Magnus Carlsen vs Vladimir Kramnik (2009) The Boy Who Would Beat Kings

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Magnus Carlsen vs Vladimir Kramnik
"The Boy Who Would Beat Kings" (game of the day Feb-04-2010)
London Chess Classic (2009), London ENG, rd 1, Dec-08
English Opening: King's English. Four Knights Variation Fianchetto Lines (A29) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 35 times; par: 68 [what's this?]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 21 OF 21 · Later Kibitzing>
Feb-04-10		drpoundsign: ball made from Bashai man big head big b**ls that's your bashtai. "the king also has thirty sons if you be liking boys." "sick bastard!" "different countries different customs." "we English will teach you to stand up and kill your enemies like civilized people!" saw it in 83 King of Hollywood never forgets.

Feb-04-10		Fanques Fair: Eyal : 32- Qa4, Nb3 , 33- Bxc6 , Nxc5 , 34- Qb5, Nb3 threatening Nd6, finally bringing that knight into play. I don´t know whether it´s sufficient to gain a draw, but at least Black´s pieces are alive.

Feb-04-10		Eyal: <[31...f5] 32- Qa4, Nb3 , 33- Bxc6 , Nxc5 , 34- Qb5, Nb3> Actually, White should play 33.Qxc6 - the point being 33...Rc8 34.Qxc8! Bxc8 35.Rxb3 (35...Qxb3 36.Bd5+). Black's best might be 32...Qa7, where it might appear that 33.Rb6 is winning, but with the rook out of the back rank the computer suggests the nice resource of 33...Qe7! 34.Qxa5 Qh4 (an unexpected benefit of f5...), which apparently should be enough for a draw. However, after 33.Qb4! Black would have to do some serious grovelling.

Feb-04-10		Eduardo Leon: The problem with today's pun is that it isn't a pun.

Feb-05-10		rvn55: Within the first few days of this game being played I must have gone through it seven or more times and sat and stared at the final position for an hour or better. Only the pawn grab on move 28 slightly mars what is otherwise a positional masterpiece. Truly, imo, a beautiful game.

Feb-05-10		Fanques Fair: Eyal : Incredible variation. After 31...f5 32 Qa4 Qa7 33 Rb6 ?! Qe7 ! 34 Qxa5 Qh4 it seems that it´s really impossible for White to keep his extra piece, and Black has an initiative more than enough for a draw ! Even though the famous e8 black knight hasn´t moved ! After 33 Qb4 ! Nf6 34 Qb6 Qa8 there is no simple way for white to keep his advantage. If 35 Nb5? , Rb8 wins. If 35 Rb4 Nd5 36 Nxd5 Bxd5 37 Bxd5+ Rxd5 38 Ra4 Rd1 + 39 Kh2 Rxc1 40 Rxa5 , Qe8, I think very very difficult for White to win, due to the danger around the white king. 31- f5 ! Without a computer Thanks, Eyal

Feb-05-10		Eyal: <After 33 Qb4 ! Nf6 34 Qb6 Qa8 there is no simple way for white to keep his advantage. If 35 Nb5? , Rb8 wins.> Actually not, because after 36.Qc7 Black can't take on b5 due to the pin on the long diagonal; but 36…Bd5 should probably be enough for equality. <If 35 Rb4 Nd5 36 Nxd5 Bxd5 37 Bxd5+ Rxd5 38 Ra4 Rd1 + 39 Kh2 Rxc1 40 Rxa5 , Qe8, I think very very difficult for White to win, due to the danger around the white king> Instead of Ra4, 38.Qc7! wins immediately because of the combined threats of Rb8 and Bb2 (in case of 38…Rd8). Black has better moves than 35…Nd5, which is a blunder, but a move earlier 35.Rb5! (again taking advantage of the pin on the long diagonal) is stronger than Rb4 - 35…Nc4 36.Qxc6. So you see, there are many potential threats by White and it's not so easy for Black to defend… But at any rate, I think that …f5 would have been more natural on move 30 rather than after Qf7, which is already preparing Qh5.

Feb-07-10		Fanques Fair: You´re absolutely right. Thanks

Feb-20-10		aazqua: I like this comment. This game is just an incredible example of someone making incremental improvements throughout to reach a dominant position. There's no 'gotcha' move but in totality it's a very powerful composition, and to compose it against a master positional player like Kramnik is a tremendous accomplishment. >I think Kramnik, in his own way, paid Carlsen quite a compliment in an interview with chessvibes when he said that he doesn't feel very disappointed about this game, because he lost it in a "normal way" - explaining, in elaboration, that he didn't lose it because of some bad blunder or a stupid strategic plan, but rather because his opponent played an excellent game, so that a few inaccuracies in a very complicated position were enough.<

Apr-02-10		Kasparov Fan01: I don't understand how this won game of the year on chessgames. It's a nice game but game of the year? The Morozevich-Vachier-Lagrave was much better.

