(1) Van Wely,L (2681) - Carlsen,M (2733) [A58]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (10), 23.01.2008
[Mihail Marin]

Both players had suffered losses in the previous round, which usually generates a delicate psychological situation. Would they agree to a draw soon, in order to recover properly, or, on the contrary... Well, let's see.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 Not really a peaceful opening.

4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.Nf3 d6 8.g3 Bg7 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.Rb1 Qa5








This early development of the queen is aimed to prevent White from regrouping properly.

11.Bd2!? [Actually, a logical move. The enemy queen is put under indirect pressure immediately. Carlsen had obtained good counterplay after 11.0-0 Nb6 12.a3 Nc4 in his Candidate's match against Aronian, Elista 2007. The position soon simplified and a draw was agreed.]

11...Nb6 12.b3 Qa3?! But maybe this is too much already. Carlsen might have overlooked the knight's transfer to c2, which would cause Black additional loss of time.

13.0-0 0-0 14.Ne1 Bb7 15.Nc2 Qa6 16.e4 Ne8 17.a4 Nc7 18.Re1








White has completed his development in acceptable way, while Black's counterplay did not really start yet.

18...Rae8 Since 3 of Black's minor pieces are hitting onto the well defended d5-pawn, it is just logical to prepare the opening of the cenre with ...e6. However, the rook's departure from the queenside will allow White get strong initiative on what is traditionally considered "Black's terriory" in the Volga Gambit.

19.b4! It is clear now that something has gone terribly wrong for Black.

19...Nd7 20.Nb5!? [White had many ways to obtain a crushing advantage. Van Wely opts for a dynamic solution, which will yield him a winning position soon. A more static, but equally unpleasant for Black approach would be 20.b5 Qa5 21.Re3! After this rook lift, White threatens to push the enemy queen away with Ne2, for instance 21...Nb6 22.Ne2! Qxa4 (This loses immediately, but if the queen retreats the game would not last too long either after the gradual but unstoppable advance of the passed pawns) 23.Ra3 Qc4 24.Ne3-+ ]

20...Rc8 21.Bh3 f5 22.Bg5 Ne5 23.bxc5 Qxa4 24.Nxc7 Rxc7 25.c6








White has not only preserved his extra-pawn, but has pushed it onto the 6th rank as well! Black's position is hopeless. In the next phase of the game, Carlsen will desperately try to fish in muddy waters.

25...Bc8 26.exf5 Rxf5!? Hoping to get the d5-pawn some day. Which will actually happen in the game...

27.f4 Nc4 28.Rb4 Qa7+ 29.Kg2 Qc5 30.Rb8 Nb2 31.Qf3 Qxc2+ 32.Re2 Qb1










33.Bxf5 Qxf5 34.g4 Qf7 35.Bxe7 h5 36.Bxd6 hxg4 37.Qe4 Kh7








On each move, White has a choice between several completely winning moves, his main concern being to avoid any form of black counterplay. This is quite tireing, especially that the position looks a bit unusual.

38.Bxc7?! [After this (also winning) move, White will lose the d5-pawn, allowing Black to activate his play in a still completely losing position. From practically point of view, it would have been better to play 38.Rexb2 in order to make the c4-square available for the queen (for the eventuality of ...Bf5). After 38...Bxb2 White can play 39.Bxc7 already.]

38...Bf5








The situation has become slightly obscure. In order to retain his decisive advantage, hite has to do some calculation.

39.Qe3?! [This move, probably dictated by the natural desire to keep the own king defended, throws away the biggest part of the advantage. From practical point of view, 39.Rh8+! would have been the simplest way to a win, because it would have led to the forced exchange of queens and the unstoppable advance of the far advanced passed pawns.; In the heat of the fight and under time pressure it is not easy to spot the other winning move 39.Qe7 , creating the unpleasant threat of Qh4+. The point is that after 39...Qxd5+ 40.Kg1 (But not 40.Kg3?? because of 40...Qf3+ followed by mate. In fact, if you see this during the game, you do not feel like investigating the consequences of 39.Qe7 anymore)) 40...Qd1+ 41.Kf2 Qd4+ 42.Kg3 Qg1+ 43.Kh4 the king escapes from checks and is ready to participate to the creation of a mating net around his colleague!]

39...Qxd5+










40.Kg3? [After this new inaccuracy, the game should end in a draw. The paradoxical 40.Kg1!? would have retained some advantage for White, because the aparently winning 40...Bd4 (By the way, Black has nothing better) 41.Rh8+! followed by Be5(+) would again force favourable simplifications. It is true that after the elimination of the d5-pawn things are not the same as after 39.Rh8!+...]

40...Nc4










41.Qf2? [The losing move. It must have been hard for van Wely to switch from the choosing-between-several-absolutely-winning-moves mode to finding-the-only-saving-move. Anyway, it was essential to maintain the third rank defended with 41.Qb3 when after 41...Qh1 42.Be5 the game should end in a draw by perpetual.]

41...Qd3+ 42.Kg2 Be4+ Black's attack is decisive now. Unlike his opponent, Carlsen adapted himself to the new circumstances perfectly.

43.Rxe4 Qxe4+ 44.Kf1 Qd3+ 45.Qe2 Nd2+ 46.Ke1 Nf3+ 47.Kf1 Nxh2+ 48.Ke1 Bc3+ 49.Kf2 g3+ 0-1