[Event "Tata Steel Chess 2023 Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands"] [Date "2023.01.19"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2859"] [BlackElo "2713"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A35"] [Opening "English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/gbi5O625/5f5jFnZi"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. e3 e5 5. Be2 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Be7 8. Bb5 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Bd7 13. Nf3 Bf6 14. Ba3!? { An uncharacteristic decision. If White does not have full compensation for the exchange in the form of the bishop pair, he at least comes close. It is not that this is a bad move, but that it introduces tangible risk into a position that did not require it. } (14. Rb1 { There is absolutely nothing wrong with this move. } 14... O-O 15. Bb2 Bf5 { Here, there would be another chance to sacrifice the exchange, as well. } 16. Bxf6 Bxb1 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Qxb1 { At least this time White gets a pawn and an exposed king for his rook, but perhaps the trade of dark-squared bishops turned Carlsen off. }) 14... Bxa1 15. Qxa1 O-O-O { If Black could not safely castle queenside, Carlsen's decision would have been correct. But perhaps he overestimated the use of the open and half-open files since he has no pawns to plow ahead. } 16. Rc1 Kb8 17. Qxg7 Rhg8 18. Qb2?! (18. Qxh7! Bg4 { Black can go after the defender of the h2-pawn, but } (18... Ka8 { Preparing ...Qc7-a5. } 19. Qc2 Qa5 20. Qc5 Rc8) (18... Rh8?? 19. Qxf7) 19. Be2 Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Rh8 21. Qc2 Qxh2+ 22. Kf1 { White has nothing to fear. }) 18... Bg4 19. Ne1 Rd1 20. Rxd1 Bxd1 { As is often the case, the "rook pair" is more of a redundancy than a resource. This trade allows Black to keep exerting pressure along the half-open g-file without reciprocal concerns of back-rank threats. } 21. Bf1 Ne5 22. h3 Bf3 (22... Ka8! { Prophylaxis against any funny business on behalf of the dark-squared bishop. }) 23. Qd4 Rd8 24. Qh4 Bd5 25. Qxh7 Bc4 26. Bb2 Bxf1 27. Kxf1 Qc4+ 28. Kg1 Nc6 29. Nf3 Qxa2 30. Bf6 Rd1+ 31. Kh2 a5 32. Nd4 Qd5 33. Qc2 Qd6+ 34. f4 Rxd4 35. Bxd4 Nxd4 36. exd4 Qxf4+ 37. g3 Qxd4 { Black forces trades into an endgame that should be winnable, but certainly is nowhere close to winning. Perhaps he forgot who he was playing? } 38. h4 a4 39. Qa2 f5 40. h5 Qh8 41. Qxa4 Qxh5+ { Each trade of pawns brings White closer to the draw. } 42. Kg1 Qf3 43. Kh2?? (43. Qe8+ Kc7 44. Kh2 Qf2+ { Black has no way to make progress with the e2-square being covered. } 45. Kh3 Qf1+ 46. Kh2 Qf2+ 47. Kh3 Qf3 48. Qe5+) 43... Qe2+ 44. Kg1 (44. Kh3 Qf1+ 45. Kh2 b5! $19 { Another key point: this move would not come with tempo had White already executed the check. }) 44... Qe5! 45. Kf2 b5 46. Qb4 Kb7 47. g4 fxg4 48. Qxg4 Kb6 49. Qg8 { There is no way to stop the pawn. Black has done it! } 49... b4 50. Kf3 Kb5 51. Kg2 Qe2+ 52. Kg3 Qe3+ 53. Kg2 b3 54. Qb8+ Kc4 55. Qg8+ Kc3 56. Qc8+ Kd2 57. Qh8 Kc2 58. Qc8+ Kd1 59. Qh8 Qd2+ 60. Kg3 b2 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1