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Magnus Carlsen vs Wesley So
"So Unexpected" (game of the day Mar-15-2021)
Skilling Open (2020) (rapid), chess24.com INT, rd 3, Nov-30
Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense (D40)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 30s/ply)8.Bb5+ was played in R Svane vs S D Swapnil, 2017 (1-0)better is 18.f3 Bf4 19.Rb1 Ke7 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.fxe4 Be5 22.Bxe5 = -0.24 (36 ply) ⩱ -0.74 (26 ply)better is 26.Be3 Nd3 27.Rc4 Kf7 28.Kf1 b5 29.Rc7+ Rd7 30.Rxd7+ ⩱ -0.77 (34 ply) ⩱ -1.35 (36 ply)better is 29...Nc2 30.Kf1 Kd6 31.Bh5 Nd4 32.Bg6 Nf3 33.Ke2 Ke5 ⩱ -1.29 (39 ply)better is 30.f3 Nc5 31.Kf2 exf3 32.Kxf3 Kd6 33.Be3 Nxe3 34.Kxe3 a5 ⩱ -0.73 (37 ply) ⩱ -1.42 (36 ply) 31.Kf1 Nc5 32.Bd1 Ke5 33.Bc1 Nd3 34.Bd2 b6 35.Be3 b5 ⩱ -0.97 (28 ply) 31...Ke5 32.a4 Kd4 33.fxe4 Kxe4 34.a5 e5 35.Bg4 Kd4 ∓ -2.20 (34 ply) ⩱ -1.32 (37 ply)better is 34.a4 Ndc3 35.Ba3+ Nc5 36.Bc4 b5 37.Bf1 e4 38.axb5 axb5 ⩱ -1.22 (36 ply) ∓ -1.73 (37 ply) 38.Bc8 a5 39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Bb2 Kd4 41.Ba6 Nb6 42.Ba1 Nd7 ⩱ -1.39 (34 ply) ∓ -2.38 (36 ply) 39.Bc8 e3+ 40.Ke1 a5 41.bxa5 bxa5 42.Bf5 Nb6 43.Bxc3+ ∓ -2.15 (37 ply)-+ -4.07 (32 ply) 40...e3 41.Bg2 Nb6 42.Bxc3+ Kxc3 43.Ke2 Nc4 44.Be4 Nxa3 -+ -5.42 (35 ply) 41.Bh3 Kd3 42.Bc8 Ne3 43.Bxa6 Nc2+ 44.Kf1 e3 45.Bxc3 e2+ ⩱ -1.11 (37 ply)-+ -4.12 (34 ply) after 41...Kf3 42.Bh3 e3 43.Bc8 Kg2 44.Bxa6 Kxh2 45.g4 Kg3 62.Bg6 b2 63.Bf5 Ka2 64.Be6+ Ka1 65.Bf5 b1=Q 66.Bxb1 -+ mate-in-130-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35434 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-06-20  stalkerone: A pair of Bishops is not always stronger than a pair of Knights.
Dec-06-20  MordimerChess: According to Vladimir Kramnik in the studio, the pair of knights are often much stronger - especially in the center. They cover more squares plus they control others squared by tricky tactics...

Anyway, Wesley played this opening again and prepared a much better line. It was enough to draw easily but Magnus wanted more and played strange move 17. Bd4 and then exchanged his knight.

Full video analysis of this game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpn...

Enjoy!

Dec-07-20  jerry crus: Wesley simply beat carlsen in his own game
Dec-07-20  SChesshevsky: This semi tarrasch line, 5...cxd4, is really interesting. I used to play the semi tarrasch and answered 5. cxd5 with 5...Nxd5 and usually ended up in the 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2 10. Qxd2 0-0 lines. It was OK, but never felt that good as white always seemed more dynamic without much hindrance. So just went with other QGD tries.

Here, I'm not convinced with the 7. e4 try. Which appears a gambit. Admittedly white looks like has to be better after 12... Nbd7. But how much?

White is down a pawn and maybe most importantly the black e4 pawn is irritatingly binding and seemingly not easily disposed. Reminds me of the open ruy where white can get a binding pawn on e5. But there he's not also a pawn up.

Not sure on the other ways to play against 5...cxd4, where black might just get a isolated pawn. But it looks, at least so far, 5...cxd4 is a very legit tarrasch response to 5. cxd5. Probably worth looking deeper.

Dec-11-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: Carlsen must have gone wrong somewhere in the endgame. Two bishops vs. Two Knights + a pawn, where black's pawn structure is garbage should probably be a draw. It would be interesting to get some deep analysis after the rooks came off the board.
Dec-19-20  Dr. Capaldi: if this is boxing then they are mayweather vs pacquiao
Mar-15-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: And that's why GMs are GMs and I'm a fish--So figured out how to capture White's b4 pawn and still hold onto his little guy at e3.
Mar-15-21  Ironmanth: A great game! Y'all stay safe this week. Play hard, play often!
Mar-15-21  Cheapo by the Dozen: Weirdest thing about the game for me -- control of the center really mattered in the endgame. So used a big space advantage in the center to deny Carlsen useful lines for his bishops.
Mar-15-21  oolalimk1: 100 years ago today Lasker v. Capablanca start of the world championship match.
Mar-15-21  RandomVisitor: After 10...fxe6 the machine likes 11.Bg5:


click for larger view

Stockfish_21031012_x64_modern:

<62/72 1:53:18 +0.13 11.Bg5 Nc6 12.Bc4> Ke7 13.Nxe4 Kf7 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.0-0-0 Rd8 16.Rxd8 Nxd8 17.Rd1 Be7 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.Rxd6 Ke7 20.Rd4 Nf7 21.Re4 Ng5

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