Apr-03-10		percyblakeney: <The Morozevich-Vachier-Lagrave was much better> That will depend on the definition of better... Moro missed several wins in time trouble and eventually lost, but for example Dylan Loeb McClain did pick it as the Game of the Year in the New York Times.

Apr-19-10		Kasparov Fan01: Aesthetically the moro game is much more pleasing to the eye, but I'm no GM and can't comment on the actual quality of play. This game is nice, Carlsen has nice positional play, it's just not that original and exciting like the Moro game.

Sep-15-12		fgh: Am I the only one who sees Carlsen as a "hyper-modern" "par excellence"? After his 35th move, white has both of his bishops on their starting squares. Likewise, in the game only one of Carlsen's pieces (leaving aside the pawns) went beyond his 4th rank. Remarkable.

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 24 1. (11.99): 43...Ra7 44.Bxf7+ Rxf7 45.Qc4 Na5 46.Qxf7+ Kxf7 47.Rxb1 g5 48.fxg6+ hxg6 49.Ra1 Nc4 50.Ra7+ Kg8 51.Ra6 Kf7 52.Rxc6 g5 53.Bg3 Ng7 54.Rc7+ Kg6 55.c6 Ne6 56.Re7 Nc5 57.Nd4 Nd3+ 58.Ke2 Nc5 59.c7 Nb6 60.Ke3 Nca4 61.Re8 Nc4+ 62.Kd3 Nab6 63.Nf5 Kf7 64.c8Q Nxc8 65.Rxc8 Na3 2. (12.53): 43...Ra2 44.Bxf7+ Kxf7 45.Qc4+ Kf8 46.Rb8 Rxe2+ 47.Qxe2 g6 48.fxg6 hxg6 49.Bd6+ Kg7 50.Rxe8 Qc1 51.Re7+ Kh8 52.Qa2 Qd2+ 53.Qxd2 Nxd2 54.Ke2 Nb3 55.Rf7 f5 56.Be5+ Kg8 57.Rg7+ Kf8 58.Rxg6 Nxc5 59.exf5 Nd7 60.Bc3 Nb6 61.Rxc6 Nd5 62.Kd3 Ne7 63.Rd6 Kf7 64.Ke4 Ke8 65.h4 Nc8 66.Re6+ Kf7 67.h5 Na7 68.Rf6+ Kg8 69.Rg6+ Kf8

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 24 1. (7.63): 42...Qa2+ 43.Ne2 Qxa3 44.Bxf7+ Kxf7 45.Qc4+ Kf8 46.Rxb3 Ra4 47.Qc2 Qa2 48.Qxa2 Rxa2 49.Rb6 Ra4 50.Kf3 Ke7 51.Rxc6 Kd7 52.Rb6 Rc4 53.Be3 Rc2 54.h3 Nc7 55.Rd6+ Kc8 56.c6 Nb5 57.Re6 Rc4 58.Bf4 Nc7 59.Re7 Rxc6 60.Rxg7 h6 61.Bxh6 Ne8 62.Rg8 Kd7 63.h4 Rc4 64.h5 Nd6 65.Rg4 Rb4 66.Bc1 Rb3+ 67.Kf4 Rb4 68.Rg7+ 2. (8.38): 42...Bxc4 43.Qxc4+ Kf8 44.Qxb3 Qxb3 45.Rxb3 g6 46.Ne2 gxf5 47.exf5 Rd8 48.Rb6 Rd5 49.Rxc6 Ke7 50.Re6+ Kf7 51.c6 Rxf5 52.Re3 Nc7 53.Rd3 Ke8 54.Kg3 Rd5 55.Rb3 Ne6 56.Rb8+ Kf7 57.c7 Nxc7 58.Bxc7 Rd7 59.Bd8 f5 60.Bb6 Rd3+ 61.Kf4 Rxa3 62.Kxf5 Ra2 63.Nf4 Rxh2 64.Rb7+ Kg8 65.Bd4 Rh4 66.Rc7

