[Event "London World Ch."] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/80Xf3Bdb/alndlaH8"] [Date "2018.11.16"] [Round "6"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2835"] [BlackElo "2832"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/IanRogers"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/80Xf3Bdb/alndlaH8"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.12] } 1... e5 { [%eval 0.37] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.23] } 2... Nf6 { [%eval 0.55] } 3. Nxe5 { [%eval 0.27] } 3... d6 { [%eval 0.28] } 4. Nd3!? { [%eval 0.14] } { A weird move which has only recently been revived and will now be buried:) } 4... Nxe4 { [%eval 0.14] } 5. Qe2 { [%eval 0.08] } 5... Qe7 { [%eval 0.15] } 6. Nf4 { [%eval 0.21] } 6... Nc6! { [%eval 0.07] } 7. Nd5 { [%eval 0.04] } 7... Nd4 $146 { [%eval 0.09] } { This trick, though not previously played, was already well known by many top players so it is inconceivable that Carlsen and his team were not aware of the idea. More likely he fancied his chances in the very slightly superior endgame which ensues. } 8. Nxe7 { [%eval 0.08] } 8... Nxe2 { [%eval 0.16] } 9. Nd5 { [%eval 0.15] } 9... Nd4 { [%eval 0.15] } 10. Na3 { [%eval 0.13] } 10... Ne6 { [%eval 0.07] } 11. f3 { [%eval 0.06] } 11... N4c5 { [%eval 0.15] } 12. d4 { [%eval 0.13] } 12... Nd7 { [%eval 0.22] } 13. c3 { [%eval 0.17] } 13... c6 { [%eval 0.15] } 14. Nf4 { [%eval 0.14] } 14... Nb6 { [%eval 0.32] } 15. Bd3 { [%eval 0.15] } 15... d5 { [%eval 0.27] } { This position strongly resembles an Exchange French, a variation that no one believes is a good method of playing for a win, except for some strange residents of London... } 16. Nc2 { [%eval 0.22] } 16... Bd6 { [%eval 0.28] } 17. Nxe6 { [%eval 0.2] } 17... Bxe6 { [%eval 0.22] } 18. Kf2 { [%eval 0.21] } 18... h5 { [%eval 0.24] } 19. h4 { [%eval 0.26] } 19... Nc8 { [%eval 0.2] } 20. Ne3 { [%eval 0.09] } 20... Ne7 { [%eval 0.0] } 21. g3 { [%eval 0.0] } 21... c5! { [%eval 0.0] } { As Carlsen admitted, from here to the first time control White starts drifting and is comprehensively outplayed. } 22. Bc2 { [%eval -0.19] } 22... O-O { [%eval -0.24] } 23. Rd1 { [%eval -0.26] } 23... Rfd8 { [%eval -0.07] } 24. Ng2 { [%eval -0.25] } 24... cxd4 { [%eval -0.11] } 25. cxd4 { [%eval -0.09] } 25... Rac8 { [%eval 0.0] } 26. Bb3 { [%eval -0.05] } 26... Nc6 { [%eval 0.0] } 27. Bf4 { [%eval 0.0] } 27... Na5 { [%eval -0.08] } 28. Rdc1 { [%eval -0.19] } 28... Bb4 { [%eval -0.08] } { "The position was so sterile, I really shouldn't have got anything," said Caruana. } 29. Bd1?! { [%eval -0.35] } { A move heavily criticised by Carlsen, who later felt that he should grovel for a draw with } (29. Bc7! Nxb3 30. axb3 Re8 31. Bf4 { , though } (31. Rxa7!? Re7 32. Rxb7 Ba5 33. Bxa5 { might be a safer way to reach equality. })) 29... Nc4 { [%eval -0.37] } 30. b3 { [%eval -0.31] } 30... Na3 { [%eval -0.32] } 31. Rxc8 { [%eval -0.38] } 31... Rxc8 { [%eval -0.08] } 32. Rc1 { [%eval -0.12] } 32... Nb5 { [%eval 0.0] } 33. Rxc8+ { [%eval 0.0] } 33... Bxc8 { [%eval 0.0] } 34. Ne3 { [%eval -0.32] } 34... Nc3 { [%eval 0.0] } 35. Bc2 { [%eval -0.14] } 35... Ba3 { [%eval -0.1] } 36. Bb8 { [%eval -0.41] } 36... a6 { [%eval -0.36] } 37. f4 { [%eval -0.38] } 37... Bd7 { [%eval -0.17] } 38. f5 { [%eval -0.42] } 38... Bc6 { [%eval -0.31] } 39. Bd1 { [%eval -0.25] } 39... Bb2 { [%eval -0.08] } 40. Bxh5 { [%eval -0.08] } 40... Ne4+ { [%eval -0.32] } { A tough decision with little time on the clock. } (40... Nxa2 