Chess (January 25): Magnus wins in Wijk ann Zee

[Jack Rabbit]

[center]

Wijk aan Zee
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Archmedus (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Arch) from Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wijk_aan_zee_044.JPG)
(Public Domain)
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Reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen won the Masters' Group 2015 Tata Steel International Tournament in the Dutch sea resort of Wijk aan Zee today when he drew his game against Croatian grandmaster Ivan Saric.

Magnus started the event slowly, drawing his first two games and then losing to Polish GM Radoslav Wojtaszek in the third round. He then won six straight games to take a one-point lead over his nearest competitor after nine rounds. Magnus drew his last four games to finish with nine points out of 13 rounds, a half point ahead of five grandmasters who tied for second place.

In the Challengers' Group, 15-year-old Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi took first place with 10½ points in 13 games, a half point ahead of veteran Czech GM David Navara.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Carlsen - Radjabov, Tata Steel IT (Masters; Group), Wijk aan Zee

[center][/center]
[center]Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Franz Peeters from flikr.com
Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]
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Magnus Carlsen - Teimour Radjabov
Tata Steel Tournament, Round 9
Wijk aan Zee, 19 January 2015

Petit Spanish Game: Berlin Defense (Clam Attack/Neo-Classical Variation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3

[center]BLACK[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE[/center]
[center]Phylum Epine Dorsal>Royal Order>Spanish Class>Order Petit>Family Gothic (Berlin Defense)>Genus Clam Attack[/center]
[center]Position after 4.d3[/center]

• If [font color="red"]4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"](Berlin Wall)[/font] If [font color="red"]7...Nf5[/font]

[font color="red"]
[center]BLACK[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE[/center]
[center]Phylum Epine Dorsal>Royal Order>Spanish Class>Order Petit>Family Gothic (Berlin Defense)>Genus Open Attack>Species Belin Wall[/center]
[center]Position after 7...Nd6f5[/center]
[/font]

• [font color="red"]8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...h6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...Ke8 11.Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...c5 12.c3 b6 13.Re1 Be6 14.g4[/font] draw (Kasparov-Kramnik, World Ch M Rd 13, London, 2000).
• [font color="burgundy"]12.b3 b6 13.Bb2 Be6 14.Rfe1 a5 15.c4 Be7[/font] remains equal (Melamed-Yemelin, Op, St Petersburg, 2000)
• [font color="#FC911A"]11...Ne7 12.Nd4 Ng6 13.f4 c5 14.Nb5[/font] gives White a slight advantage with more active minor pieces (Ziatdinov-A Smirnov, Op, St Petersburg, 2003).
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Bd7 11.b3 Ke8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Bb2 Rd8 13.Rad1 Ne7 14.Rfe1 Ng6 15.Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15...Nf4 16.e6 Nxe6 17.Nd4 c5 18.Nf5 Rh7 19.Bf6[/font] gives White a healthy advantage in space (Kasparov-Kramnik, IT, Astana, 2001).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...c5 16.c4 Nf4 17.Bc1 Ne6 18.Nc3 Be7 19.Nd5[/font] gives White a better grip on the ceter through superior development (McShane-Mamedyarov, YM, Lausanne, 2003).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Rd1 Rd8 13.Bb2 h5 14.g3 Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15.Kg2 Be6 16.Ne2 g5 17.c4 c5 18.Rxd8+ Bxd8 19.Rd1[/font] is equal (Kryvoruchko-C Balogh, Greek Teams, Eretria, 2011).
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Ne2 c5 16.c4 Bc6 17.Ne1 Bg5 18.Rxd8+ Kxd8[/font] is equal (Saric-Gupta, Op, Fujairah, 2012).
• [font color="burgundy"]10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.h3 Be7 12.Ne2 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Be3 Bf5 15.Nd4 Bh7 16.g4[/font] gives White a better grip on the from superior minor pieces; Black has the Bishop pair (J Polgar-Kasparov, TM, Moscow, 2002).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...Be7 10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.Ne2 Bd7 12.h3 h6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Nf4 h5 14.Re1 Rd8 15.e6 Bxe6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Bf4[/font] is equal (Anand-Topalov, Rpd, Zürich, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]13.b3 Rd8 14.Bb2 Rg8 15.Rd2 Bc8 16.Rad1 Rxd2 17.Nxd2[/font] is equal (Lasker-Allies, X, Berlin, 1896).
• If [font color="darkred"]7...Ne4 8.Qe2 Bf5 9.Rd1 Qc8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]10.Nd4 Bc5 11.Be3 0-0 12.Nb3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Re8 14.Na3[/font] is equal (Bologan-Matamoros Franco, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).
• [font color="magenta"]10.Be3 Bg6 11.Nbd2 Nc5 12.Nb3 Nxb3 13.axb3 Be7 14.Nd4[/font] is equal (Zufic-Rogulj, Op, Pula, 2001).

