We are quite vulnerable after a 'combination' and often rely on our in built the sense of danger to kick in rather than pure calculation.

Here. 29...Nxg3 looks good.

click for larger view

There is no way the c1 Rook is going to c7. Three pieces cover c7.

Add in the unprotected piece on d3, quick check to see that White does not have Nd3 (the primary target) to f2 blocking the Qe3 check, no because that leaves the Rook on c1 (the secondary target) loose.

Looks good, quick scan to make sure White has no unexpected checks, (unexpected checks have ruined many a combination) none, and so you go for it.

JASAHA thinks there should be a collection of combo's with a hole in them. Just look through player's game collection, you will find them.

The winner of this game from last year...

Karjakin vs Svidler, 2015

....which was given the pun ""Kar Wreck".

galdur suggests the 29.h4 was played to tempt Nakamura to go for 29...Nxg3? so it was basically a TRAP.

Not sure about that one. The good guys don't set off the cuff traps especially it if involves pawn moves. It's usually how the great players beat the good players, taking advantage of loose pawn moves.

They might be there under the surface but a TRAP is not the key motive.

So back here. White to play.

click for larger view

29.Nf5 Qg5 the knight goes back to d4.

How about 29.h4 to stop Qg5 then the Knight stays on f5 and g7 is being tickled.

Black cannot allow Nf5 he is going to have to chop on d4. Black will be left with a naff b7 Bishop.

But 29.h4 weakens the Kingside....can Black play Nxg3....

These good guys jump into the think tank before moving any middle game pawn and one around the King always gets that little bit extra.

How many games have you seen lost because of a weakening pawn move in a castled position...thousands. You don't play these pawn moves willy-nilly.

White saw the flaw in Nxg3 and played 29.h4. You have to say that because the only other explanation is that Karjakin missed 29...Nxg3 and he was lucky and I've seen 'lucky' stings in the tail, this is not one of them.

But I bet for a brief moment he got a fright when Nakamura took on g3. 'what have I missed, I thought Black could not play this." Fortunately if you have done your work correctly this lasts for only a moment.

It would be an insult to the game if the one with the worst record against the champion will be the challenger for the championship.

<MCDreamz....It would be an insult to the game if the one with the worst record against the champion will be the challenger for the championship.>

You must know by now you always get silly comments when a good player miscalculates.

I might qualify in the stupidity stakes as well and be way off course, but I try to find a reason, an explanation rather than insult the player or fall off my chair in shock.

Maybe some have never played an OTB pressure game so these mistakes, which to me prove chess is alive and well, are to them abhorrent and a sign the player has gone insane.

PS: Just read that Karjakin spent 25 minutes pondering the position after 29..Nxg3. I may have to re-write my Karjakin was not lucky bit or maybe he was just savouring the moment or considering the amount of time he gets in time trouble simply getting a thrill watching his time evaporate.

25 minutes is a long time as this level to refute a trick you saw coming.

It's obvious Nakamura in his mind's eye never saw the Rook going to c7 with 3 bits covering c7. If he had then Nxg3 would have got a one post suggestion and a quick, computer checked, refutation.

<...Vladimir Kramnik who was in the commentary box during round two, rightly pointed out: <“Black must do something pretty soon or else he would simply have to suffer for the rest of the game.”>...>

You two would set Nakamura straight at the board--if you were able to get in through the front door.>

Nakamura basically went into a line that had two outcomes:

a) push <c5> and accept either an isolated pawn or a slightly weak central pawn chain

b) push <c6> and accept slightly passive position

I got it from here on the World Championship Candidates thread:

"Rama: Naka spent 8-9 minutes on the N-sac, then 25 minutes smelling it while Sergei worked it out. Don't we know the feeling."

I knew boards were frozen everywhere, I figured this guy saw the live feed.

Good. No re-write.

Hi Ulhumbrus,

I see you too have spotted the three on the trot moves all weakening c7. I'm sure Problemists will have a term for it (they have a unique term for everything else.) If not then it's a Nakamura!

Hi Pulo,

Of course you are right. This posting in hindsight is a wonderful gift.

Nakamura did not flip a coin to decide what opening to play. Rather than sit there waiting to see what improvement Karjakin had up his sleeve v his KID, he made Karjakin wonder what improvement Nakamua had v his QID.

The possible pre-game plan being to get Karjakin to analyse everything into dust, get him into his habitual time and trouble and bounce him with a tactic.

The slight flaw being Karjakin did not get into time trouble and the tactic had a hole in it.

Hindsight (the kibitzers domain) dictate the whole plan was written in pencil on the back of a brown envelop but it's better than throwing arms up in despair howling why did Nakamura play the QID like he did it on the spur of the moment.

Pula is right again (he's rarely wrong) if Nakamura had won the crowd here would be lording him as the new Lasker.

The game was lost by a piece of miscalculation which could have come from any opening. As for style, players of Nakamura's ilk have the ability to infuse complications in any opening and Nakamura is much more than just a one trick pony.