41. Ba7 Nc3! { was also very promising for Black. }) 41. Kg2 { [%eval -0.34] } 41... Bxd4 { [%eval -0.25] } 42. Bf4 { [%eval -0.34] } 42... Bc5 { [%eval -0.31] } 43. Bf3 { [%eval -0.35] } 43... Nd2 { [%eval -0.25] } 44. Bxd5 { [%eval -0.7] } { Sacrificing a piece. "I didn't feel great about it," said Carlsen, "but I don't know what I should have done. } (44. Nd1 { might hold but in practice Black's bishops and d pawn will provide plenty of chances. }) 44... Bxe3 { [%eval -0.7] } 45. Bxc6 { [%eval -0.67] } 45... Bxf4 { [%eval -0.67] } 46. Bxb7 { [%eval -0.73] } 46... Bd6 { [%eval -0.7] } 47. Bxa6 { [%eval -0.72] } 47... Ne4 { [%eval -0.49] } 48. g4 { [%eval -0.7] } 48... Ba3 { [%eval -0.71] } 49. Bc4 { [%eval -0.72] } 49... Nc3 { [%eval -0.7] } 50. g5 { [%eval -0.59] } 50... Kf8 { [%eval -0.57] } 51. b4 { [%eval -0.7] } 51... Bxb4 { [%eval -0.57] } 52. Kf3 { [%eval -0.63] } 52... Na4 { [%eval -0.57] } { The supercomputer Leela claimed a win after } (52... f6 53. Ke3 Bc5+ 54. Kf4 Ke7 55. Kg4 Bf2 { but as usual it is difficult to understand why this should be so much better than the game, with similar fortress possibilities. }) 53. Bb5 { [%eval -0.64] } 53... Nc5 { [%eval -0.62] } 54. a4 { [%eval -0.94] } 54... f6 { [%eval -0.93] } 55. Kg4 { [%eval -1.03] } 55... Ne4 { [%eval -1.02] } 56. Kh5 { [%eval -1.03] } 56... Be1 { [%eval -1.03] } 57. Bd3 { [%eval -1.03] } 57... Nd6 { [%eval -1.03] } 58. a5 { [%eval -1.03] } 58... Bxa5 { [%eval -1.03] } 59. gxf6 { [%eval -1.03] } 59... gxf6 { [%eval -1.03] } 60. Kg6 { [%eval -1.03] } 60... Bd8 { [%eval -1.03] } 61. Kh7 { [%eval -1.03] } 61... Nf7 { [%eval -1.03] } 62. Bc4 { [%eval -1.03] } 62... Ne5 { [%eval -1.03] } 63. Bd5 { [%eval -1.03] } 63... Ba5 { [%eval -1.03] } 64. h5 { [%eval -1.03] } 64... Bd2 { [%eval -1.03] } 65. Ba2 { [%eval -1.03] } 65... Nf3 { [%eval -1.03] } 66. Bd5 { [%eval -1.03] } 66... Nd4 { [%eval -1.03] } 67. Kg6?! { [%eval -1.73] } { Inaccuracy. Best move was Be4. } (67. Be4 Bg5 68. Bd3 Bh4 69. Kh8 Nf3 70. Kh7 Ng5+ 71. Kh8 Be1 72. Be2 Bd2 73. Bc4 Nf7+) 67... Bg5 { [%eval -1.64] } 68. Bc4 { [%eval -1.11] } 68... Nf3?! { [%eval -1.03] } { The computers claim a forced mate after } (68... Bh4! 69. Bd5 (69. Bd3 Kg8! { and once the Black king is in the corner the White king can be pushed out. }) 69... Ne2! 70. Bf3 Ng1! { and now 71.Bg4 Kg8 is the computer main line and White eventually runs out of moves. However the many humans analysing the position at the venue, including Judit Polgar, could not work out why } 71. Bd5!? Nh3 72. Kh7 { should be a forced win. In any case "At some point I had pretty much given up [hope]," said Caruana. "I thought it was a fortress." }) 69. Kh7 { [%eval -1.03] } 69... Ne5 { [%eval -1.03] } 70. Bb3 { [%eval -1.03] } 70... Ng4 { [%eval -1.03] } 71. Bc4 { [%eval -1.03] } 71... Ne3 { [%eval -1.03] } 72. Bd3 { [%eval -1.03] } 72... Ng4 { [%eval -1.03] } 73. Bc4 { [%eval -1.03] } 73... Nh6 { [%eval -1.03] } 74. Kg6 { [%eval -1.03] } 74... Ke7 { [%eval -1.03] } 75. Bb3 { [%eval -1.03] } 75... Kd6 { [%eval -0.93] } 76. Bc2 { [%eval -0.93] } 76... Ke5 { [%eval -0.93] } 77. Bd3 { [%eval -0.93] } 77... Kf4 { [%eval -0.92] } 78. Bc2 { [%eval -0.92] } 78... Ng4 { [%eval -0.92] } 79. Bb3 { [%eval -0.92] } 79... Ne3?! { [%eval -0.08] } { Inaccuracy. Best move was Nh6. } (79... Nh6 80. Bc2 Ke5 81. Bd3 Kd5 82. Bb1 Kd6 83. Bc2 Kd7 84. Kg7 Ke8 85. Be4 Ke7 86. Bc2) 80. h6 { [%eval -0.08] } 80... Bxh6 { [%eval -0.08] } { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2