preview of the game Carlsen – Adams from CorusChess 2008
Here are the live commentaries by Goran Urosevic from the recent game between Magnus Carlsen and Michael Adams at the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk. Both players will meet again at Corus 2008 and the charge from this fantastic games is expected to be seen again. Corus 2008 is a good opportunity for both of them and we will surely see atractive attacking chess.
Enjoy the Corus 2008 preview!
Live commentary from Corus 2008 will be available at the live games page https://www.chessdom.com/corus-chess-2008
Michael Adams – Magnus Carlsen
Chess World Cup 2007
Round 4
Khanty-Mansiysk
2007.12.4
Good day everyone. Mickey Adams lost the first game against Magnus Carlsen, but don’t write him off yet. Nickname ‘The Spider’ best describes what he does with white pieces. On the other hand, so far Magnus is bravely jumping into unexplored (some would say suspicious) lines with black. Enjoy the game.
1.e4 e5 It seems that Magnus is trusting e5 better than Sicilian.
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 d5!? This again…Magnus is repeating the line he played against Dominguez Perez in the 2nd round. Of course, Mickey probably carefully examined this line, and this makes Magnus’ choice even more surprising.
11.exd5 ( Dominguez used 11.d4)
11… e4 12.Bxe4 (12.Ng5 Qxd5 13.d4 was also played )
12… Nxe4 13.Rxe4 Bb7 Austrian IM Ragger is the only one who entered this line with black.
14.d4 Re8 Protecting the bishop before taking on d5. 15. Bf4 was in Ragger’s game
15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Re2 Adams spent some time before retreating the rook, but don’t be tricked, this is still his preparation. (16.b3 Nb6 produced a draw in Kaplan-Ragger)
16… Bxd5 17.Ne5 Knight had to move somewhere, e1 is passive square so e5 is natural solution. 17…Bd6 with idea Qf6 looks tempting.
17… Bg5 18.Bg3 (18.Nd3 Be4! with Bxf4 and Qg5)
18… Nxe5! Smart exchange. Pair of bishops are giving wonderful compensation for a pawn.
19.Rxe5 Rxe5 20.Bxe5 Qd7 Adams should complete his development, most likely 21. Nd2 or 21. a4. Black is equal however.
21.Na3!? f6! Good move, Be5 was annoying. Ra8-e8 is on agenda.
22.Bg3 Qc6 23.f4!? This can be weakening later?
23… Bh6 24.Qd2 Black has all sorts of promising moves – Re8, Be4-f5, even f5..
24… g6 25.Nc2! Knight is finally joining the action. Nc2-b3-d3 and white is eying c5 and e5 (after black plays f5). Probably 25…Be4 now.
25… Bf8 No more Nb4, but white can play Ne3 and prepare f5. Even immediate 26.f5 deserves attention.
26.f5! Mickey jumps on the opportunity! 26…gxf5 27. Rf1 Be4 28. Ne3 Qd7 29. Qf2
26… Re8 27.fxg6 hxg6 25…Bf8 was small inaccuracy, now white bishop got some air. Black is threatening Bxg2 and Re2-c2 at the end. 28. Ne3 would allow Bh6, so perhaps Ne1…
28.Rc1! Tricky move! Idea is Nb4, which would go after 28.. .Bxa2 as well. The point is that Nb4 Bxb4 would open c-file and black is losing c7 pawn.
28… Re4 (28… Bxa2!? 29.Nb4 Bxb4 30.cxb4 Re2! 31.Rxc6 Rxd2 32.Rxf6 Kh7 33.Bxc7 Bd5 34.g3 Rxd4)
29.b3 Solid like Adams. (29.Nb4 Bxb4 30.cxb4 Re2 31.Qxe2 Qxc1+ 32.Kh2 and opposite-colored bishops should give upper hand to the attacking side. Question is: who is attacker here? Anyway, b2 and g2 are weak and black should have sufficient counterplay.)
29… Qe6 30.Re1! c6 Magnus is fortifying in the center
31.Kh2 a5 32.Qd3 (32.Qf2 Adams is in serious time trouble. Better was 32. Qf2 with idea Ne3. If immediate 32. Ne3 black has Bh6 pin.)
