World Chess Championship is underway in New York

GM Magnus Carlsen is defending his world title in New York. November 14 will see round 3. So far not much has happened. Two games, two draws. Game one saw Magnus play the Trompowsky but against an excellent grandmaster it's nothing special. Online or at the club, it's a different story.

​I'm hoping  Magnus will retain his world title. Go Magnus go!!

Notes and pgn from chess.com

[Event "2016 World Championship | New York ,USA"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.11"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2853"]
[BlackElo "2772"]
[Annotator "Hess, R"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2016.11.11"]
[Sourcetitle "New York, USA"]
[Sourcedate "2016.11.11"]

{ Actor Woody Harrelson was on hand to make the first move, and the action was
underway. } 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 { A major surprise to chess viewers at home, but
not one to camp Karjakin. Magnus has essayed the Trompowsky more than 10 times,
including older games against Aronian, Ivanchuk, and Polgar. Do note that he
played some of those games in quick time controls, where less standard
openings are often used to neutralize preparation. } ( 2.Bf4 { has also been a
Magnus weapon in the past. It is incredibly difficult to prepare for an
opponent who can surprise you on move two. } ) 2...d5 3.e3 { The second most
popular move, after } ( 3.Bxf6 { This is more popular, played in approximately
two out of every three times this position is reached. I don't think there's
any real reason to rush this decision, because in order to avoid doubling his
pawns, Karjakin would have had to made a concession: either lose space by
trying to capture back on f6 with the queen (after 3...e6) or jump around with
the knight and risk allowing White to gain time by attacking it. } ) 3...c5 ( 3...Ne4 { is a possibility, and one that has been played over one hundred
times. The point is to avoid the exchange on f6, which doubles the f-pawns, as
in the game. } 4.Bf4 c5 5.Bd3 { helps explain the opening choice. The
Trompowsky is all about annoying the black knights with the white bishops. } ) 4.Bxf6 ( 4.Nc3 { has been tried by GM Dmitry Andreikin. } ) 4...gxf6 ( 4...exf6 { is also an option, but we tend to prefer to capture toward the center and not away from it. Capturing with the e-pawn is perfectly playable, but also notice that the pawn on d5 can become isolated. As we chessplayers know, a pawn's best friend is another pawn. } 5.dxc5 { and White can claim a large strategic advantage. In the long term, the pawn on d5 is a major liability. } ) 5.dxc5 Nc6 ( { In the 2013 Tal Memorial, Kramnik lost a complicated battle against Carlsen: } 5...e6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.c4 dxc4 8.c6 Nb6 9.Nbd2 c3 10.bxc3 bxc6 11.Qc2 Bg7 12.Bd3 f5 13.e4 Qf6 14.Rc1 O-O 15.O-O c5 16.Rfe1 Rd8 17.a4 c4 18.Bf1 fxe4 19.Nxe4 Qf5 20.Nd4 Bxd4 21.cxd4 Bb7 22.Nc5 Qxc2 23.Rxc2 Bc6 24.a5 