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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

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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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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