32… f5 33.Be5! a4! 34.Qg3! 34…axb3 35. axb3 Bxb3 36. Rxe4 fxe4 37. Ne3! with idea Ng4
34… Rxe1 (34… axb3 35.axb3 Bxb3 (35… Rxe1 36.Nxe1 Bxb3 37.Nd3) 36.Rxe4 fxe4 37.Ne3)
35.Nxe1 Be4?! (35… axb3 Better was 36.axb3 Bxb3 37.Nd3)
36.Nf3! Bxf3 37.Qxf3 Adams has stabilized his extra pawn and is enjoying solid advantage now. If black takes on b3, white will grab c6 and penetrate with the queen.
37… axb3 38.axb3 Be7 39.Kg1 Tame, but Adams is racing with clock. Slightly better is Qe3 with idea Qh6
39… Kf7 40.Kf2 Adams has finally reached the time control and can concentrate on finding the most perspective plan. Magnus can complicate matters with 40…c5 and we doubt he’ll miss this chance.
40… Ke8 Returning the favor. (40… c5 41.Qd1 (41.Qb7 cxd4 42.Qxb5 d3!) 41… cxd4 42.cxd4 Bd6 can this be a draw?)
41.Qe2! Why is Adams allowing 41…Qxb3 42. Bd6 Qf7? Looks like simple draw. It is not… 43. Kg3 Kd7 trade on e7, then Kf4 and h4! is probably a winning pawn endgame.
41… Kf7 Magnus is avoiding the trap..but now 42. c4 is strong (41… Qxb3 42.Bd6 Qf7 43.h4 Kd7 44.Qxe7+ Qxe7 45.Bxe7 Kxe7 46.Kf3 Kf6 47.Kf4)
42.c4 bxc4 43.bxc4 Bh4+ 44.Kf1 Be7 45.Ke1 We’re curious to see Mickey’s plan. Maybe king to d3?
45… Bb4+ 46.Kd1 (46.Kf2)
46… Be7 47.Kd2 Bb4+ 48.Kd3 At least we guessed something… Now white queen should be free to operate.
48… Be7 49.Qe3! Aiming at h6.
49… Ke8 50.Qh6 Kd7 Qg7 or Qh8
51.Qh8 Bd8 (51… f4!? 52.Qb8 Qf5+ 53.Kc3 Qe4 54.Bxf4 Qxg2 55.Qc7+ Ke6 might have been black’s chance)
52.Qg7+ Be7 53.Kc3 Ke8 (53… f4!?)
54.Qh8+ Kd7 (54… Bf8!? deserved attention 55.Kd3 Qe7)
55.Qb8! Finally queen is switching flanks because obviously nothing can be done on the kingside.
55… Bd8 56.Kb3 Be7 57.Qb6 Ke8 58.Qb8+ Kf7 59.Kc3 It looks like Adams is wandering without a plan.
59… Qd7 60.Qh8 Qe6 61.h4 Bf8 62.g3 Be7 63.c5!? Now this gives some air to black, but Adams simply didn’t have other solution.
63… Bf8 64.Kb4 Be7?! Ke8 and Qf7 looked safer, because after 7th rank checks white king can’t break through.
65.h5 (65.Ka5 was interesting. It is not obvious how can black stop this king from attacking c6 pawn.)
65… gxh5 66.Qxh5+ Kf8 67.Qh8+ Kf7 68.Qh1 Ke8 69.Qf3 Kd7 Both players are down to less than one minute on the clock and are flashing moves at the lightning speed.
70.Qd3 Bf8 71.Kc3 Be7 72.Qb1 Ke8 (72… Bxc5? 73.Qb7+ Ke8 74.Qb8+ Kf7 75.dxc5)
73.Qb7 Bd8 74.Kb4 Be7 75.Qa8+ Kd7 76.Qa7+ Ke8 77.Qa6 Kd7 78.Qa8? Bxc5+!! Fantastic Magnus is on alert even with one minute on the clock!
79.dxc5 (79.Kxc5 Qd5+ 80.Kb6 (80.Kb4? c5+!) 80… Qb3+ 81.Ka7 Qa3+ 82.Kb8 Qf8+ 83.Kb7 Qb4+ draw)
79… Qxe5 80.Qb7+ Qc7 81.Qxc7+ Kxc7 82.Kc4 Kd7 83.Kd3 Since the pawn endgame is completely equal, the players have agreed on a draw. Some excellent defending work by Magnus under pressure from Mickey and the clock. Huge clash Carlsen-Cheparinov is set for the quarterfinals, don’t miss the live commentary on Chessdom! Have a nice day all.
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