Rxd4 25.axb6 axb6 26.Nxe6 fxe6 27.Bxc4 Bd7 28.h3 Kf7 29.Bb3 Ke7 30.Rce2 Rd6 31.Re4 Ra3 32.R1e3 h5 33.Rh4 Be8 34.Kh2 Bg6 35.Rb4 Kf6 36.Kg3 e5 37.Kh4 Rd4+ 38.Rxd4 exd4 39.Re6+ Kg7 40.Rxb6 d3 41.Bd1 Ra2 42.Kg3 h4+ 43.Kxh4 Rxf2 44.Kg3 Rf6 45.Rxf6 Kxf6 46.Kf4 d2 47.Ke3 Ke5 48.g3 Bf5 49.h4 Be6 50.Kxd2 Ke4 51.Ke2 Bg4+ 52.Ke1 Be6 53.Kf2 Ke5 54.Ke3 Bd7 55.Bc2 Bg4 56.Bg6 Bd7 57.h5 Kf6 58.Kf4 Be6 59.Be4 Kg7 60.Kg5 Bd7 61.h6+ Kh8 62.Kf4 Be6 63.Bf5 Bf7 64.g4 Bh5 65.g5 Kg8 66.Be6+ Kh7 67.Kf5 Bg6+ 68.Kf6 Kh8 69.Bd7 Bh5 70.Bc6 Kh7 71.Bd5 Bg6 72.Bg8+ { 1-0 (72) Carlsen,M (2864)-Kramnik,V
(2803) Moscow 2013 } ) 6.Bb5 { Technically a novelty, though the position has
occured in Rahman-Mas, from a different move order (5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. dxc5). } ( { A relevant game, and perhaps in retrospect a move Magnus might have wanted to
try, was } 6.c3 e6 7.b4 a5 8.Qb3 f5 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.b5 Nb8 11.Nbd2 O-O 12.Rc1 Nd7 13.c6 bxc6 14.bxc6 Nb8 15.Bb5 Qb6 16.Ba4 Qc5 17.O-O Nxc6 18.c4 Ne7 19.cxd5 Qxd5 20.Qa3 Qb7 21.Rc4 Rd8 22.Rb1 Qa7 23.Qc1 Ba6 24.Rc7 Rdc8 25.Rxa7 Rxc1+ 26.Rxc1 Rxa7 27.Rc5 Bb7 28.Nb3 Bd5 29.Nfd2 Be5 30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Nxa5 Bxa2 32.Bb3 Bc3 33.Bxa2 Bxa5 34.Nf3 Bc7 35.Nd2 Ba5 { Caruana,F
(2787)-Giri,A (2778) London 2015 1/2-1/2 } ) 6...e6 { Played after a 15-minute
think, Karjakin - likely flustered by the opening surprise - reserves his
right to castle. A viable alternative was } ( 6...Rg8 { which attacks the pawn
on g2, and now challenges White to figure out how to defend without
compromising the light squares beyond repair. } 7.Nc3 e6 8.g3 Bxc5 9.Qh5 { is much more pleasant for Carlsen. Material is equal, but there are key
elements that must not be understated: the black kingside is airy and hard to
defend; in return, there are two bishops for Karjakin to work with; Carlsen
can castle in either direction (but queenside is to be preferred), while
Karjakin has difficulty getting his king out of harm's way. The position
should soon open, with a rook on d1 becoming a menacing piece. } ) 7.c4 dxc4 8.Nd2 { Carlsen wisely decided to keep the queens on the board. When your
opponent's king is vulnerable - as the black king currently is stuck in the
center without clear future shelter - it often is imperative refrain from
trading. Queens are much better attackers than they are defenders: they are
worth so much, that they succumb to succumb to the pressure of knights and
bishops. } ( { The predecessor was even better for Black: } 8.Nc3 Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Bxc5 10.Nf3 Ke7 11.O-O Na5 12.Ne4 Bb6 13.Nfd2 f5 14.Nc3 a6 15.Nxc4 Nxc4 16.Bxc4 Bd7 17.Bd5 Rab8 18.Bf3 Rhc8 19.Rc1 Rc7 20.Ne2 Rbc8 21.Rxc7 Rxc7 22.Rc1 Kd8 23.Rxc7 Kxc7 24.Nf4 Bc5 25.Bh5 f6 26.Kf1 Kd6 27.Nd3 Ba7 28.Ke2 Bb5 29.Kd2 Bxd3 30.Kxd3 f4 { 1/2-1/2 (30) Rahman,Z (2564)-Mas,H (2386)
