Carlsen has a one-point lead with Bacrot and Anand sharing second-third places. Topalov, who remains in a slump (he lost to Anand in the third round), and Gashimov, are fourth-fifth with Wang Yue dead last.
Game of the week. Our annotator, Iranian GM Elshan Moradiabadi, describes it as a “fine game in ‘Magnusian style!’ ” Carlsen, he adds, did not seek “a deep theoretical surprise, rather he chose to simply outplay his opponent in a position in which Topalov was even less experienced than [Magnus] was!”
White: M. Carlsen (2826)
Black: V. Topalov (2803)
Ruy Lopez
3rd Pearl Spring Nanjing 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 No more Scotch! After a fine and impressive game against Bacrot one could expect to see another Scotch. However, I believe that Carlsen is more interested in avoiding any special preparation and wants to bring the game as quickly as possible to the phase one might call “fight at the board”! 3…a6 The Berlin is what one might have expected from Topalov. 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d3!? The right decision in my opinion. Carlsen tries to postpone d4 in order to choose his setup according to black’s. There aren’t many theoretical surveys in this position, though statistics show us that black may be safe here.6…b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.Nbd2. An odd though successful choice first played by Daniel King. 10…0-0 11.Re1 Bd7N 11…Be6 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.c3 Qd7 14.d4 exd4 15.cxd4 Ra8 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.Nb3 Nd8 1-0 King,D (2506) -Krasenkow,M (2643)/Germany 1999/GER-chT (71) 12.c3 Ra8 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.d4 h6 15.Nf1 Re8 16.Ng3 Qc8 17.Nh4 Carlsen starts his fight for the initiative. 17…Bf8?! An inaccuracy. The bishop on b3 is well-placed and black’s last move offers white the bishop pair with no genuine counter play. 18.Ng6! Na5 19.Nxf8 Rxf8 20.Bc2 Re8 21.f4! Of course Magnus does not hesitate and goes straight for the king. Having a strong pair of bishops and a rock solid center, who could resist the temptation? 21…Bg4 22.Qd3 exf4? Not at any cost! It is understandable that in a difficult position Topalov would seek activity but in my opinion it only worsens the situation. 22…Qb8 was preferable though the position remains worse. 23.Bxf4 Nc4 24.Bc1! A cool retreat. 24…c5 The final mistake in my opinion, and black is helpless now. 25.Rf1 cxd4 26.cxd4 Qd8 27.h3 Be6 28.b3 Qa5 29.Kh2 Magnus does not need to complicate things. With his last move he has prepared the final blow! 29…Nh7 30.e5 g6 31.d5 Nxe532.dxe6! After Nxd3 33.exf7+ Kf8 34.Bxh6+ Ke7 35.fxe8Q+ Kxe8 36.Bxd3 and not only does g6 fall, but the knight on h7 is lost as well. Ex: 36…Qc7 37.Bxg6+ Kd8 38.Rf7+ 1-0.
Puzzler.
White: Qa8, Nd5, Bg5, Kh7
Black: Ke5
White to play and mate in three.
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