Magnus is excellent in all aspects of play, in wild complications Caruana is still better and that is where the game swings to his favor.

They have virtually identical ratings Caruana must be doing somethings better than Magnus or do you suppose he has been purchacing his rating points on Ebay? Do you really think Magnus is better in all types of positions?

See Yermolinski on 4 Bxc6. He thinks it's an improvement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFd...

In connection with the first game none less than a certain G.Kasparov was in the studio with Yaz and Co.And and had the same conclusion about this line:White gets a swift developement,all his pawn and pieces "in the right places"-and then what?.Just as we saw in the actual game.Almost a tiny zugzwang for white(who probably should have inserted a4 on an earlier stage).The pair of bishops are not only attacking assets,but also excellent in the prophylactic phase.

Yes. Openings where White gives up the bishop pair early are not so common, and there is a good reason for that, I suppose. For instance, giving up the LSB in the Ruy Lopez has never been very popular, at least in modern times. And at least in the exchange Ruy, Black plays ...a6, here in the Rossolimo, White has not even been provoked, so it certainly looks dubious and a bit premature.

Interestingly, there are more opening variations where Black gives up the bishop pair early than where White does the same. For instance, in the Two Knights Attack of the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3), and the Saemisch Variation of the Nimzo-Indian (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+), Black is often more than happy to concede the bishop pair early.

But at the same time it is good not beeing too atached to the bishops.Several of the strongest have found out that BXN!(at the right moment) is actually a way of creating big unbalances and hence improving the chances for a fight.Often the setups with B+B vs B+N changes the whole course of the game and often even rather high rated players stick too much to the (in?;)famous Bishoppair.Like "How do you feel today comrade Shacksky?"."I feel bad.I just lost my game.But I had the bishoppair"...Well that must be some kind of consolation,no?"Yes,it was and next time when I promote I´ll take another bishop!".."Good news,comrade!""And then you may have 3 bishops"

The both had a good laugh.And felt juvenated and ready for a new game.

Chess is all according to circumstances IMHO.

It is now what we change on the board that matters,but what is left,when we have done it.

E.g. <Count>.You give me 40 well hung ladies and in trade I give you 1000 botttles of the best whiskey.Who have made the best deal ? Well,let us say all the ladies went home at once and all your bottles stayed in your wine cellar.Just waiting for a nice italian evening with your wife….No doubt you got the best end of the deal.

<moronovich> Your 'ladies vs whiskey' dilemma is interesting. I guess if all the ladies decide to leave, then who is to say they will ever come back? While the whiskey is safely stored in the cellar for future use, so..I guess I'd go for the booze. It would also have been a lot easier to explain to my wife.

<So BxN ! when done in and antidogmatic situation,can be the key to succes and further improvement.>

You may not have pictures, but I guess you'll always have Paris..

Somerset Maugham..great storyteller. Never got to read his major novels (like Human Bondage, Razor's Edge), but I've enjoyed his short stories. Can't remember this one though.

Like Ian Fleming, Maugham had been a spy. So I guess he knew what he was talking about when he wrote about it.