Kuala Lumpur 2008 } ) 8...Bxc5 9.Ngf3 O-O 10.O-O ( 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Qc2 Ba6 { further ruins the black pawn structure, but Black now has the ability to more
or less force a series of trades: } 12.O-O c3 13.Ne4 Bd3 14.Qxc3 Bxe4 15.Qxc5 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Qd5 { is just equal. } ) 10...Na5 11.Rc1 ( 11.Nxc4 { is not
recommended, considering that it encourages a queen trade and too much
liquidation. The main promise of the position is that Black's pawn is on f6
rather than g7, which is a much bigger issue when more material is on the
board. } ) 11...Be7 { The first move that Magnus did not instantly respond to. } 12.Qc2 { The right decision by Carlsen, played after a 15-minute think. It's
not that this move offers White an advantage; rather, it allows his position
to retain some potential energy. The other main option gives Carlsen
absolutely nothing. } ( 12.Nxc4 a6 ( 12...Qxd1 13.Rfxd1 { offers White some
small chances due to the superiority of the rooks. } 13...Nxc4 14.Bxc4 Rd8 15.Rxd8+ Bxd8 16.Rd1 Be7 17.g4 { actually gives White a slight pull. In order to
finish the queenside development, Karjakin would have to push some of his
pawns. An obvious yet important reminder: once they move forward, pawns can't
move back. So, oftentimes we hope to reserve our pawn pushes. } ) 13.Qxd8 Bxd8 14.Nd6 Be7 15.Nxc8 Raxc8 16.Bd7 Rxc1 17.Rxc1 Rd8 { is completely equal. The
bishops of opposite color remove all winning chances. } ) 12...Bd7 { Trading off
the pesky light-square bishop is necessary. Tempting would have been } ( 12...a6 { but while the pawn attacks the bishop, it actually helps the piece breathe
new life. } 13.Bxc4 Nxc4 ( 13...Bd7 14.Bd3 { so why did Black play a6? It
really just helped White! } ) 14.Nxc4 { does not feel all that comfortable for
Black, who must contend with a rook quickly coming to d1. While we tend to
prefer two bishops to two knights, only one side has an exposed king. Moreover,
the knights will find themselves situated in the center of the board, where
they limit the mobility of the bishops. A very slight edge here, but
practically much easier for White. } ) 13.Bxd7 Qxd7 14.Qc3 Qd5 15.Nxc4 Nxc4 16.Qxc4 ( 16.Rfd1 { was a possible intermezzo. The knight on c4 is not going
anywhere, so this rook swing is a free developing move. Unfortunately for
Carlsen, it would not change much after } 16...Qb5 17.Qxc4 Qxc4 18.Rxc4 Rac8 { White has no time to infiltrate on the seventh rank, because allowing a rook
to his unguarded back rank would prove fatal. Thus, the position would remain
slightly better for Carlsen, but just like the game. } ) 16...Qxc4 { The
following sequence of trades is best. } 17.Rxc4 { I must stop here and mention
the intentions of the players. Black is slightly worse, so he hopes to curtail
his opponent's activity. White has the superior pawn structure: if you cut the
board to the right of the f-file, you notice that White has two pawns to
Black's one. This could not be more essential to the prospects of the position.