4...Bc5

[center]BLACK[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE[/center]
[center]Phylum Epine Dorsal>Royal Order>Spanish Class>Order Petit>Family Gothic (Berlin Defense)>Genus Clam Attack>Species Neo-Classical[/center]
[center]Position after 4.d2[/center]

• If [font color="red"]4...d6 5.c3 g6[/font]

[font color="red"]
[center]BLACK[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE[/center]
[center]Phylum Epine Dorsal>Royal Order>Spanish Class>Order Petit>Family Gothic (Berlin Defense)>Genus Clam Attack>Species Spanish King's Indian[/center]
[center]Position after 5...g7g6[/center]
[/font]

• [font color="red"]6.0-0 Bg7 7.Re1 0-0 8.Nbd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...Bd7 9.Nf1 Qe8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Ng3 Rd8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.h3 a6 12.Ba4 Kh8 13.Bc2 Qe7 14.d4 Rde8 15.Be3[/font] gives White more space and freedom (Giri-Bindrich, Bundesliga 0809, Eppingen, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]11.Ba4 Nd4 12.cxd4 Bxa4 13.b3 Bb5 14.Bb2 c5[/font] remains equal (Antonio-Harikrishna, Ol, Mallorca, 2004).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Ba4 Nh5 11.Bb3 Kh8 12.Ne3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12...Nf4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Ne7 15.d4 f6 16.dxe5[/font] is equal (Morozevich-Krasenkow, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• If [font color="magenta"]12...Nd8 13.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13...Ne6 14.Nc4 f6 15.a4 Rd8 16.a5 Nef4[/font] is equal (Efimenko-Almasi, Bundesliga 0405, Germany, 2004).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...f6 14.g3 Rc8 15.Bc2 Nf7 16.Ng2 Bh6 17.Bxh6 Nxh6 18.Qd2[/font] gives White the initiative (T Kosintseva-C-A Foisor, Euro ChW, St Petersburg, 2009).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...a6 9.Ba4 b5 10.Bc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Bb7 11.Nf1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]11...Nb8 12.a4 Nbd7 13.Ne3 Re8 14.h3 Nf8 15.Bb3[/font] is equal (Gvetasze-Kashlinskaya, Euro ChW Rpd, Gaziantep, 2012).
• If [font color="magenta"]11...Re8 12.Ng3 Nb8[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13.h4 Nbd7 14.a4 d5 15.d4 exd4 16.e5 Ne4 17.cxd4[/font] gives White a slight edge in space (O'Dwyer-Salimaki, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).
• [font color="darkorange"]13.h3 Nbd7 14.Nh2 d5 15.Ng4 Nxg4 16.hxg4 c5 17.Qf3 d4[/font] draw (Nestorovic-Arngrimsson, Op, Obrenovac, 2008).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Re8 11.h3 Bb7 12.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]12...Nb8 13.Rb1 Nbd7 14.d5 c6 15.c4 Qc7[/font] is equal; the position is too coagulated for either side to have an advantage(Morozevich-Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• [font color="darkorange"]12...Nd7 13.Nf1 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5[/font] is equal (Lazic-Rihterovic, Op, Bela Crkva, 1996).

