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Magnus Carlsen vs Fabiano Caruana
"Knighty, Knight" (game of the day Jul-06-2016)
Your Next Move (Rapid) (2016) (rapid), Leuven BEL, rd 4, Jun-17
Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Anderssen Variation (C77)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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sac: 45...Rxg2+ PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-19-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Fabiano's blitz handling of the Knight in this game is impressive.

It figured in all the crucial decisions including a spot of stable swapping.


click for larger view

That b8 Knight started the game on g8.

and here...


click for larger view

45...Rxg2+ and 46...Nd4 was an alert piece of blitz play.

(First!)

Jun-20-16  SimplicityRichard: Indeed! What a Knight!

Perhaps this game ought to be known as

"A Knight in shining armour!" #

Jun-20-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: Isn't 44. Bxe5 at least a draw? Yes, black gets the rook back and apparently comes out with an extra knight, but I don't see a way for black to continue avoiding checks and not lose the knight. the light square weakness around the king allows white to get to d3 and win the knight back.

Maybe the pawn endgame would be lost?

Jun-20-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi ajk68


click for larger view

44.Bxe5 Qxe5+ 45.Kh1 Ng3+ 46.Kh2 QxR. and on Qd8+ then Qd3+ the g3 Knight blocks on e4 protected by the e8 Queen. So Black keeps the extra piece.

But the White c-pawn then runs, it may be enough for Black to think terms of going for perpetual or even a win with h5-h4. very messy for Blitz thinking.

Carlsen missed 45...Rxg2+ and that was that.

Jul-06-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: Some of the most impressive handling of a single Knight ever seen, but the entire defense was excellent. Especially liked the transition to counterattack with the sacrifice of the a-pawn to tie down the White pieces to the defense of the Bishop, followed by the transfer of the Black pieces to the King side attack.
Jul-06-16  domotorp: Wouldn't 41. Rxe2 Qxe2 42. Qxe2 Rxe2 43. Ba5 win for white?
Jul-06-16  The Kings Domain: The champ gets owned in a pretty thrilling game of blitz. Caruana seems to be improving in this Achilles' heel of his.
Jul-06-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <domotorp: Wouldn't 41. Rxe2 Qxe2 42. Qxe2 Rxe2 43. Ba5 win for white?> No, after 43...Rxc2 44.Bxb4 Kf7 white QS Pawns are doomed and the game would be decided in black's favour on the KS by his Pawn majority there. But 41.Bg3 covering Re1 and stopping thus all crazy horse tactical tricks of black should be winning for white quite easily.
Jul-06-16  Virgil A: Incredible play by Caruana.
Jul-06-16  frogbert: <The champ gets owned in a pretty thrilling game of blitz.>

Nah. Carlsen was winning, but went astray in a blitz game. These things happen. :)

Jul-06-16  morfishine: <An Englishman: Good Evening: Some of the most impressive handling of a single Knight ever seen...> Please, enough of the High School gushing...this is a speed game for crying out loud
Jul-07-16  kevin86: My knight can beat your bishop!
Jul-07-16  Moszkowski012273: Yeah I wasn't that impressed by that knight... White had a healthy advantage most of the game until he played 43.Bd6... instead of 43.Bg3...
Jul-07-16  iking: <frogbert: <The champ gets owned in a pretty thrilling game of blitz.> Nah. Carlsen was winning, but went astray in a blitz game. These things happen. :)> ... even in standard games, Carlsen can go astray anytime ... as if Caruana can win only in blitz, because Carlsen went astray? .. meow.

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