Carlsen would love nothing more than to trade his g-pawn for Black's h-pawn,
thus creating a passed pawn. In endgames, such a passed pawn can decide the
game. Also note the dynamics of bishop versus knight. The knight can hop to
both colors; the bishop is stuck on the dark squares. In open positions we
value our bishops more, but in an endgame like this, it's hugely beneficial to
have a piece that can potentially attack and defend every square on the board. } 17...Rfc8 18.Rfc1 ( 18.Rd4 Kf8 { is just fine for Black. White would love to swing
some pieces to the kingside and attack the solitary h-pawn, but the white
queenside remains vulnerable. With all target points covered, Black is just
symbolically worse. } ) 18...Rxc4 19.Rxc4 Rd8 { Of course, taking control of
the other open file. Karjakin can hardly afford to give Carlsen unopposed
control of the board. Now, his rook is just in time to stop seventh rank
infiltration. } 20.g3 { providing space for the White king, but not quite
enough! } ( 20.Rc7?? Rd1+ 21.Ne1 Rxe1# { would be a tragic blunder into
checkmate. } ) ( 20.g4 { was a better move, and was recommended in the live
commentary by GM Judit Polgar. The point is that this push prevents Karjakin
from pushing both his f- and h-pawns, which in turn means the bishop can't
find a comfortable home on f6. White can also dream about running his king up
the right flank if the opportunity arises. } ) 20...Rd7 ( 20...Kf8 { would be an
unwise decision. It forces Black to play ultra passively in order to defend. } 21.Rc7 Rb8 { is not the position a rook wants to be in. Granted, Black can
kick the rook from c7 in a few moves (after Ke8 and then Bd6), but a rook is
best stationed for defense when it also has the ability to get active. } ) 21.Kf1 f5 { Now Karjakin defends the h4 square against a rook swing while also
opening up a new diagonal for the bishop. } 22.Ke2 ( 22.Ne5 Rd5 ( 22...Rd2 23.Rc7 { quickly becomes problematic for Black. There are many pawns on the
seventh rank, and not all are defensible. While it looks like } 23...Bd6 { forks a
knight and rook, in reality it just backfires to the pin } 24.Rd7 { and now
White is completely winning, since the pawns can't be saved. } ) 23.Rc7 Bd6 24.Rc8+ Kg7 25.Nc4 Be7 26.Rc7 b5 ) 22...Bf6 23.b3 ( 23.b4 { was an intriguing
option. On both knight files, Magnus refrained from pushing his pawn two
squares. I would also be reluctant to put my pawn on the color of my
opponent's bishop, but that might be a necessary trade-off for more control of
the board. Regardless, the bishop now stares into empty space. } ) 23...Kf8 { Natural, the king belongs in the center in the endgame. From there it can head
to either side of the board. } 24.h3 h6 25.Ne1 { From f3, the knight has
nowhere to go. The bishop on f6 covers all possible entry squares. Now the
knight will go on a journey. } 25...Ke7 26.Nd3 Kd8 27.f4 { Gaining space, this move
can prove useful in limiting the scope of the bishop. The two players discussed the move at the press conference. "Maybe f4 wasn't the best way," Karjakin said. "But you cannot say that White missed big chances." Carlsen said he had thoughts of playing Ne5 and after the trade winning a king-and-pawn ending. "But that was just a mirage." } 27...h5 { A good move by Karjakin, stalling White's
potential kingside expansion. } ( 27...b6 28.Ne5 Bxe5 29.fxe5 { is the idea
mentioned in the previous note. White aims to capture the pawn on h6 and
create a passed rook pawn. It doesn't seem to give White an objective
advantage, but it does give pose some practical difficulties for Karjakin. } 29...Rd5 ( 29...Ke7 30.Rh4 Rc7 { should hold the balance. } ) 30.Ra4 a5 31.Rd4 { needs
to be calculated to the very end, since the pawn endame can prove disastrous
for Black without proper calculation. } ) 28.a4 { Now Carlsen aims to gain space.
Better late than never. } 28...Rd5 ( 28...Rc7 { is tempting, but knight versus bishop
endings are not always favorable for the side with the minor piece that can
challenge on only one color. In fact, this move might just lose: } 29.Rxc7 Kxc7 30.Ne5 Bxe5 { if not, the pawn on f7 falls. } 31.fxe5 Kc6 ( 31...Kd7 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Kf4 f6 34.b4 { and with the more active king, White should win the
king and pawn ending. } ) 32.Kf3 Kc5 33.e4 Kd4 ( 33...fxe4+?? 34.Kxe4 Kb4 35.h4 Kxb3 36.g4 { and White breaks through and queens. } ) 34.exf5 Kxe5 35.fxe6 Kxe6 ( 35...fxe6 36.g4 { is winning because of the nature of the passed pawns.
