Carlsen levels score in game 10

by kevinspraggettonchess · Published November 25, 2016 · Updated November 25, 2016

Karjakin cracks after prolonged pressure

The drama is rising at the World Championship in New York as Carlsen ties the score in game 10. It took 75 moves, 6 and a half hours , every ounce of will-power that the Norwegian could muster[pullquote]“It is a huge relief. I hadn’t won in 10 games and that hadn’t happened to me before.” -Carlsen[/pullquote] (and even then a bit of luck) to down the Russian for the first time in 10 games. Both players were visibly worn at the post-game press conference. Tomorrow is a much needed rest day.

Karjakin misses a force draw at move 20!

Carlsen clearly needed to win today and arrived at the game meaning to do business, but he missed an amazing drawing tactic at move 20, and again at move 21, that could have inched Karjakin even closer to the world title. Even more amazing, Karjakin did not see it also!

Photo by Anastacia Karlovitj

Instead, Karjakin played to increase his presence in the center and soon exchanged Queens. This surprised a number of experts, as Karjakin’s pawn structure was weaker than that of his opponent. In a classic example of perfect technique, Carlsen slowly and patiently built up his game and forced Karjakin on to the defensive. At move 56 the Russian made a subtle error, and this gave the Norwegian the opportunity to break in for the decisive finish. Karjakin resigned at move 75.

(The game is analyzed below with comments. The RPB-plugin is used, so click on any move and a pop-up will appear)

