Corus Chess 2009, Wijk aan Zee Images, Carlsen, Magnus (2776)-Karjakin, Sergey (2706) [D11] Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (6), Chess-Theory Viewer

ANALYSED GAME N^o 122
Updated: January 2009

Carlsen, Magnus (2776) -
Karjakin, Sergey (2706) [D11
Corus A 2009 Wijk aan Zee
NED (6), 23.01.2009

(Annotation: "Chess-Theory")

"Chessbase - Playing venue
De Moriaan in Wijk aan Zee"
image Copyright: www.chessbase.com/
Chessbase - Playing venue
De Moriaan in Wijk aan Zee

X0 Slav Defense with 4.e3 [D11]

1.d4 X1 d5 X2 2.c4 X3 c6 X4 3.Nf3 X5 Nf6 X6 4.e3 X7

This move is interesting because it may be considered as a Thematic move of the Slav as well as a great number of Closed games. It is usual, in the Slav, that White plays 4.Nc3 and 5.e3. Nevertheless this subtle move inversion may lead to significantly different configurations and is frequently used today, including at a high level.

[ The main line of the Slav is: 4.Nc3 X8 e6 X9 5.e3 X10 Nbd7 X11 6.Bd3 X12 ( 6.Qc2 X13 ) ]

4...a6 X14

This supple answer has been introduced in the game Miasoedov, Grigory - Alatorsev, Vladimir 1/2-1/2 [D27] Leningrad-ch 1932 and rediscovered only in 1978. It is from this date regularly played, but curiously is mainly a speciality of high rated players.

[ It is very usual to enter here in the Semi Slav scheme with: 4...e6 X15 ; Another popular move is: 4...Bf5 X16 but Sergey Shipov esteems that this reply is rather out of fashion.]

5.Bd3 X17

A judicious anternative to the usual Nc3. The White "good' Bishop takes the control of the strategic b1-h7 diagonal.

5...Bg4 X18

Black plays his Queen side Bishop at the right time and on the g4-square where its activity is optimized.

6.Nbd2 X19

A beautiful illustration of the flexibility of the White system: the Queen side Knight is ideally posted in d2.

6...Nbd7 X20

Black has developped his Queen side, but needs now to secure his King.

7.Qc2 X21 e6 X22 8.0-0 X23

This beginning has been played about ten times since 2002, in particular by the French GM Eric Prie playing Black. The position seems clearly favourable to White.

8...dxc4 X24

With the idea to open the center. Sergey Karjakin has played this variation in 2008, against Michael Roiz, getting a draw, and tries to improve his defense.

[ Has been played: 8...Bd6 X25 9.h3 X26 Bh5 X27 10.b3 X28 0-0 X29 11.Bb2 X30 Qb8 X31 12.Rac1 X32 Rc8 X33 13.Qb1 X34 a5 X35 14.a3 X36 Qc7 X37 15.c5 X38 Bf8 X39 16.Ne5 X40 +/= and White' s initiative is not negligeable. (Karpov, Anatoly - Agrest, Evgeni 1-0 [D11] Talllinn (Estonia) Keres men rap. 2006.01.07). ; The game Roiz - Karjakin continues as follow: 8...Be7 X41 9.b3 X42 c5!N X43 A valuable novelty. ( This line is played since 2002 with usually: 9...Bh5 X44 But it is true that Black must counter to White' s control over the critical b1-h7 diagonal. ) 10.Bb2 X45 Rc8 X46 11.Rac1 X47 0-0 X48 12.cxd5 X49 exd5 X50 13.Qb1 X51 Bh5 X52 14.Ne5 X53 Bg6 X54 15.Nxg6 X55 hxg6 X56 16.Nf3 X57 with probably a significant White advantage (Michael Roiz - Sergey Karjakin [D11] 1/2-1/2 (37 m.) ol. Dresden (GER) 2008.]

9.Bxc4!N X58

"Chessbase - Corus 2009
Grandmaster groups A and B"
image Copyright: www.chessbase.com/
Chessbase - Corus 2009
Grandmaster groups A and B

An interesting novelty. Both Knights continue to defend each other.

[ 9.Nxc4 X59 Bxf3 X60 10.gxf3 X61 Nd5 X62 11.Qe2 X63 b5 X64 12.Nd2 X65 Qh4 X66 13.f4= X67 Eljanov, Pavel (2567) - Gozzoli, Cyrille (2101) [D11] 1-0 (19 m.), Marseille op 4th 28.06.2003.]

9...Be7 X68 10.e4 X69

A perfect center in reference to the Classical Chess Theory, but White has now to solve the problem of the d2-Knight insufficiently developped and obstructing the c1-h6 diagonal.

10...0-0 X70 11.Bd3 X71

This come back to the d3-square is a necessity according to the strategic importance of the b1-h7 diagonal

11...h6 X72

Judicious in view of the manoeuvre: Bh5 - Bg6 - Bh7.

12.h3! X73

An appropriate pike against the g4-Bishop.

12...Bh5 X74 13.e5 X75

Magnus Carlsen seizes the initiative and simultaneously increases his spatial control.

13...Nd5 X76 14.g4!? X77

Typically a double-edged sword. On one hand Magnus increases his pressure on the Black' s position, but on the other one this move seriously weakens the g4-square.

14...Nb4! X78 15.Bh7+ X79 Kh8 X80 16.Qb1 X81 f5! X82

A strong retort! The struggle is well engaged.

17.exf6 X83 Nxf6 X84 18.gxh5 X85

[ After: 18.Bd3 X86 Nxd3 X87 19.Qxd3 X88 Be8 X89 20.Nc4 X90 Nd5 X91 White is without clear perspectives.]

