Ivanchuk (2751) - Carlsen (2733) [C67]

Morelia/Linares (8) 2008


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 a6 A rare move - again, Carlsen is avoiding main lines. 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Qe2 Bf5 8. Re1 And a rare answer! More normal is 8.dxe5, and 8.Rd1 and 8.g4 have also been played. 8... Bb4 Played after about 14 minutes, so probably both players were already out of preparation. 8... Be7 9. g4 Bg6 10. Nxe5 f5 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Qc4+ Kh7 14. Nxe4 fxe4 15. Rxe4 Bh4 16. Be3 Qf6 17. f4 Rae8 18. Re5 Kr.Georgiev-Piket, Corfu 1991 9. c3 Bd6 Here Ivanchuk thought for about half an hour, but he found a strong move. 10. Qc2! Qd7 11. dxe5 Bc5 12. Rxe4 O-O-O 13. Nbd2 Black's opening wasn't a success this time. 13... Qd5 14. Kf1 Rhe8 15. b3?! Carlsen thought this was the move that let Black back into the game. He thought 15. Qa4! to be much stronger. 15... g5 16. Bb2 16. g4!? Bg6 17. Bb2 is interesting, but dangerous, e.g. 17... f5!? (or 17... h5) 16... g4 17. Nd4 Bxd4 18. cxd4 c5 Now Black does have serious counterplay. 19. Rae1 cxd4 20. Qc4 Bxe4 21. Rxe4 Rxe5 22. Rxg4 Rde8 23. Nf3 Qxc4+ 24. bxc4 Re2 25. Bxd4 Rxa2 Here Magnus had the feeling anything could happen, because White was down on time. 26. Rg7 a5 27. Rxf7 Rc2 28. g4 a4 29. g5 a3 30. Rxh7 a2 31. Rh8? After playing this move (which looks bad, because White can never play g6-g7 anymore, but might not be decisive), Ivanchuk had about ten seconds left. A better chance was 31. g6 Rxc4 32. Bb2 31... Rxh8 32. Bxh8 Rxc4 33. h3?! What about 33. Ke2 c5 (threatening 34...Rd4) 34. Ba1 Rc2+ 35. Nd2 Rc1 36. Bf6 a1=Q 37. Bxa1 Rxa1 38. Ne4 33... c5 34. Ne1?! And perhaps the last chance was 34. Nd2 Rc1+ 35. Ke2 c4 36. f4 34... Rc1 35. g6 Kd7 36. Bb2 36. Ke2 c4 36... Ke6 37. h4 c4 38. h5 c3 39. Bxc1 a1=Q 40. Nd3 And White lost on time while his position is losing anyway, 0-1