White will use his outside passer as a decoy, forcing Black's king to step in
front. In the meantime, the White king will go after the e-pawn and then has a
direct path to the remaining queenside pawns. } ) 36.Kf4 Kf6 37.a5 b6 38.axb6 axb6 39.h4 { and White wins the endgame because after } 39...b5 40.b4 { is zugzwang.
The black king has to move, and White's king will run in the opposite
direction. } 40...Kg6 41.Ke5 Kg7 42.Kf5 f6 43.g4 { wins for White, again thanks to
the outside passed pawn. Black is forced to place his king on the h-file,
while White will capture f6 and then run to b5. } ) 29.Nc5 b6 { One hole has
been provoked, but it is not enough. } 30.Na6 Be7 31.Nb8 ( 31.b4 Bd6 32.b5 { appears to provide benefit, since space is gained and the knight has a stable
outpost. But the position is equal, as the knight really has nowhere to go and
Black can just stay put with } 32...Kd7 { if White is not careful, he can quickly
receive a worse position. } 33.Rd4 Rxd4 34.exd4 h4! { is not what Carlsen is
looking for in the endgame. Now that the f4 pawn is undermined, Karjakin can
even claim a slight edge. The knight on a6 is completely tamed by the bishop
on d6, meaning only Black can win. } ) ( 31.Rc7 Rd7 32.Rc3 Rd5 { has changed
nothing. } ) 31...a5 { Defending the pawn by pushing it to a protected square. } 32.Nc6+ Ke8 33.Ne5 ( 33.Nxe7 Kxe7 34.Rc6 Kd7! { is now possible,
indirectly defending the pawn on b6. How? Because } 35.Rxb6 Kc7 36.Rb5 Rxb5 37.axb5 Kb6 { regains the pawn, with an equal ending. } ) 33...Bc5 { The bishop
has found footing on c5, and there is little hope left for Carlsen. He quickly
lets the game liquidate into a draw. } 34.Rc3 Ke7 35.Rd3 Rxd3 36.Kxd3 f6 { What else? That knight on e5 is really annoying. } 37.Nc6+ ( 37.Nc4 { is not a
better square. There's no target for White to attack, since there the knight
can't ever get to the h5 pawn. Unfortunately for Carlsen, his king and knight
can't share the same square! } ) 37...Kd6 38.Nd4 Kd5 ( 38...Bxd4 39.Kxd4 { is still completely drawn, but why allow White any hope? Because the white
king is more advanced, only he can win such an ending. } ) 39.Nb5 Kc6 40.Nd4+ Kd6 41.Nb5+ Kd7 42.Nd4 Kd6 { A draw by repetition was agreed, as neither side
can make progress. }
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​[Event "2016 World Championship | New York, USA"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]
[BlackElo "2853"]
[Annotator "Hess, R"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 ( 3...Nf6 { Unlike in the 2000 Kasparov-Kramnik
match, Magnus Carlsen is not interested in entering the Berlin Defense. While
Kramnik used the opening to neutralize Kasparov's white pieces, it makes
frequent appearances at all top-level events. Both Karjakin and Carlsen have
enjoyed some success in the opening, but the World Champion - staying true to
his early match strategy - deviates from the most topical line. A potential
concern may have been the developments uncovered by GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave,
who had Carlsen against the ropes before letting him escape in a game this
year. } ) 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 { According to the database, this move is a distant second in terms of popularity in this opening.
