[Event "AGON FWCM 2016"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "2016.11.20"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]
[BlackElo "2853"]
[Annotator "Sagar Shah"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceTitle "playchess.com"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"]

{After the rest day, both players were back on the board re-energized. And
Sergey Karjakin changed the entire dynamics of the match by going 1.d4!} 1. d4
{[%emt 0:00:00] Unable to find anything against Carlsen's 1...e5, Sergey makes
the shift to the queen pawn opening.} d5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]
} c6 {[%emt 0:00:05] The solid Slav Defence comes as no surprise.} 3. Nc3 {
[%emt 0:00:28]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:02:14]} 4. e3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:06]
With 12000 odd games 4...e6 is clearly the popular choice but 4...a6 is also
played often. Nearly 5,000 games with it. The last time Carlsen played this
move was back in 2007 against Ruslan Ponomariov.} 5. Bd3 {[%emt 0:03:18] The
third most popular move in the position after 5.Nf3 and 5.Qc2.} dxc4 {[%emt 0:
07:10]} 6. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 7. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} c5
{[%emt 0:00:23][%cal Gc6c5] From Slav we have now moved into Queen's Gambit
Accepted territory. But hasn't Black wasted a tempo with c7-c6 and c6-c5. Well,
White also has had to waste time with Bf1-d3 and Bd3xc4. Just to give you an
idea of how versatile Magnus is: this position has never been reached in his
over the board play before.} 8. O-O {[%emt 0:00:35]} (8. a4 {is the other main
line.}) 8... b5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 9. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:11] This idea of
retreating the bishop back to e2 has become popular recently.} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:
06]} 10. dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Nc6 $5 {[%emt 0:00:08][%cal Gb8c6] This was
played in eight seconds by Magnus, so he was clearly prepared. This has never
been played at the top level, and hence it came as a surprise to Karjakin. As
always Magnus comes up with some nice off beat ideas that have never been
tried before.} (10... Bxc5 11. Qxd8+ Kxd8 12. Nd2 $1 {The knight goes to b3
and creates some issues for Black.} Ke7 13. Nb3 Bb6 14. a4 b4 15. a5 $1 $14) (
10... Qxd1 11. Rxd1 Bxc5 12. Nd2 Nbd7 13. Nb3 Bb6 14. a4 b4 15. a5 $14 {
So this idea of Nd2-b3 and a4-a5 is quite common in this opening.}) 11. Nd2 $6
{[%emt 0:18:09] Karjakin knows his way around in this opening. He has studied
that the knight will be well placed on b3. However, in this particular case,
this will not work so well.} (11. Qc2 {If this opening happens again, the
chances of which are pretty miniscule, then Team Sergey will have to look at
an improvement in this direction.} Nb4 12. Qb3 Bxc5 13. Rd1 Qe7 14. a4 $13)
11... Bxc5 {[%emt 0:01:49]} 12. Nde4 {[%emt 0:02:42]} (12. Nb3 Bd6 {is a very
bad opening result for White. He is poorly developed and the knight on b3 does
nothing much as the a5 and c5 squares are clearly controlled. If he had to go
to d4, then why waste two moves!}) 12... Nxe4 {[%emt 0:01:14]} 13. Nxe4 {
[%emt 0:00:02]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:59] What an excellent opening result for
Carlsen. By just introducing a rarely played move 10...Nc6 he has been able to
achieve a very comfortable position.} 14. b3 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Nb4 $1 {[%emt 0:
09:11] This move not only attacks the guy on e4 but the white knight is also
looking at the juicy squares on c2 and d3.} (14... f5 15. Ng3 (15. Bb2 $2 fxe4
16. Bxg7 Qxd1 17. Rfxd1 Kf7 $1 18. Bxh8 Rxh8 $17) 15... Bf6 16. Rb1 $11 {
Followed by Bb2 and White has a fine position.}) 15. Bf3 {[%emt 0:00:46]} O-O {
[%emt 0:02:07]} (15... f5 $5 {This also would have been pretty strong as there
is no good discovered check at White's disposal.} 16. Nd6+ Qxd6 17. Bxb7 Ra7
18. Qxd6 Bxd6 19. a3 (19. Bf3 Be5 20. Rb1 Nxa2 $17) 19... Be5 20. Rb1 Rxb7 21.
axb4 Bc3 $15) 16. Ba3 {[%emt 0:05:25]} Rc8 $2 {[%emt 0:08:32][%cal Ga8c8] Pure
carelessness by Magnus. In just one move he has spoilt a a very comfortable
opening position into a minus one.} (16... Rb8 $1 $15) 17. Nf6+ $1 {[%emt 0:04:
45]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:39] A very complicated and confusing position with so
many pieces hanging and being attacked. But once you look at it carefully you
will realize that it is forced to pick up the bishop on b7.} (17... gxf6 18.
Bxb7 Rb8 19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Bxb4 Rxb7 21. Rfd1 $14 {White is better.}) 18. Bxb7 {
[%emt 0:02:21]} (18. Bxb4 $2 Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Bxa1 20. Bxf8 Be5 21. Ba3 (21. Bb4
$2 Qh4 $19) 21... Qa5 $17) 18... Bxa1 {[%emt 0:00:21]} (18... Rc7 19. Bxb4 Bxa1
20. Bxf8 Qxd1 21. Rxd1 Rxb7 22. Bb4 (22. Rd8 f5 $11 {And Black is fine.}) 22...
Bf6 23. Rc1 $14 {White has the initiative here.}) 19. Bxb4 {[%emt 0:01:29]} (
19. Qxa1 $6 Nc2 20. Qc1 Nxa3 21. Bxc8 Qxc8 22. Qxa3 Rd8 $11) 19... Bf6 {
[%emt 0:09:27]} (19... Rc7 {was also possible.} 20. Bxf8 Qxd1 21. Rxd1 Rxb7 22.
Bb4 Bf6 23. Rc1 $14 {is what we just looked at. White is slightly better here
as his rook is penetrating inside the position.}) 20. Bxf8 {[%emt 0:01:52]} (
20. Bxc8 Qxd1 21. Rxd1 Rxc8 $11) 20... Qxd1 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 21. Rxd1 {[%emt 0:
00:03]} Rxf8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 22. Bxa6 {[%emt 0:12:21] White has won a pawn,
but it will not be enough because the Black pawn will move to b4 and clamp
down the two white pawns.} (22. b4 Rb8 23. Bxa6 Kf8 {is also within the
drawing margin for Black.}) 22... b4 {[%emt 0:00:01][%csl Ra2,Rb3,Gb4][%cal
Gb5b4]} 23. Rc1 {[%emt 0:04:06]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 24. Rc2 {[%emt 0:03:29]}
Ra8 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 25. Bd3 {[%emt 0:01:16]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 26. Be2 {
[%emt 0:00:07]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 27. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Ra8 {[%emt 0:00:
29]} 28. Bc4 {[%emt 0:05:08]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 29. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Ke7
{[%emt 0:00:10]} 30. f4 {[%emt 0:00:33]} h6 {[%emt 0:01:18]} 31. Kf3 {[%emt 0:
02:22]} Rc7 {[%emt 0:00:59]} 32. g4 {[%emt 0:04:56]} g5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 33.
Ke4 {[%emt 0:01:59]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:28] The computer shows an edge for White.
But truth be told it is not possible to make much progress. Hence, Sergey
takes the pragmatic decision of accepting the draw and getting prepared for
the next game.} 1/2-1/2