Reply #8: Carlsen - Aronian Semi-Fianls, Round 5, Elista

[Jack Rabbit]

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com

Magnus Carlsen vs. Levon Aronian
Candidates' Semi-Final Match, Round 5
Elista, June 2007

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Petrosian Opening)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qc2 Be7 8. e4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 0-0 10. Bd3 c5 11. 0-0 Qc7

• 11. -- Qc8 12. Qe2 Ba6 13. Rd1 Bxd3 14. Rxd3 Nd7 15. e5 Qc6 16. Bg5 Bxg5 17. Nxg5 cxd4 18. cxd4 Rac8 is equal (Agrest-Akesson, Swedish Ch, Goteborg 2005).

12. Qe2 Nd7 13. Bb2 c4

• 13. -- Rac8 14. Rad1 Rfd8 15. Nd2 Qf4 16. e5 f5 17. exf6 Qxf6 18. Ne4 Qf7 19. Rfe1 cxd4 20. cxd4 Nf8 21. Qg4 Rd5 22. Rc1 Rxc1 draw agreed (Cmilyte-Kunte, Op, Gibralter 2006).

14. Bc2 b5 15. Bc1 a5!?

• Aronian needed a win to put the match away. Magnus needed a win to knot the score.
• Aronian (Black) breaks away from theory expanding on the queenside.
• 15. -- Nb6 16. h4 Rae8 17. h5 f5 18. Re1 Bf6 19. h6 g6 20. Bg5 fxe4 21. Bxe4 Bxe4 22. Qxe4 Nd5 is equal (Eljanov-Sandipan, Ol, Torino 2006).

16. Rb1!

• White's opening play has saddled Black with a strategic weakness: a backward pawn on an open file. Natuarally, White exploits this target.
• The Rook will continue attacking the b-pawn for the next 11 moves. That's being patient.
• If 16. Bg5 f6 17. Bh4 then:
• 17. -- Nb6 18. Rfb1 Qd7 19. Nd2 Rfd8 20. e5 Nd5 21. Qh5White has a small edge in space.
• 17. -- Bd6 18. Rfb1 Ba6 19. e5! fxe5 20. Bg3! Rfd8 21. dxe5 Bc5 gives White an advantage in mobility.

16. -- Ba6 17. e5 b4 18. axb4 axb4 19. Bg5 Nb6

• Black makes the best move.
• 24. -- Nf4? loses the Knihgt to 25. Ne5! Nh5 26. g4.

Black: Levon Aronian
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White: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 19. -- Nd7b6

20. Qe4!

• The Queen is splendid here. This assure White an advantage in space.
• If 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. cxb4 then:
• 21. -- Bb5 22. Qe4 g6 23. Rfc1 Nd5 24. Qe1 Ra2 25. Be4 Rfa8 gives Black the edge in space.
• 21. -- Bb7 22. Nd2 Ra2 23. Rfc1 Qg5 24. Ne4 Bxe4 25. Qxe4 gives Black the advantage in space, but White has the initiative owing to his attack on h7.

20. -- g6 21. Qh4 Ra7

• White still has the initiative; Black responds to the attack on the Bishop because he must.
• Better is 21. -- Nd5 22. Be4 Rfe8 23. Bxe7 Qxe7 24. Qxe7 Rxe7 when:
• After 25. Rxb4 Nxb4 26. Bxa8 Ra7 27. cxb4 Rxa8 28. Ra1 White has better piece activity, but Black has the more advanced passed pawn.
• 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Rxb4 Bc8 27. Rfb1 is unclear.

22. Bf6!

• This forces Black to with the weakness on f6 immediately.
• Also good for White is 22. Bxe7 Qxe7 23. Qxe7 Rxe7 24. Rxb4 Nd5 25. Ra4 Bb7 26. Re1 Rc7 27. Ra3.

22. -- Bxf6?

• There was still a better way to deal with it.
• 22. -- Nd5! 23. Be4 Rb8 24. Bxe7 Qxe7 Nxe7 26. Rxb4 Rxb4 27. cxb4 Nd5! remains unclear.

23. exf6 Nd5

• Black ties the Queen to the defense of the f6-pawn momentarily.
• 23. -- Qd8 24. Ne5 Rc7 25. Be4 Na4 26. cxb4 Bb5 27. Rfc1 c3 28. Ra1 is a winning position for White.