Karjakin, typically known for his extensive opening preparation, decides to
steer clear of the main line: } ( 6.Re1 { perhaps was avoided because it was
easier for Carlsen to prepare for. Additionally, Karjakin suffered an
uninspiring defeat against GM Peter Svidler on the white side of this position
back in May, so it is possible his team of seconds did not find enough
improvements to justify repeating the line. } 6...b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 b4 9.d4 d6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nbd2 Bc5 12.a5 h6 13.h3 Qd6 14.Qe2 Be6 15.Nc4 Qe7 16.c3 bxc3 17.bxc3 Nh5 18.g4 Nf4 19.Bxf4 exf4 { eventually resulted in 0-1 (56)
Karjakin,S (2779)-Svidler,P (2762) Sochi 2016 } ) 6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 { This move can be characterized as "slow," but the point is clear: to keep the
light-square bishop on the board. } ( 8.a4 { is the most popular continuation,
though Carlsen beat Svidler from the black side of this position during the
2013 Candidates' Tournament. } ) 8...O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 ( 9...Bg4 { is the more
popular choice, making use of the fact that White has yet to play h3. Black of
course wants to hop the knight into d4, but minor pieces get swapped off, and
the simplification leads to only a small plus for White. } 10.Be3 Nd4 11.Bxd4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nd7 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 { and I don't think White has much at all. } ) 10.Ba2 Be6 11.d4 ( 11.b4 Bxa2 12.Rxa2 Nc6 13.Bg5 { has been faced by
Aronian on a couple of occasions, and he managed to hold his own. White has a
slight pull thanks to better control of d5 than Black has of d4, and the
possibility of breaks with a4 or d4, but with proper play, Black should be
hanging in there. } ) ( 11.Bxe6 { It is perfectly reasonable to wonder why
Karjakin did not initiate the trade of bishops. After all, the move doubles
the black pawns. But it also opens up the f-file for the rook and gives
Carlsen additional control of the key central squares. In many positions, it
is often advised to allow to exchange to come to you when forcing the issue
may change the pawn structure in a way favorable for your opponent. } 11...fxe6 { The position is level, but much more comfortable to play with from the black
side. Qe8 is a possibilty in the near future, and with Nh5-f4 ideas, Carlsen
would not complain. } ) 11...Bxa2 12.Rxa2 Re8 { This is the move that seemed to
faze Karjakin, who slowed his pace and spent 15 minutes figuring out his
strategy. } 13.Ra1 { A novelty, but the important deviations occurred
earlier in the game. The only game in this line was a recent one between
players rated nearly a collective 700 points below the ones in this match.
Based on the time spent by both players to get to this position, I think it is
safe to say that neither player was familiar with the predecessor, which ended
in a relatively short draw starting with 13. Qd3. } ( 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 { does not win a pawn. Black has the simple } 14...Qxd1 15.Rxd1 Bd6 { and now the
knight is attacked by two pieces, so even defending it with } 16.f4 { returns
the pawn. } 16...Bxe5 17.fxe5 Rxe5 18.Bf4 Ree8 19.Bxc7 Nc4 { Black again is a pawn
behind, but the white forces are discombobulated, and the e-pawn is isolated
and weak. Black is even to be preferred. } ) 13...Nc4 { The knight reroutes
itself into a more central square, but this is merely a temporary destination.
Karjakin will kick the knight out, but at least from b6, the piece will have
some purpose (covering d5, for example). } 14.Re1 Rc8 { A move which many
spectators found curious. The rook moves from a closed file to an even more
closed file. But the purpose of the move is not about the rook; it is about
supporting the push c7-c6. } ( 14...c6 15.b3 exd4 ( 15...Nb6 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Nxe5 { and Carlsen would be forced to prove he has enough compensation for the