5.0-0 d6

• If [font color="red"]5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Nd2 c6 9.Ba4 d6 10.Bb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...0-0 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14...Bg4 15.f3 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Ne3 Nh5 17.Bf2 Bb6 18.d4 Nf4 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.dxe5 Bxe3 21.Bxe3 dxe5 22.g3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space and better pawn structue; Black is comensated for his weak pawns with a Rook commading the f-file (Efimenko-Buhmann, Bundesliga 1112, Germany, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Re1 Nh5 17.Bf2 Nf4 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 d5 20.exd5 Bxd5[/font] is equal (Ponomariov-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2011).
• [font color="#FC911A"]14...Ne8 15.d4 Qe7 16.f3 Ng7 17.Bf2 Be6 18.Ne3[/font] gives White the advantage in space (T Kosintseva-Sargissian, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]10...h6 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.Ne3 0-0 13.Qf3 g6 14.Bd2 Kg7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Rfe1 a5 17.a4 Be6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Ng4[/font] gives White more space (Pogonina-Ruan Lufei, TM, Ningbo, 2008).
• [font color="magenta"]15.Rfe1 Qe7 16.Bc2 Rh8 17.d4 Be6 18.a4 a5 19.c4[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Korbut-Ruan Lufei, TM, Ningbo, 2008).

6.Nbd2

• [font color="red"]6.c3 0-0 7.Nbd2[/font] transposes into the text.

6...0-0 7.Bxc6

• The most frequently played move here is 7.c3, as it is in the Italian Clam Attack. The obvious idea is to play d3d4 when the pawn is supported.
• If [font color="red"]7.c3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]7...a6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nc4 h6 10.b4 Ba7 11.Qe2 c5 12.Na5 cxb4 13.cxb4 Bd7 14.Bd2[/font] is equal (Hracek-Kramnik, Rpd, Prague, 2002)
• a) [font color="darkred"]8.Ba4 Ba7 9.h3 Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6 11.Nf1 c6 12.Ng3 d5 13.Bb3 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 h6 16.Bc2 Be6[/font] is equal (Alekseev-Tomashevsky, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2014).
• b) [font color="magenta"]8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.b3 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Bd3 Bf5 13.Qe2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Be4 15.Be2 f6[/font] remains equal (Caruana-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2012).
• a) If [font color="darkred"]7...Bb6 8.Nc4 Ne7 9.Ba4 Ng6 10.h3 h6 11.Bc2 Be6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Nxb6 axb6 13.d4 Nh7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Re1 Qf6 15.Nh2 Nf4 16.Ng4 Qg5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17.Qf3 h5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxh3+ 20.Qxh3 Qxe5 21.Qh4[/font] gives White the advantage as he can attack the Queen at will (Horton-Eggleston, British Ch, Torquay, 2013).
• [font color="burgundy"]17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Qf3 Bxg4 19.Qxg4 Qxg4 20.hxg4[/font] is equal (Gelashvili-Papazov, Euro ChU16, Herculane, 1994).
• [font color="#FC911A"]14.Be3 Qf6 15.Bb3 Bxb3 16.axb3 Qe7 17.dxe5 dxe5[/font] is equal (N Kosintseva-Ruan Lufei, GPW, Jermuk, 2012).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.a4 Bxc4 13.dxc4 a5 14.g3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Qe7 15.Kg2 Qe6 16.Qe2 Rfe8 17.Bd2 Nd7 18.Rad1[/font] remaisn equal (Svidler-Akopian, Euro Club Cup, Plovdiv, 2010).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...c6 15.Kg2 Re8 16.Qe2 Qc7 17.Nh2 Nf8 18.Bd2[/font] reamins equal (Nijboer-Hammer, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• b) If [font color="darkred"]7...Ne7 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.Re1 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.a3 Bg6 13.Ba4 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Nh4[/font] is equal (The World-Naiditsch, Cyberspace (Chessgames.com), 2014).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Qb3 d5 13.e5 Nd7 14.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...a6 15.Be2 c5 16.e6 fxe6 17.Ng5 c4 18.Qd1[/font] remains equal (Noble-Nataf, Corres, 2012).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...a5 15.Bd3 Re8 16.g4 Bg6 17.Bxg6 Nxg6 18.Nf1[/font] remains equal (Svidler-Karjakin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2013).

