 $5 {This motif has been known from the Sicilian Dragon
(with reversed colours).} Nxc3 ({It it also possible to play} 9... Nde7 {
, but retreating the centralized knight contradicts the spirit of this
variation (if there is any).} )({Black would like to play} 9... f6 $6 {, but
it allows} 10. Qb3 Be6 11. Qxb7 {, when White seems to be better, e.g.} Ndb4 $6 12. Qb5 $1 {and the queen escapes.} )10. bxc3 f6 11. Bc1 {If any piece belongs
to d2, it is the knight. Black players have been doing very well in this match.
Magnus therefore sort of "switched colours" by losing time with his bishop.
Well, he has slightly improved his pawn structure in return. Black can no
longer claim the d4-square.} Be6 {Pushing e5-e4 with an undeveloped queenside
would be clearly inferior to this healthy developing move.} 12. Bb2 Bb6 ({
Here my computer likes} 12... e4 $5 {for some reason.} 13. Nd4 (13. dxe4 Qxd1 14. Rfxd1 Bc4 15. e3 Rad8 {gives Black a good compensation owing to White's
queenside weaknesses.} )Nxd4 14. cxd4 Bxd4 15. Bxd4 Qxd4 16. Bxe4 c6 ({
or even} 16... Bd5 17. e3 Qe5 {should not be too dangerous for Black.} ))({
I expected} 12... Qe7 {, when} 13. d4 {allows Black to play} Rad8 {.} )13. d4 Bd5 {Black neutralizes White's kingside bishop.} 14. Qc2 exd4 15. cxd4 Be4 16. Qb3+ Bd5 ({The endgame arising after} 16... Qd5 17. Qxd5+ Bxd5 18. e3 {is
somewhat more pleasant for White. Not much, but it is hard to achieve more,
nowadays.} )17. Qd1 {Magnus played quickly up to this moment. I like his
opening choice. This seemingly unambitious variation with few long forced
lines gives him decent chances to outplay his opponent in the subsequent
course of the game. The b6-bishop might remain out of play after e2-e3, Nf3-d2.
True, Fabiano Caruana is quite hard to be outplayed.} (17. Qc2 Be4 {would not
be very inspiring.} )Bxf3 $6 {Watching the game, I also considered this
move. It is a logical and straightforward one. While it is certainly not bad,
it leads to a position where White can play for the win without any risk.} ({
I like} 17... Qd7 {. Black can complete his development and play Na5, c5 later
on.} )(17... Na5 $5 {was another option.} )18. Qb3+ {This limits Black's
options.} (18. Bxf3 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Qxd4 20. Qb3+ Kh8 {is a mere transposition} ({, while} 20... Kf8 $5 {was not possible in the game.} ))Kh8 19. Bxf3 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Qxd4 21. e3 $1 Qe5 {Black would like to exchange the queens, but
it is not that simple.} (21... Qd6 22. Bxb7 Rab8 {is also slightly better for
White after} 23. Rad1 Qf8 24. Bc6 {, as} Bxe3 $2 {loses an exchange after
almost any queen retreat.} )22. Bxb7 Rad8 23. Rad1 $14 {White has achieved a
small but stable advantage. His king is safer and his bishop is more active
than its counterpart. He should keep the queens on the board to maintain
attacking chances. Magnus Carlsen has already won many equal-looking positions
with rooks and opposite-coloured bishops on the board. On the other hand,
Black's position is quite solid and the drawing margin is quite broad unless
White launches a mating attack. Black can sometimes sacrifice a pawn to
exchange the major pieces and achieve a drawish bishop endgame.} Qe7 24. h4 $1 {White needs to weaken his opponent's king.} g6 25. h5 $6 (25. Bc6 {looks
better in hindsight, but Black's defensive resources should be sufficient
anyway. Still, some accuracy is needed, as} Rxd1 $6 26. Rxd1 Rd8 27. Rxd8+ Qxd8 28. Qf7 {would be fairly unpleasant for Black.} )gxh5 $1 {A brave
decision. Instead of defending an inferior position after 25...Kg7, Black
launches counterplay. GM Mihail Marin has recently written an article on such
an unexpected recapture for a German magazine "Schach".} ({White would keep
his trumps after} 25... Kg7 26. Bf3 $14 {.} )26. Qc4 f5 $1 {Another good move.
Black prepares h5-h4, after which both kings would be equally weak. Black has
equalized, but the fight continues.} 27. Bf3 h4 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 29. gxh4 Rg8+ 30. Kh1 Qf6 31. Qf4 Bc5 $1 {The bishop joins the play.} 32. Rg1 Rxg1+ ({It was
safer to play} 32... Bd6 33. Rxg8+ Kxg8 {, as the h4-pawn would then be
hanging with check in many lines. Still, Black's continuation does not spoil
anything.} )33. Kxg1 Bd6 34. Qa4 {Fabiano Caruana was a bit short of time, but
he kept everything under control.} f4 $1 35. Qxa7 fxe3 36. Qxe3 Qxh4 {All
Black needs to do is to exchange the queens without losing the pawns.} 37. a4 Qf6 38. Bd1 Qe5 {The bishop endgame is drawn.} 39. Qxe5+ Bxe5 40. a5 Kg7 41. a6 Bd4 42. Kg2 Kf6 43. f4 Bb6 44. Kf3 h6 {Black does not advance his pawns to far
to be able to protect them. Watching this endgame, I recalled an important
game Aronian - Bacrot from the World Cup 2005 semifinal, where Black gave up
in a similar position without his c-pawn and with White's bishop on h3 and
pawn on f5. It looks like a dream scenario for White, but the final position
of that game was still drawn! Needless to say, White cannot achieve it now.} 45. Ke4 Ba7 46. Bg4 {From here White's bishop blocks the h-pawn and protects
the f4-pawn. White can win a bishop for the a-pawn, but then Black's c-pawn
could run forward to save a draw (at least).} Bg1 47. Kd5 Bb6 48. Kc6 Be3 {
The c7-pawn can also be protected indirectly. There is nothing to be done.} 49. Kb7 Bb6 50. Bh3 Be3 51. Kc6 Bb6 52. Kd5 Ba7 53. Ke4 Bb6 54. Bf1 Ke6 55. Bc4+ Kf6 56. Bd3 Ke6 1/2-1/2
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