24. Be4 Qf4

Black: Levon Aronian
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White: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 24. -- Qc7f4

25. Bxd5!

• White forces open the e-file at a moment when he is much better prepared to exploit it.
• If 25. Qxf4 Nxf4 26. cxb4 Ne2+ 27. Kh1 Nc3 28. Rbe1 then:
• 28. -- Nxe4 29. Rxe4 Bb7 20. Re5 Bxf3 31. gxf3 Ra2 is unclear.
• 28. -- Rb8 29. Ne5 Nxe4 30. Rxe4 Bb7 31. Ree1 Bd5 leaves the posiotn murkey.

25. -- Qxh4 26. Nxh4 exd5 27. Rxb4

• White wins the b-pawn at last. There is nothing Black can do for now to get it back.

27. -- Bc8 28. Rb6 Ra3 29. Rc1 Be6 30. Nf3 Rfa8

• This move is futile. As long as the pawn at f6 is like a knife held to the Black King's throat, the Rook cannot leave the back rank.
• Better is 30. -- Rb3 31. Ra6 when:
• 31. -- Rfb8 32. h3 h6 33. Ne5 Rb1 34. Ra1 Rxa1 35. Rxa1 Rb3 36. Rc1 holds the Rook to the defense of the c-pawn.
• Less accurate is to give White an extra tempo by 34. -- Rxc1+?! 35. Rxc1 g5 36. Re1 Rb3 37. Re3.

31. h4 h6 32. Ne5 Ra1 33. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 34. Kh2 Ra3

• Finally, Black can get his pawn back, but it wont save the game.
• If 34. -- Ra2 35. Rb8+ Kh7 36. Rb7 then:
• 36. -- g5 37. Nxf7 Kg6 38. Nd8 Kxf6 39. hxg5+ hxg5 40. Rb6 Re2 White prunes down to an easily won King and pawn ending by 41. Nxe6 Rxe6 42. Rxe6+ Kxe6 43. Kg3.
• After 36. -- Rxf2 37. Nxf7 Bxf7 38. Rxf7+ Kh8 39. Kg3 the f-pawn carries the day.

35. Rb8+ Kh7 36. f4

• 36. Rf8 could have been played here or the next move (it is played on the move after).
• However, after 36. Rf8 g5 37. Nxf7 Bxf7 38. Rxf7+ Kg6 39. Rd7 Kxf6 40. Rxd5 gxh4 41. Rh5 White has only a minimum edge in piece activity.

36. -- Rxc3 37. h5 gxh5

Black: Levon Aronian
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White: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 37. -- gh5:p

38. Rf8!

• White has delayed this move until it could a maximum impact. In order to protect his position, Black must bring his Rook back to Black's side of the board, abandoning counterplay.

38. -- Ra3

• If 38. -- Re3 f5 39. f5 Bxf5 40. Rxf7+ Kg8 41. Ra7 then:
• 41. -- Re5 42. dxe5 d4 43. Rg7+ Kf8 44. Rc7 White is up by an exchange with connected passed pawns.
• If that isn't bad enough for Black, then 41. -- Be6 42. Rg7+ Kf8 43. Ng6+ Ke8 44. Re7+ Kd8 45. Nf4 Re1 46. Ne6+ Kc8 47. f7 is lights out.

39. f5 Bxf5 40. Rxf7+ Kg8

• Black could simply fall on his sword by 40. -- Kh8 41. Rg7 Ra1 Nf7#.

41. Rg7+ Kf8 42. Rb7 Ra8

• If 42. -- Rb3 43. Ra7 Rb8 44. Kg3 then:
• 44. -- Rd8 45. Kf4 Be4 46. g3
• 46. -- c3 47. Rf7+
• 47. -- Kg8 48. Rg7+ Kf8 49. Nd7+ Rxd7 50. Rxd7 c2 51. Rc7 White is an exchange to the good and the pawn is under arrest.
• 47. -- Ke8 48. Rg7 Kf8 49. Nd7+ etc. again as in the red line.
• 46. -- Kg8 47. Rg7+ Kf8 48. Nd7+ etc. as in the red line.
• After 44. -- c3 45. Kf4 Be6 46. Re7 Kg8 47. Rxe6 c2 48. Rc6 the passed pawn is arrested.

43. Kg3 Rd8 44. Kf4 Be4 45. g3 c3 46. Rf7+ Kg8

• 46. -- Ke8 47. Re7+ Kf8 48. Rf7+ Kg8 49. Rg7+ Kf8 50. Nd7+ etc.

47. Rg7+ Kf8 48. Nd7+

• Etc.

48. -- Rxd7 49. Rxd7 1-0

• After 49. -- c2 50. Rc7 Bg6 51. Ke5 Ke8 52. Ke6 Bf7+ 53. Kf5 Black is in Zungswang.
• Aronian resigns.