Carlsen,M–Karjakin,S

Game–10

[Annotator "Spraggett"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 {[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Besides this current match in New York, both players have reached this position in their own encounters with each other not less than 6 times between 2010 and 2014, though mostly in blitz games from what I can see. </strong></span></div> } 4.d3 Bc5{[#]} 5.c3 ( 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 O-O 7.O-O Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nc4 Re8 10.Be3 Bd6 11.Bg5$13 {<strong style="color: red;"> Carlsen,M- Karjakin,S , Astana KAZ 10- 7-2012 World Blitz Final</strong> }) O-O 6.Bg5$5{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Carlsen avoids the beaten track. Castles is the ‘normal’ move here, but as Karjakin has not less than 5 games in this variation, it makes sense to try something less usual for this occasion.</strong></span></div> } h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.O-O{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>The simplest. Carlsen had a game with Shirov a number of years back where Shirov (with White) delayed castling and prefered to play the Knight manoeuvre via f1, but got nothing.</strong></span></div> } d6 9.Nbd2 Nh5$5 {[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Curiously, a new move, and a good one. Previously in this postion Black had tried Knight retreat to h7 and later to g5. Karjakin’s idea is to circulate via h5 to f4, from where it annoys White. The next half dozen moves were played slowly by both players…</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc4 Nf4 12.Ne3 Qf6 13.g3 Nh3+ 14.Kh1 Ne7 15.Bc4 c6 16.Bb3 Ng6 17.Qe2 a5 18.a4 Be6{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>We are fast approaching the first critical juncture of the game, and as we shall see, neither player is as fresh or sharp as when the match began…both begin to overlook tactics.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-121252" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/carlsen_confident-e1480115184220.jpg" alt="spraggett on chess" width="400" height="288" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } 19. Bxe6$6 fxe6 20.Nd2{[#]} d5$5 {[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>A curious case of mutual blindness! Both players had calculated that Black can not take on f2 with his Knight, but neither noticed that it would lead to a forced perpetual check! Carlsen admitted afterwards that he saw it immediately after having made his move. Karjakin found out at the press conference.</strong></span></div> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"></div> } ( 20...Nxf2+!$10 21.Kg2 ( 21.Kg1$6 Nh3+ 22.Kg2 Ngf4+ 23.gxf4 Nxf4+ 24.Rxf4 exf4$15) Nh4+$1 22.Kg1 ( 22.gxh4$4 Qg6+ ) Nh3+ 23.Kh1 Nf2+ 24.Kg1 {etc} ) { <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Here are some comments on this perpetual check from both players immediately after the game:</strong></span></div> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: center;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <center><div style="width: 400px;" class="wp-video"> <video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-121197-1" width="400" height="233" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PerpetualG10.mp4?_=1" /><a href="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PerpetualG10.mp4">http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PerpetualG10.mp4</a></video></div> </center></div> } 21.Qh5$5{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>People were also very surprised by this move, as it allows Black, once more, to force a perpetual check.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } ( 21.f3!$13 ) Ng5 ( 21...Nxf2+! 22.Kg2 ( 22.Kg1$6 Qg5! 23.Qxg5 Nh3+ ) Qf7! 23.Kg1 ( 23.Qe2 Nh4+ { would transpose into the draw in the previous note} ) Qf6! ) 22.h4$1 Nf3 23.Nxf3 Qxf3+ 24.Qxf3 Rxf3 25.Kg2$14{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>And White is suddenly a bit better in the ending! Though, if you were to conduct a poll among grandmasters, a good percentage would debate this claim. When I learned chess, I also was told that it was good for Black to be able to open the f-file in such situations, and that the Black center is strengthened…now, however, I have doubts about this evaluation. </strong></span></div> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>One of the first games that caused me to re-think this subject is Karpov vs Yussupov, Bujgono 1986:</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://pb.casaschi.net/2gdMRRl" width="400" height="243" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no">your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard</iframe></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>An impressive example! Yussupov never got anything going and soon found himself with a terrible ending. Other games since have caused me to be careful not to over-estimate Black’s chances…but that is a topic for another day!</strong></span></p> </div> } Rf7 26.Rfe1 h5 27.Nf1 Kf8 28.Nd2 Ke7 29.Re2 Kd6 30.Nf3 Raf8 31.Ng5 Re7 32.Rae1 Rfe8 33.Nf3 Nh8 34.d4!{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <strong><span style="color: #000000;">Black is slowly getting outplayed. While White’s position by itself is not so impressive, Black’s position has a number of worrying chronic defects: poorly placed Knight, pawn weakensses on the e-file and g5 is White’s. And all this without wanting to talk about Black having absolutely no counterplay…</span></strong> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> }exd4 35.Nxd4 g6 36.Re3 Nf7 37.e5+ Kd7 38.Rf3 Nh6 39.Rf6 Rg7 40.b4 axb4 41.cxb4 Ng8 42.Rf3 Nh6 43.a5$16{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Time control has been reached and it is clear that White has excellent winning chances. With g6 and e6 needing constant vigilence, each and every Black piece is passive. The only question is how to break in: on the Kingside (with an eventual g4) or on the Queenside (with an eventual b5). My personal opinion is that Black is probably lost…Carlsen continues to improve the placement of his pieces in the next phase of the game.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } Nf5 44.Nb3 Kc7 45.Nc5 Kb8 46.Rb1 Ka7 47.Rd3 Rc7 48.Ra3 Nd4 49.Rd1 Nf5 50.Kh3 Nh6 51.f3 Rf7 52.Rd4 Nf5 53.Rd2 Rh7 54.Rb3 Ree7{[#]} 55.Rdd3 ( 55.b5$5 {Grandmaster So} cxb5 56.Rxb5 Ne3 57.Rd3 Nc4 58.f4 ) Rh8 56.Rb1{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Carlsen has been maneouvring very patiently, realizing that to rush things might jeopardize his winning chances, and given the match score, that might be a very painful experience. The last few moves with his Rooks was to limit the possibility of the Black Knight to come into play via e3.</strong></span></div> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>It was interesting to watch the commentary of both players about here in the press conference. Karjakin was hopeful of making a draw, though he was not certain that this was guaranteed. Carlsen, for his part, was initially very optimistic, but gradually became more reserved.</strong></span></div> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>In any case, we might never know because on the very next move Karjakin blunders, allowing Carlsen to break in immediately with decisive effect.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } Rhh7$4 ( 56...Nh6$1 57.g4$6 ( 57.b5! cxb5 58.Rdb3 Rc8 59.Rxb5$16 ) Nf7 58.f4 Nh6 ) 57.b5!{[#]} cxb5 58.Rxb5 d4 59.Rb6{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-121251" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/carlsen_karjakin_pawnwin-e1480115106661.jpg" alt="spraggett on chess" width="400" height="279" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Now the chronic weaknesses are without any adequate defence. Only a miracle can save Black now.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } Rc7 60.Nxe6 Rc3 61.Nf4 Rhc7 62.Nd5 ( 62.Rxg6! Rxd3 63.Nxd3 Rc3 64.Rf6 Ne3 65.Nf4 Rc1 66.g4 {and Black can resign} ) Rxd3 63.Nxc7 Kb8 64.Nb5 Kc8 65.Rxg6 Rxf3 66.Kg2 Rb3 67.Nd6+ Nxd6 68.Rxd6{[#]} Re3 { <div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #000000;"><strong>The path of least resistance. Perfectly understandable given that both players have been at it for almost 6 and a half hours! Worth close study, for those of my readers who are into Rook and pawn endings, is moving the King immediately to c7, when White would still have to play precisely. In the game continuation, it is all over immediately.</strong></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } ( 68...Kc7! 69.Rxd4 Rb5 70.e6 ( 70.Re4$5 {might be a better try if it is found that the 7-piece tablebase shows a draw} Kd7 71.Kf3 Ke6 72.Kf4 Rxa5 73.Rb4 ) Rxa5 71.e7 Re5 72.Rd5 Rxe7 73.Rxh5 {with a very interesting ending. Both players felf that White should win, but they were not sure. The 7-piece table base can give the answer.} ) 69.e6 Kc7 70.Rxd4 Rxe6 71.Rd5 Rh6{[#] <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> <div class="custom_attn_box" style="border: ffffff solid; color: 000000; background-color: ffffff; text-align: left;"> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>With the Rook being forced to take up a passive position, there is clearly no hope. I think that Karjakin would have resigned under normal circumstances, but he wants to play on a few moves just out of momentum.</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120500" src="http://www.spraggettonchess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/colourtactics-e1479918123572.jpg" alt="colourtactics" width="100" height="10" /></p> </div> } 72.Kf3 Kb8 73.Kf4 Ka7 74.Kg5 Rh8 75.Kf6 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

A hard fought game, worthy of the World Championship, and both players deserve credit for their fighting spirit! Now the match is tied 5 points a piece. How did Magnus feel?