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 20 1. (3.78): 41...Qd7 42.Rxb3 Bxb3 43.Qxb3+ Kh8 44.Kg2 Ra5 45.a4 Ra7 46.Qc4 Qc8 47.Bd1 Rb7 48.Ne2 g6 49.fxg6 hxg6 50.Bb3 Ng7 51.a5 g5 52.Bd2 Nh5 53.e5 fxe5 54.Bc3 Re7 55.Qe4 Qb8 56.Bc4

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 20 1. (2.13): 40...Qd8 41.Be2 Qc8 42.Rb6 Qd7 43.a4 Ra7 44.Kg2 Qe7 45.Be3 Qd7 46.Bf2 Nc7 47.Bd4 Qe8 48.Be3 Qe7 49.h4 Qd7 50.Bf4 Qc8 51.Bd6 Ra8 52.Nf1 Qd7 53.Ne3 Ne8 54.Bf4 Qe7 2. (3.04): 40...Ra7 41.Rb8 Qg4 42.Be3 h5 43.Kg2 Qd1 44.Be2 Qd7 45.Nxh5 Qe7 46.Rb4 Qe5 47.Qxe5 fxe5 48.Kf2 Nb3 49.Rb6 Rxa3 50.Rxc6 Nd4 51.Bxd4 exd4 52.Rc8 Re3 53.Rd8 Rc3 54.Rxd4 Rxc5 55.Nf4 Nf6 56.Rd8+ Kh7

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 25 1. (2.05): 39...Nb7 40.Kg2 Qe7 41.Be3 Qc7 42.a4 Kh8 43.Bd3 Kg8 44.Bf2 Qe7 45.Be2 Kf8 46.Qd4 Na5 47.Be3 Qc7 48.Qc3 Nb7 49.Qb2 Na5 50.Qd4 Kg8 51.Rb6 Ra7 52.Bf2 Ra8 53.Qc3 Ra7 54.Rb4 Nb7 55.Qd4 Na5 56.Rb6 Ra8 2. (2.05): 39...Qe7 40.Kg2 Nb7 41.Be3 Qc7 42.a4 Kh8 43.Bd3 Kg8 44.Bf2 Qe7 45.Be2 Kf8 46.Qd4 Na5 47.Be3 Qc7 48.Qc3 Nb7 49.Qb2 Na5 50.Qd4 Kg8 51.Rb6 Ra7 52.Bf2 Ra8 53.Qc3 Ra7 54.Rb4 Nb7 55.Qd4 Na5 56.Rb6 Ra8

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 21 1. (1.99): 37...Qd7 38.Be2 Nb7 39.Be3 Qe7 40.Kg2 Nd8 41.a4 Nb7 42.Qd4 Na5 43.f5 Bf7 44.Qc3 Nb7 45.Kg1 Na5 46.Kg2 Nb7 2. (2.01): 37...Qc7 38.Kg2 Qd7 39.Be2 Nb7 40.f5 Bf7 41.a4 Qc7 42.Bd2 Kh8 43.Be3 Bg8 44.Nh5 Qe7 45.Bf2 Bf7 46.Ng3 Bg8 47.Rb6 Rxa4 48.Rxc6 Nc7 49.Rb6

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 22 1. (2.02): 36...Ra8 37.Rb4 Qc7 38.Be3 Nb7 39.a4 Bf7 40.Kg2 Kh8 41.Be2 Nd8 42.Qd2 Nb7 43.Qd1 g6 44.f5 Qe7 45.Qd4 Kg8 46.Rb1 Na5 47.Rb6 g5 48.h3 Qc7 49.Qc3 2. (2.17): 36...Qc7 37.Kg2 Ra8 38.Rb6 Qd8 39.f5 Bf7 40.Be3 Nc7 41.a4 Qd1 42.Rb4 Qd7 43.Be2 Qe7 44.Rb6 Qe8 45.Bf4 Qe7 46.Qd4 Ne8 47.Be3 Ra7 48.Qc3 Qc7 49.Ba6 Nb7 50.a5 Qd7 51.Ne2 Qe7 52.Kg1 Nd8

