ALTIBOX NORWAY CHESS 2018 ROUND 1

Early on in the round it looked almost as if Nakamura would end Ding’s 72 game unbeaten streak, but somehow the Chinese GM held it together for the draw.

On the flip side World Champion Magnus Carlsen has a reputation for starting tournaments slowly. This was the fifth time in the past 18 months that Carlsen and Caruana have faced off in the opening round after St Louis 2017; London 2017; Wijk 2018; and Baden-Baden 2018. The previous four encounters were all draws. Not this time… See below.

Carlsen,Magnus (2843) - Caruana,Fabiano (2822)

6th Altibox Norway Chess 2018 Stavanger (1.4), 28.05.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 a5 Strongly threatening ...a4. C24: Bishop's Opening: 2...Nf6 

8.c3 [8.a3 a4 9.Ba2 Nbd7 10.0–0 0–0 11.Re1 Re8 12.h3 h6 13.Nf1 Qb6 14.Ne3 d4 15.Nf5 0–1 (42) Adhiban,B (2655)-Ding,L (2777) Riadh 2017] 

8...Nbd7 9.exd5 cxd5 The position is equal. 

10.0–0 0–0 11.Re1 Re8 12.Nf1 

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12...b5N [12...Qc7 13.Ne3 Nb6 14.a4 Bg4 15.Nxg4 Nxg4 1/2–1/2 (41) Pirs,M (2552) -Akdag,M (2535) ICCF email 2011] 

13.a4 b4 14.cxb4 axb4 15.Ne3 Bb7 16.d4 e4 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Rxe5 19.Qd4 Re7 20.Rac1 Rd7 21.Red1 h6 22.Rc5 Ra5 23.Rxa5 Qxa5 24.h3 Kh7 25.Rc1 Rc7 [25...Qa6= keeps the balance.] 

26.Rxc7!± Qxc7 27.Qxb4 Qc1+ 28.Bd1 Ba6 29.Qd4 Be2 30.Kh2 [30.b4 seems wilder. 30...Bd3 31.Kh2 Qc7+ 32.g3 Qc1 33.Bg4] 

30...Bxd1 [30...Qc7+± 31.g3 Bxd1 32.Nxd1 Qc2] 

31.Nxd1+- Qc7+ 32.Kg1 Qc1 

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33.b4! e3 34.fxe3 Ne4 35.Qxd5 Nd2 36.Qf5+ Kh8 37.Qg4 f5 38.Qe2 Ne4 

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and the idea ...Nc3 leaves Black hopeful. 

39.Qe1! Qa1 [39...h5 is a better defense. 40.a5 Qc4] 

40.a5 Nd6 41.Qd2 Nc4 42.Qd4 Qc1 intending ...Nd2. 

43.Kf1 Nxe3+ 44.Qxe3 Qxd1+ Endgame KQ-KQ 

45.Kf2 Qc2+ 46.Kg3 g5 [¹46...Kg8 47.Qd4 Qc7+ 48.Qf4 Qc2] 

47.Qe5+ Kh7 48.Kh2 f4 49.Qd5 Qa4 50.Qf7+ Kh8 51.Qg6 Qxb4 52.Qxh6+ Kg8 53.Qxg5+ Kh7 54.Qh5+ Kg7 55.Qg5+ Kh7! 56.h4 Qd6 57.Qh5+ [¹57.h5 f3+ 58.g3 Qd1 59.Qg6+ Kh8 60.h6 Qe2+ 61.Kh3 Qf1+ 62.Kh4] 

57...Kg7 Now ...f3+ and Black clings on. 

58.Qg5+ [58.Kh3+-] 

58...Kh7! 59.h5 f3+ 60.g3 [¹60.Qg3 Qc5 61.a6 fxg2 62.Qd3+ (62.Qxg2 Qd6+ 63.Kh3 Qxa6=; 62.Kxg2 Qc6+ 63.Kf2 Qxa6=) 62...Kh8 63.Kxg2] 

60...f2 

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[60...Qd4+- 61.Qg6+ Kh8] 

61.Qg6+! Kh8 [61...Qxg6 62.hxg6+] 

62.Qxd6 f1Q KQ-KQ 

63.Qh6+ Kg8 64.Qe6+ Kh8 65.Qe3 Qb5 66.Qc3+ Kh7 67.g4 Qd5 68.Qc7+ Kg8 69.Kg3 Qe6 

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70.Qd8+ [¹70.Qc5 Qe1+ 71.Kf4 Qd2+ 72.Ke4 Qe2+ 73.Kf5 Qd3+ 74.Kf6 Qd8+ 75.Kf5 Qd7+ 76.Kf4 Qd2+ 77.Ke4 Qe2+ 78.Kf5 Qd3+ 79.Kf6 Qd8+ 80.Qe7 Qd4+ 81.Qe5 Qf2+ 82.Ke6 Qf7+ 83.Kd6 Qf8+ 84.Kd7] 

70...Kh7 71.Qd3+ White mates. 

71...Kh8 72.a6 Qe5+ 73.Kh3 Qa1 74.Qd8+ Kh7 75.Qe7+ Kh6 76.Qe3+ Kh7 77.a7  1–0