Online Chess Lessons | Magnus Carlsen Maintains Top Position

Magnus Carlsen Maintains Top Position

Carlsen has 2.5/3 points after today’s fighting draw the ever-dangerous Alexander Morozevich. Carlsen attempted to play a Grunfeld, however had to switch gears after Moro’s 4. Bg5. Carlsen emerged from the opening with a space advantage and pawn storming attack against white’s king. While Morozevich is reknown for his attacking prowess, he is also an experienced and cool-headed defender. He reduced black’s pressure by sacrificing a pawn with 33. d6!? and exchanged pieces while winning back the pawn on c4 (39. Rxc4). It seemed that a draw was likely as the players reached the time control at move 40, however Morozevich attempted to push forward due to his good knight vs Carlsen’s bad dark-squared bishop. Carlsen defended accurately and Morozevich forced a perpetual check, ending the game in 52 moves.

[Event “44th Biel Tornament 2011”]
[Site “Biel, Switzerland”]
[Date “2011.07.20”]
[Round “3”]
[White “GM Morozevich”]
[Black “GM Carlsen”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteElo “2694”]
[BlackElo “2821”]
[Opening “Grunfeld: Stockholm variation”]
[ECO “D80”]
[NIC “GI.03”]
[Time “07:40:38”]
[TimeControl “7200+0”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Nxe4 dxe4 6. Qd2 Bg7 7. e3 c5 8.
d5 Nd7 9. Ne2 Ne5 10. Nc3 f5 11. Be2 Nf7 12. Bh4 O-O 13. f3 exf3 14. gxf3
Qd6 15. Bg3 e5 16. O-O-O Bd7 17. Kb1 a6 18. e4 f4 19. Bf2 Rab8 20. h4 b5 21.
Rc1 Rfc8 22. Ka1 Bf8 23. Nd1 a5 24. cxb5 Bxb5 25. Bxb5 Rxb5 26. Nc3 Rb4 27.
Rc2 c4 28. Rhc1 a4 29. a3 Rb3 30. Qe2 Qa6 31. Nb1 Nd6 32. Nd2 Nb5 33. d6
Nxd6 34. Qf1 Rb7 35. Qh3 Re8 36. h5 g5 37. Bc5 Rc7 38. Bxd6 Qxd6 39. Rxc4
Rxc4 40. Nxc4 Qe6 41. Qg2 Be7 42. Nd2 Kg7 43. Nb1 Kh6 44. Rc7 Rc8 45. Rxc8
Qxc8 46. Qg4 Qc4 47. Qf5 Bc5 48. Qxe5 Bd4 49. Qd6+ Kxh5 50. Qd7 Kg6 51. Qf5+
Kh6 52. Qh3+ Kg7 {Game drawn} 1/2-1/2

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