7...bxc6 8.h3 h6

• [font color="red"]8...Kh8 9.Re1 Ng8 10.Nb3 Bb6 11.d4 f6 12.Be3[/font] remains equal (Bartel-Howell, Euro ChT, Warsaw, 2013).

9.Re1 Re8 10.Nf1 a5 (N)

• If [font color="red"]10...d5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.exd5 Qxd5 12.Be3 Bf8 13.Bd2 e4 14.dxe4 Nxe4[/font] remains equal (Kramnik-Adams, Alekhine Mem, Paris/St Petersburg, 2013).


• [font color="darkred"]11.Qe2 dxe4 12.dxe4 a5 13.Rd1 Ba6 14.Qe1 Qb8[/font] remains equal (Bartel-Arslanov, Moscow Op, 2014).

[center]BLACK: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center]Position after 10...a7a5[/center]

11.Ng3

• The game is equal.

11...Rb8 12.b3 Bb4 13.Bd2 Ra8 14.c3 Bc5!?

[center]BLACK: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center]Position after 14...Bb4c5[/center]

• 18...Ba3 would give White more trouble.
• [font color="red"]14...Ba3 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 c5 17.Qc2 Bb7 18.d5[/font] remains equal.

15.d4! Bb6 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.c4 Nh7 18.Qe2!?

• Better is to develop the Queen on c2, when it is traied in the direction of Black's Kingside.
• [font color="red"]18.Qc2 Bd4 19.Nxd4 exd4 20.c5 Qf6 21.Rad1 a4 22.b4[/font] remains equal.

18...Nf8!

• [font color="red"]18...Ng5!? 19.Nxg5 hxg5 20.Rad1 Qf6 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Qxe3[/font] remains equal.

19.Be3 c5!?

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center]Position after 19...c6c5.[/center]

• The Bishop is virtually entombed by this move. Black is depeding on a subsequent ...c6 to free the piece and bring it to the kingside, but even that task would be laborious.
• Better is [font color="red"]19...Bd4 20.Bxd4 exd4 21.c5 Ne6 22.Rad1 Ba6[/font] with equality.

20.Rad1!

• White has at least a temporary advantage as long as Black's Bishop is immobile.