sacrificed pawn. The specific variations are less important than the main
theme: The c6-pawn might be a casualty, whereas with the rook on c8 it is safe. } ) 16.Nxd4 { and again, we see the c6-pawn in real trouble. The f5-square is
also a nice place for the knight to station itself. Black is by no means lost
(the game is still complex), but White's advantage is steadily growing. } ) 15.h3 ( 15.a4 { is definitely tempting, now that the rook has left its nest. But
moving a pawn leaves the square adjacent to it unprotected, so now Black can
go forth with } 15...b4 ( 15...c6 { is also a normal way to defend, as in the game. } ) ) ( 15.b3 Nb6 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Qxd8 Bxd8 { keeps e5 guarded. Carlsen's pieces
are only temporarily awkard, and despite the slight edge for White, the
balance should be held. } ) 15...h6 16.b3 Nb6 17.Bb2 ( 17.dxe5 { was now the
time to take? } 17...dxe5 18.Qxd8 Bxd8 ( 18...Rcxd8 { does not work well for Black. } 19.Nxe5 Bc5 20.Nf3 ) 19.a4 c6 20.axb5 axb5 { and I'm not seeing a clear way
for Karjakin to proceed. I do prefer this to the game variation, because the
bishops' placement currently favors White. Be3 or Bb2 can be played, while its
counterpart on d8 is awkwardly placed. } ) 17...Bf8 18.dxe5 { Apparently now is
the time! Karjakin ends the tense central struggle, believing the situation
has turned in his favor. } 18...dxe5 19.a4 ( 19.Qxd8 Rcxd8 20.Na2! { was a
fantastic idea. Now Carlsen would have to protect e5 while also facing the
annoying idea of Nb4. To me, this was a huge missed opportunity to apply
pressure to the champ. } ) 19...c6 20.Qxd8 Rcxd8 21.axb5 axb5 22.Ne2 { This move is not a blunder, but I consider it an inaccuracy that throws away
any chance at even a symbolic advantage. } ( 22.Na2 Nbd7 23.Nc1 { was a good
way to position the knight on its best square. The position should still be
equal, but Carlsen would be forced to find a few accurate moves to ensure he
collects the half-point. } ) ( 22.Ra6 Nfd7 { holds everything together.
Importantly, Black can contend on the a-file thanks to the knight on b6. } ) 22...Bb4 { Carlsen very intelligently avoids getting too eager. Some players
would try too hard to fight for an advantage in a position that warrants quiet
moves. It was good that the world champion lacked ambition in the position,
seemingly having already resigned himself to making a draw rather than seeking
an advantage. Granted, the position is objectively equal, but there are always
traps--for Black to avoid. } ( 22...Nxe4 23.Bxe5 ( 23.Nxe5? Bc5 { when
Carlsen lashes out and wins material. } 24.Nd3 Rxd3 25.cxd3 Bxf2+ 26.Kf1 Bxe1 27.dxe4 Bd2 28.Ra6 Be3 29.Bd4 Bxd4 30.Nxd4 Rxe4 31.Nxc6 Nd7 { should still
be a draw, but Karjakin has to fight for it considering he is a pawn down. } ) 23...Ng5 24.Bc7 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Rd2 26.Bxb6 Rdxe2 27.Rxe2 Rxe2 28.Ra8 Rxc2 29.b4 { and with Bc5 coming, Black will be forced to sacrifice his rook for
the bishop. This will result in him desperately hoping for a draw. This is an
important lesson to stay objective rather than seeking a win where one does
not exist. } ) 23.Bc3 Bxc3 24.Nxc3 Nbd7 25.Ra6 Rc8 26.b4 Re6 ( 26...c5 { is equal, but Karjakin would be forced on the defensive. } 27.Nxb5 cxb4 28.Nd6 Re6 29.Nxc8 Rxa6 30.Rd1 { and optically, White is the one forced to defend
his weaknesses on c2 and e4. The advantage is an illusion, but Black can't
complain. } ) 27.Rb1 c5 { Getting all the pieces off the board, forcing the draw. } 28.Rxe6 fxe6 29.Nxb5 ( 29.bxc5 Rxc5 30.Nxb5 ( 30.Rb3 b4 { forces Karjakin
to back pedal, but even here Carlsen lacks winning chances because of his ugly
doubled pawns. That means that winning the e-pawn is nice, but there are no
passed pawns. } ) 30...Rxc2 { is similarly equal. } ) 29...cxb4 30.Rxb4 Rxc2 31.Nd6 Rc1+ 32.Kh2 Rc2 33.Kg1 { There is no other way to defend the pawn than to
return the king to g1. Carlsen has done well to hold a draw without much
stress. }
1/2-1/2