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 22 1. (1.99): 35...Be6 36.Qc3 Ra8 37.Rb4 Qd7 38.Be2 Nb7 39.Be3 Nd8 40.a4 Qe7 41.f5 Bf7 42.Qd4 Ra7 43.Kg2 Rd7 44.Qc3 Ra7 45.Qd2 Nb7 46.Qd4 Na5 47.Rb6 g5 48.Rb8 Rb7 49.Rxb7 Nxb7 50.Qc3 Nc7 51.Bf2 Kg7 2. (2.01): 35...h5 36.f5 Qd7 37.h3 Bd1 38.Qc3 h4 39.Nh1 Ra8 40.Nf2 Ba4 41.Qb4 Bb5 42.Bxb5 cxb5 43.Qxb5 Qc7 44.Bd2 Qg3+ 45.Kf1 Qxa3 46.Ke2 Qa2 47.Rb2 Qc4+ 48.Kf3 Qxb5 49.Rxb5 Nc6 50.Kf4 Ra2 51.Be3 Ne5 52.Bd4 Kf8 53.Rb7 Rc2 54.Rb2 Rc4 55.Bxe5 fxe5+ 56.Kxe5 Rxc5+ 57.Ke6

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 22 1. (1.87): 34.Ng3 Qf7 35.Bf1 h5 36.f5 Kh7 37.Nh1 Bd1 38.Qc3 Ra8 39.Rb4 Qa2 40.Nf2 Bb3 41.Rb6 Nc7 42.Bf4 Ne8 43.Bd3 Bc4 44.Rb2 Qa1+ 45.Kg2 h4 46.Bb1 Bb5 47.Nd3 Nc4 2. (1.11): 34.Bf1 Be6 35.Rb4 Bh3 36.Bxh3 Qxh3 37.Ng3 h5 38.Qe2 Nc7 39.Be3 Nb5 40.Qxh5 Qxh5 41.Nxh5 Nxa3 42.Ra4 N3c4 43.Bf2 Rd1+ 44.Kg2 Kf7 45.f5 Rd2 46.Nf4 Rb2 47.h3 Rc2 48.h4 Rb2 49.Ng6 Rb5 50.h5 Rb3 51.Ra1

Jun-11-16		cormier: click for larger view Analysis by Houdini d 24 1. = (0.00): 32...Kf8 33.Bf1 Qg4+ 34.Ng3 Qd1 35.Qe4 Bd5 36.Qd4 Bf7 37.Qe4 Bd5 38.Qd4 2. (0.57): 32...Nc7 33.Nd4 Bd5 34.h3 Ne6 35.Nxe6 Bxe6 36.Kh2 Qd1 37.Qxd1 Rxd1 38.Rb8+ Kf7 39.Bb2 Rd3 40.e4 Nb3 41.a4 Nxc5 42.a5 Bd7 43.f5 g5 44.Rd8 Kg7 45.Ba1 Kf7 46.Rh8 Kg7 47.Ra8 Nb3 48.Bb2 Rd2 49.Bc3 3. (0.96): 32...Bd5 33.Ng3 Qf7 34.Qc3 Bxg2 35.Kxg2 Qd5+ 36.Kh3 Qf3 37.Qxa5 Rd5 38.f5 Rxf5 39.Rb4 Rh5+ 40.Rh4 Rxh4+ 41.Kxh4 h5 42.Kh3 Qg4+ 43.Kg2 h4 44.Qb4 Qxb4 45.axb4 hxg3 46.Kxg3 Kf7 47.e4 Ke6 48.Kf3 Nc7 49.h4 g6 50.Ba3 Ke7 51.Kf4 Ke6 52.Ke3 Nb5 53.Bb2 4. (1.10): 32...Bf7 33.Rb4 Nc7 34.f5 Na6 35.Rd4 Rxd4 36.Nxd4 Nc4 37.Nxc6 Nxc5 38.Nd8 Qh4 39.Qd1 Ne5 40.Nxf7 Nxf7 41.Bd2 Qc4 42.Qc1 Qxc1+ 43.Bxc1 Nd6 44.Bd2 Nxf5 45.Bd5+ Kh8 46.Kf2 Ne7 47.e4 Nxd5 48.exd5 Kg8 49.Bb4 Nd7 50.a4 5. (1.17): 32...Bf5 33.e4 Be6 34.Rb4 Bh3 35.Be3 Qg4 36.Ng3 Qd1+ 37.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 38.Nf1 Be6 39.a4 Kf7 40.Rb8 Nc4 41.Kf2 Ke7 42.Ra8 Nxe3 43.Nxe3 Rc1 44.f5 Bd7 45.Ra5 g5 46.Bf1 h5 47.Nc4 g4 48.Ra8 Rc2+ 49.Kg3 Nc7 50.Ra7

May-05-17		Saniyat24: Carlsen oozing with confidence with his moves....anyone know what his rating was when he played this game against Kramnik?

May-05-17		KoNUlla: Around 2800. https://ratings.fide.com/toparc.pht... November 2009 list

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