20...Qf6 21.Nh5

• 21.Rd5 is probably better, although it leads to the exchange of Black's immobile Bishop.
• If [font color="red"]21.Rd5 Ng6 22.Qd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]22...Qe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]23.a4 Bb7 24.Nf5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]24...Qf6 25.Nh2 Bxd5 26.Ng4 Qd8 27.exd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...h5 28.Bg5 Qc8 29.Nxg7 hxg4 30.Bf6[/font] is equal; Black has a Rook for a pawn, but White has more activity in pursuit of the Black King and Black's Bishop is still blocked by his own pawns.
• [font color="burgundy"]27...Nf4 28.Bxf4 exf4 29.Rxe8+ Qxe8 30.Qxf4[/font] gives Black the exchange for a pawn, but the immobility of Black's Bishop gives White the overall advantage.
• If [font color="darkred"]24...Qf8 25.Bxh6 gxh6 26.Nxh6+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]26...Kh8 27.Qg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Bxd5 28.Nf5 Kg8 29.Qh5 Be6 30.Ng5 Qg7 31.Nxg7 Kxg7 32.Re3[/font] gives White a strong attack on the King and irtually an extra piece owing to the immobility of Black's dark-bound Bishop.
• If [font color="burgundy"]27...Re6[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]28.Rd7 Re7 29.Nxe5 Rxe5 30.Qf6+ Kh7 31.Nf5.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]26...Kg7? 27.Nf5+! Kg8 28.Rd7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]28...Red8 29.Nxe5 Nxe5 30.Qg5+ Kh7 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Ne7+[/font] wins the Queen.
• If [font color="darkorange"]28...Bc8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]29.Nh6+ Kg7 30.Rxf7+ Qxf7 31.Nxf7 Kxf7 32.Qh6.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]23.Nf5 Qf6 24.Bxc5[/font] (White gets an extra pawn by allowing Black to exchange his immobile Bishop) then:
• If [font color="red"]24...Be6 25.Bxb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]25...Bxd5 26.cxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26...cxb6 27.d6 Rad8 28.Rd1 Kh7 29.Qc2 Re6 30.Qc7[/font] is equal.
• [font color="burgundy"]26...Qxb6 27.Rc1 Qb4 28.Qd3 Ra7 29.Rc4 Qb8 30.g3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="#FC911A"]25...cxb6? 26.Rd6 Rab8 27.Qe3 Nf4 28.Rxb6 Rbd8 29.Nd6[/font] gives White two extra pawns and more activity.
• If [font color="magenta"]24...Bb7 25.Bxb6 Bxd5 26.cxd5 cxb6 27.d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]27...Kh7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]28.Rd1 Rad8 29.h4 Re6 30.Qc2 Rexd6 31.Nxd6 Rxd6 32.Rxd6 Qxd6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="purple"]28.Rc1!? Rec8 29.Rc7 Qe6 30.Qd5 Qxd5 31.exd5[/font] gives Black the exchang for a pawn and White doubled passed pawns and the advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorange"]27...Rad8!? 28.Rc1! Nf8 29.Rc7 Nd7 30.Qd5 Kh7 31.Nd2[/font] leaves Black with the exchange for a pawn, but it a mighty, mighty pawn and gives White the advantage.
• If [font color="darkred"]22...Qc6!? 23.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23...Qe6 24.Bxc5 Bxc5 25.Rxc5 Qb6 26.Rb5 Qa7 27.Qe3[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has exchanged his immobiled Bishop.
• If [font color="magenta"]23...Rb8 24.Rd1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]24...Qe6 25.h4 f6 26.Bxc5 Ne7 27.Bxb6 Rxb6 28.Rb5[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has exchanged his immobiled Bishop.
• If [font color="darkorange"]24...Kh7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]25.Nh2 Be6 26.Ng4 Ba7 27.Rd3 Rb4 28.Nh5[/font] gives White more activity in the area of Black's King.
• [font color="purple"]25.Nf5 Qf6 26.Bxh6 gxh6 27.Qxh6+ Kg8 28.Nxe5[/font] gives White more activity and three pawns for a Bishop.
• If [font color="blue"]21.a4! Bb7 22.Qb2 Rad8 23.Rxd8[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]23...Rxd8 24.Qxe5 Qxe5 25.Nxe5 Ne6 26.Rb1 h5 27.f3[/font] gives White the advantage with his better minor pieces; one of Black's Bishops has limited scope and the other no scope at all.
• If [font color="darkblue"]23...Qxd8 24.Nxe5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]24...Ne6 25.f3 h5 26.Rc1 g6 27.Ne2 c6 28.Re1[/font] gives White the advantage in space.
• [font color="dodgerblue"]24...Qf6 25.Nd3 Qxb2 26.Nxb2 Ne6 27.f3 Nd4 28.Bxd4 cxd4 29.Nd3[/font] gives White the advantage in space; Black's dark-bound Bishop is still tied up on b6..

{b]21...Qe7 22.Nh2 Kh7 23.Qf3 f6!?

• White weakens the lights squares on his kingside. It seems like a minor error, since White has no light-bound Bishop. However, White isn't just anybody.
• If [font color="red"]23...a4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24.Ng4 Ng6 25.Bc1 Be6 26.Ne3 Nh4 27.Qe2[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]24.Bd2 Rd8 25.Nf1 f6 26.Ne3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26...axb3 27.Nd5 Qf7 28.Bc3 Ne6 29.Bxe5 bxa2 30.Ndxf6+ gxf6 31.Nxf6+[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="magenta"]26...Qf7 27.Nd5 Ne6 28.Qf5+ Qg6 29.g4 Rf8 30.Ne7[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center]Position after 23...f7f6[/center]

24.Ng4!

