Magnus Carlsen vs Fabiano Caruana (2024)

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

Magnus Carlsen vs Fabiano Caruana
Freestyle Chess GOAT Challenge (2024) (unorthodox), Wangels GER, rd 3, Feb-16
Chess variants (000) · 1-0

Move:

white

Last:

1. g4 c6 2. O-O-O g5 3. h4 h6 4. d4 d5 5. e4 O-O-O 6. Nb3 Nc7 7. Nc3 e6 8. Bd2 Be7 9. f4 Nd7 10. ed5 cd5 11. fg5 hg5 12. h5 Nb6 13. Bd3 Qh6 14. Rgf1 Rf8 15. Qg1 Bc6 16. Be1 Bd6 17. Bg3 Bg3 18. Qg3 Nc4 19. Rde1 Nd6 20. Nc5 f5 21. Qe5 Ne4 22. a4 Nc3 23. bc3 fg4 24. Rf8 Qf8 25. Qc7 Kc7 26. Ne6 Kd6 27. Nf8 Rf8 28. h6 Ba4 29. Re5 a6 30. Rg5 Bb5 31. Rg6 Kd7 32. Bb5 ab5 33. Rg4 Rf1 34. Kd2 Rf2 35. Kd1 Rh2 36. Rg7 Kc6 37. h7 b6 38. Ke1 b4 39. cb4 Kb5 40. c3 Kc4 41. Rc7 Kd3 42. Kf1 Ke3 43. Kg1 Rh6 44. Kg2

Updated viewer to 'pgn4web' for 960 games.

	find similar games	159 more Carlsen/Caruana games
	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

TIP: If you find a mistake in the database, use the correction form. There is a link at the bottom that reads "Spot an error? Please suggest your correction..." Avoid posting corrections in the kibitzing area.

For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.

PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Feb-17-24		keypusher: I was following this game as it was played. Here after 18....Nc4 click for larger view the engine called for 19.Bxc4 dxc4 20.Nd2. I'd be pretty slow to open the bishop's diagonal, myself. But after 20....Bd5 21.Nxd5 exd5 22.Rf5 it becomes clearer what SF sees. Here after 22.a4 click for larger view It's strange that ...Nxc3 would be a big mistake, but it was, presumably because it left Black with too many weaknesses in the center. After 22....Nxc3 23.bxc3 fxg4 24.Rxf8 Qxf8 25.Qxc7+ (the engines preferred Qxg5, but this was a good simplifying combination from the human point of view) Kxc7 26.Nxe6+ Kd6 27.Nxf8 Rxf8 28.h6! Bxa4 29.Re5! click for larger view White had a winning ending. Still seems somehow unfair that Black's weaknesses counted for so much and White's weaknesses didn't seem to matter.

Feb-17-24		fischerrobertbobby: Carlsen wins from the start Caruana makes a mistake on the first move and is severely punished by the Norwegian, who virtuosically expresses the greatest harmony of his pieces. The last game of the final after the draw without much history on Thursday served to prove that Magnus Carlsen understands the essence of chess better than everyone else, including the number two in the world Fabiano Caruana 1. g4 c6? (One feels uncomfortable stating that the first move of the number two in the world is bad but Carlsen is going to prove it. In addition to being passive, it delays the development of the b8 knight.) 2. O-O-O g5 3. h4 h6 4. d4(Carlsen went to the confessional at this time and said that he had a lot of advantage and that he could choose where to press on the kingside or in the center.) d5 5. e4 O-O-O 6. Nb3 Nc7 7. Nc3 e6 8. Bd2 Be7 9. f4 (In addition to the initiative, each of the four white minor pieces is more active than its black counterpart.) Nd7 10. ed5 cd5 11. fg5 hg5 12. h5(This passed pawn is White's first fruit but Caruana has resources especially if he breaks on f5 in good conditions) Nb6 (It is true that the most logical plan led to losing a pawn in the medium term 12… Nb8 13 Qg2 Nc6 14 Kb1 f5 15 gf5 ef5 16 Bd3 Rf8 17 Bg5 Bg5 18 Qg5 Qh5 and the f5 one would be very weak but it remains to be seen if staying passive is better) 13. Bd3 Qh6 (Caruana sits and waits for Carlsen to break somewhere) 14. Rgf1 Rf8 15. Qg1 Bc6 16. Be1 Bd6 17. Bg3 Bg3 18. Qg3 Nc4 19. Rde1 (It would be good to know why Carlsen rejected 19 Bc4 dc4 20 Nd2 For example 20… Bd5 (It would be strategic suicide. 20… b5 21 a4 a6 22 Nde4 with winning positional advantage) 21 Nde4 f5 22 Nd6+ Kb8 23 Qe5 f4 24 Ndb5 with overwhelming dominance and probably winning attack) Nd6 20. Nc5 f5(White's advantage is still big but now Black at least breathes a little...) 21. Qe5 Ne4 22. a4(Given the capture on e4 Caruana would have taken advantage of the weaknesses on h5 and d4 22 Be4 de4 23 gf5 ef5 24 Rf5 Rfe8 25. Qg3 Qh5 26 Rg5 Qh6 and the black ones hold on)22… Nc3 ? (with the queen away from his king and a bad bishop in c6 caruana opens more lines against his monarch which almost guarantees his defeat but it is true that he had nothing good the lesser evil could be 22… a6 23 N3e4 de4 24 Bc4 Bd5 but with great white advantage in any case) 23. bc3 fg4 24. Rf8 Qf8 (Caruana accelerates his own execution because he sees that after 24… Rf8 25 Kb2 followed by Bg6 His position would be desperate.) 25. Qc7 Kc7 26. Ne6 Kd6 27. Nf8 Rf8 28. h6 Ba4 29. Re5 a6 30. Rg5 Bb5 31. Rg6 Kd7 32. Bb5 ab5 33. Rg4 Rf1 34. Kd2 Rf2 35. Kd1 Rh2 36. Rg7 Kc6 37. h7 b6 38. Ke1 b4 39. cb4 Kb5 40. c3 Kc4 41. Rc7 Kd3 42. Kf1 Ke3 43. Kg1 Rh6 44. Kg2 and caruana surrendered

Apr-12-24		offramp: <fischerrobertbobby: Carlsen wins from the start Caruana makes a mistake on the first move and is severely punished by the Norwegian, who virtuosically expresses the greatest harmony of his pieces. The last game of the final after the draw without much history on Thursday served to prove that Magnus Carlsen understands the essence of chess better than everyone else, including the number two in the world Fabiano Caruana 1. g4 c6? (One feels uncomfortable stating that the first move of the number two in the world is bad but Carlsen is going to prove it. In addition to being passive, it delays the development of the b8 knight.) 2. O-O-O g5 ...> User: fischerrobertbobby points out that on <move 1> both sides can castle queenside: 1. 0-0-0! In fact, after 1.g4 c6 Stockfish 16 reckons White is winning! +0.8. Here is a separate strange thing about Fischer 960 random: despite the wacky opening position, the games always quickly resolve to a well-known style of position. E.g., have a look at User: keypusher 's first position.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
Nothing in violation of United States law.
No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
No trolling.
The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.

NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: UNORTHODOX. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.