18...Nxh7 X92 19.Ne5!? X93

Obviously threatening : Ng6+ with a beautiful fork. Nevertheless we need to take into account the rather bad development of White pieces as well as the weakened White pawn structure.

19...Kg8! X94

Probably the best choice.

[ The alternative complicated variation: 19...Bd6 X95 20.Ng6+ X96 Kg8 X97 21.Nxf8 X98 Qg5+ X99 22.Kh1 X100 Qf4 X101 23.Qxh7+ X102 Kxf8 X103 24.Kg2 X104 Qg5+ X105 25.Kf3 X106 Qxh5+ X107 26.Ke3 X108 e5! X109 27.f3! X110 Re8 X111 28.Ne4 X112 exd4+ X113 29.Kf2 X114 leads presumably to a draw; indeed, White is unable to exploit his material advantage with his King so exposed ]

20.Qg6 X115 Rf6 X116 21.Qg4 X117 Ng5 X118 22.Ndc4 X119 Nd5 X120 23.h4 X121 Nf7 X122 24.Kh1 X123 Bf8 X124 25.Be3 X125 Ne7?! X126

Black plans to play his Queen in d5 and, simultaneously, this move is motivated by the desire to reinforce the control of the g6-square. But 25....Nd6 seems to be a more active defense.

26.Nb6! X127 Ra7 X128 27.Ned7 X129 Rf5 X130

The most accurate choice.

28.Rg1 X131 Nd5 X132 29.Nxd5 X133 Rxd5 X134 30.Nxf8 X135 Qxf8 X136 31.Rg3 X137

With the idea of tripling his Major pieces on the g-file

31...Ra8 X138 32.Rag1 X139 Kh8 X140 33.Qxe6 X141 Rxh5 X142 34.Qg4 X143 g6 X144 35.d5 X145

[ Very strong is: 35.Qxg6 X146 Rxh4+ X147 36.Kg2 X148 Nd6 X149 and only then: 37.d5! X150 + -]

35...Ne5! X151 36.Bd4 X152 Qf6! X153

"Chessbase - Corus 2009
Grandmaster Sergei Karjakin"
image Copyright: www.chessbase.com/
Chessbase - Corus 2009
Grandmaster Sergei Karjakin

After two very strong last Black moves the game seems to be a draw in any case.

37.Bxe5 X154 Qxe5 X155 38.dxc6 X156 bxc6 X157 39.Rd1 X158 Rg8 X159 40.Qd4 X160 Qxd4 X161 41.Rxd4 X162 g5 X163 42.Rc3 X164 Rf8 X165 43.Kg1 X166 Rf6 X167 44.hxg5 X168 Rxg5+ X169 45.Kf1 X170 Kg7 X171 46.Rdc4 X172 Ra5 X173 47.a3 X174 Rb5 X175 48.Rc2 X176 Rd6 X177 49.a4 X178 Rb6 X179 50.b4 X180 a5 X181 51.bxa5 X182 Ra6 X183 52.Rg4+ X184 Kf7 X185 53.Rc5 X186 Rd5 X187 54.Rgc4 X188 Rxa5 X189 55.Rxc6 X190 Rd1+ X191 56.Ke2 X192 Ra1 X193 57.Rf4+ X194 Ke7 X195 58.Rcc4 X196 h5 X197 59.Rb4 X198 Ra2+ X199 60.Kf3 X200 Ra3+ X201 61.Kg2 X202 Ke6 X203 62.Rbe4+ X204 Kd6 X205 63.f3 X206 Ra2+ X207 64.Kh3 X208 Ra1 X209 65.Rd4+ X210 Ke6 X211 66.Rb4 X212 Rg5 X213 67.Rfe4+ X214 Kf6 X215 68.Rf4+ X216 Ke6 X217 69.Rb6+ X218 Ke7 X219 70.Rb2 X220 Rh1+ X221 71.Rh2 X222 Ra1 X223 72.Kh4 X224 Rg8 X225 73.Rd4 X226 Kf6 X227 74.Rf4+ X228 Ke5 X229 75.Rb4 X230 Kf5 X231 76.Kh3 X232 Ra3 X233 77.Rf2 X234 Ra8 X235 78.Rb5+ X236 Kf4 X237 79.Rxh5 X238 Rxf3+

1/2-1/2

************

Chess-Theory - January 2009

[This page was conceived by
Michel Bruneau - All data is copyrighted
by: Michel Bruneau & Chess-Theory]

- DATA BASE -
ALL ANALYZED GAMES

Chess Game Analysis Rubrics

   All Analyzed games
   Your own games
   Games on the board
   Correspondence, Online
   Grandmaster of today
   Grandmaster of the past
   Illustrations of the theory
   Short games & Traps
   Greco's Chess games
   Alekhine's Chess games
   Fischer's Chess games
   Kasparov's chess games

   Download (141 games)

************

You may submit your Own Games (all level accepted) for publication in the "Chess-Theory Game analysis collection"; for this, send a mail to Michel BRUNEAU "Chess-Theory" Webmaster:

Submit your OWN GAMES NOW!

************

If you like music, you may choose now a fine background Music:

Choose now a fine background Music!...

For each music a pop-up opens behind your page.

Each pop-up owns a fine image related to the artist!

You may come back to your previous page or access all other page on the Site (the pop-up will stay open).

This music may accompany you, if you wish, through all the Site.

You may change, when you want, a music for another.

************

« Chess-Theory -
Private collection»

******** -«Chess-Theory.com»-2004-2008 ********