• White has the advantage with a nascent kingside attack.

24...Bxg4 25.Qxg4!?

• White should take with the pawn in order to bring it in to the attack.
• If [font color="red"]25.hxg4 Ne6 26.Qf5+ Kh8 27.Bxh6!![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...gxh6 28.Nxf6 Rf8 29.Rd7 Qxd7 30.Nxd7 Rxf5 31.exf5[/font] gives White only two pawns for a Bishop, but they exert a heavy force on the kingside; moreover, Black's Bishop is at least three moves from becoming active.
• [font color="darkred"]27...Rf8 28.Be3 Qe8 29.Qf3 Kg8 30.g5 fxg5 31.Qg4[/font] gives White an impressive advantage in space and a ready outpost for the Rook on the open file at d5.

25...Red8!?

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center]Position after 25...Re8d8[/center]

• Black is looking for a counterattack, something he is unlikely to find in this position. Instead, he should try to drive White's pieces away from his King.
• [font color="red"]25...g6! 26.Ng3 a4 27.f4 h5 28.Qf3 exf4 29.Qxf4[/font] is equal.

26.Qf5+!

• White again has a small advantage from the nascent attack on Black's King.

26...Kh8 27.f4 Rxd1

• If [font color="red"]27...a4 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.fxe5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]29...Qxe5 30.Bf4 Qe6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31.Re3 Rd7 32.Bg3 Re7 33.Qxe6 Nxe6 34.bxa4[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but more pawn weaknesses as well.
• [font color="magenta"]31.bxa4!? Rd4! 32.a5 Bxa5 33.Qxc5 Bxe1 34.Qxd4 Qe8[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]29...fxe5?! 30.bxa4! g6 31.Qf6+ Qxf6 32.Nxf6 h5 33.Rf1 Rd3 34.Bh6[/font] gives White an extra pawn; it would take Black two moves to capture either of the a-pawns during which time White can wratchet up the pressure on Black's King position.

28.Rxd1 exf4 29.Bxf4 Qe6?

• Black tries to exchange his way out of a jam, but while this 29...Re8 30.Rd3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30...Qxe4?! 31.Qxe4! Rxe4 32.Rd8 Kg8 33.Nxf6+ gxf6 34.Bxh6[/font] gives White an extra pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]30...Ne6? 31.e5! Qf7 32.Rg3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]32...g5 33.Bxg5 hxg5 34.Nxf6 Rg8 35.Qg4 Rg6 36.Qh5+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]36...Kg7 37.Qh7+ Kf8 38.Qh8+ Rg8 39.Qh6+ Ke7 40.Nxg8+[/font] gives White a permanent material advantage that is even greater in consideration of Black's practically entombed Bishop.
• If [font color="darkorange"]36...Rh6[/font] then [font color="darkorange"]37.Qxh6+[/font] allows Whit to mjate on the next move.
• If [font color="magenta"]32...Rg8[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]33.Be3 c6 34.Nf4 Re8 35.Nxe6 Qxe6 36.Qg6.[/font]

30.Rd3!

• White is not forces to exchange Queens. The Rook lift brings his last reserve piece into the attack.

30...Re8

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]
[center][/center]
[center]WHITE: Teimour Radjabov[/center]
[center]Position after 30...Ra8e8[/center]

• Black's strike in the center is doomed to failure, but so is everything else.
• If [font color="red"]30...a4 31.Rg3 axb3 32.axb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32...g5 33.Nxf6 Ra1+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]34.Kf2 Ra2+ 35.Kf3 Ra1 36.Ke2 Ra2+ 37.Ke3 Qxf5 38.exf5 Nh7 39.Be5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and all his pieces in the attack on Black's King.
• [font color="burgundy"]34.Kh2 Rf1 35.Qxe6 Nxe6 36.Be5[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn and more activity aimed at White's King.
• If [font color="darkred"]32...Ra1+ 33.Kf2 Ra2+ 34.Kf3 g5 35.Nxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]35...Ra1 36.Qxe6 Nxe6 37.Be5 Rd1 38.Ke2 Rb1 39.Nd5+[/font] leaves Black with no hope of escape.
• [font color="magenta"]35...Qxf5 36.exf5 Kg7 37.Be5 Ba5 38.Ng4+ Kh7 39.Ke4[/font] leaves White a pawn up with a steady attack on the Black King.

