Will They Play Forever? - Nakamura vs Carlsen | Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour Grand Final - FOGOLF

Opening: Ruy Lopez
Title: Will They Play Forever? – Nakamura vs Carlsen | Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour Grand Final

[Event “2020-magnus-carlsen-chess-tour-kiva-fin”]
[Site ”
[Date “2020.08.20”]
[Round “55”]
[White “Nakamura, Hikaru”]
[Black “Carlsen, Magnus”]
[Result “1-0”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {the Ruy Lopez} Nf6 {the Berlin Defense} 4. d3 Bc5
5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. h3 {is a sideline. Nakamura already played the
exchange against the Berlin many times during this final. In their last game
he played Qe2 that protects f2 and after that Black must really protect the e5
pawn} Nd7 8. Nc4 {there is pressure but until white has f2 well protected he
can’t capture the pawn. Nakamura already played this line of the Berlin many
times against Carlsen during this final. In their last game he played Qe2 that
protects f2 and after that Black must really protect the e5 pawn} a5 {only 1
game in database, a draw between international masters played in 2017} 9. g4 {
is an aggressive idea and a novelty. Short castle was played before} (9. Nfxe5
Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Qd4) 9… Re8 10. Rg1 {what is this? A sort of freak attack
against the Berlin?} a4 11. Ne3 {probably with the idea of Nf5} Bxe3 12. Bxe3
Nf8 13. h4 Qd6 14. Qd2 {with white that seems ready to castle long} c5 15. h5
b5 16. Nh4 Qc6 17. Nf5 c4 {Stockfish doesn’t like this move. The engine
prefers to improve the pieces, an interesting moment of the game. is it
possible for white to go all in. Nakamura will play} 18. Qb4 (18. Bh6 {is very
tempting. Black must somehiw react. After The timid} g6 (18… gxh6 19. Nxh6+
Kh8 20. Qg5 Ng6 {only move} 21. Nxf7+ Kg7 22. Qh6+ Kxf7 {White just sacrificed
the second piece} 23. Qxh7+ Ke6 {best move} (23… Kf8 {loses the game} 24.
hxg6 Qd7 25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Qxe5+ Kd8 (26… Kf8 27. Qf4+) (26… Qe6 27. Qxc7+
Bd7 28. Qc5+ Kd8 29. O-O-O {white got 5 pawns for a piece}) 27. Qg5+ Qe7 28.
Qd5+) 24. Qxg6+ Kd7 25. Qxc6+ Kxc6 26. g5 {a piece for three pawns and two of
them are connected passed pawns, plus the Black’s king position is a mess. A
difficult endgame for Black}) 19. hxg6 fxg6 20. Qg5 cxd3 21. cxd3 Qd7 22. Rg3 {
protecting the pawn but also ready to move to f3 and conquer the f-file} Qf7
23. Ke2 {then Rh1 with a strong attack}) 18… a3 19. b3 cxd3 20. cxd3 Qc2 21.
h6 g6 22. Rc1 Qxd3 23. Rd1 Qc2 24. Ng7 Bb7 25. Nxe8 Rxe8 26. f3 Qxa2 {Naka
misses the strongest move} 27. Rd2 (27. Qxb5) 27… Qb1+ 28. Kf2 a2 29. Qc3 Ra8
{is the last mistake} 30. Rxb1 axb1=Q 31. Qxe5 {and Carlsen resigns} Qa1 32.
Bd4 1-0