31.Nxg7!!

• White proffers the Knight in order to bring Black's kingside in a swirling black hole generated by White's pieces.
• [font color="red"]31.Rg3!? Re7 32.Bd2 c6 33.Bc3 Qxf5 34.exf5 Nd7 35.Kf2[/font] White still has a strong game with excellent winning chances.

31...Kxg7

• It's easier for both sides if the sacrifice is accepted. White now wins regardless of how Black plays.
• If [font color="red"]31...Qxf5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32.Nxf5! Ne6 33.Bxh6 Nd4 34.Bg7+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]34...Kh7 35.Bxf6 Rxe4 36.Nxd4 cxd4 37.Bg5 Re1+ 38.Kh2[/font] leaves White two pawns to the good.
• [font color="magenta"]34...Kg8 35.Bxf6 Kf7 36.Nxd4 Kxf6 37.Ne2 a4 38.Rf3+[/font] gives White three extra pawns.
• [font color="darkred"]32.exf5?? Kxg7! 33.Kf2 Re7 34.Rg3+ Kh7 35.Re3 Rxe3 36.Kxe3 Nd7[/font] gives Black a Knight for a pawn.

32.Qh5 Nh7

• [font color="red"]32...Kh8 33.Bxh6 Nh7 34.Qg6[/font] transposes into the text.

33.Bxh6+ Kh8 34.Qg6 Qg8

• [font color="red"]34...Rg8[/font] loses to [font color="red"]35.Rd8 Rxd8 36.Qg7#.[/font]

35.Bg7+ Qxg7 36.Qxe8+ Qf8

• If [font color="red"]36...Qg8 37.Qe7 c6 38.Qb7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]38...Bd8 39.Qd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]39...Bb6 40.Qxc6 Qb8 41.Rd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]41...Qg3 42.Qa8+ Qg8 43.Qxg8+ Kxg8 44.Rb7 Bd8 45.Rb8[/font] leaves White up by the exchange plus three pawns, a prohibitive material advantage.
• [font color="darkorange"]41...a4 42.Re7 axb3 43.axb3 Ba5 44.Re8+[/font] wins the Queen.
• If [font color="magenta"]39...a4[/font] then Black can resign after [font color="magenta"]40.Qxd8 Qxd8 41.Rxd8+.[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]38...Qe8 39.Qxb6 Qxe4 40.Rd8+ Kg7 41.Qc7+ Kg6 42.Rg8+[/font] soon bring White victory.

37.Qe6 Qh6 38.e5 Qc1+ 39.Kh2 Qf4+ 40.Rg3 1-0

• [font color="red"]40...Ng5 41.Qe7 Qxe5 42.Qxe5 fxe5 43.Rxg5[/font] leaves White up by the exchange.
• Teimour resigns.

[malthaussen]

2. Good grief, even chess masters are wearing advertisements?

Whether or not chess is a "sport" is a question I'll leave open, but from Carlsen's shirt it is evident the players are professionals. Ah, well, whatever gets you through the night.

-- Mal

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Yes, unfortunately

One doesn't make a lot of money as a professional chess player, even one of Magnus' stature. He has to sell advertising space on his jacket. Naturally, there are profit centers willing to buy it. Most of the ones buying space on Magnus are Norwegian firms, so I have no idea what he is advertising. He isn't the only one, but he has the most lit up sports jacket on the tour.

Magnus also does fashion modeling and, as can be seen from his photos, he's a fairly good looking young man. While most chess players write books on the game or teach to make ends meet, Magnus is doing fairly well for being a chess player and probably will for many years to come. I think he's going to be world champion for a long time.