GOTM; May, 2007.  

Welcome to my  "Game of The Month"  feature!  (For May, 2007.)  (Games considered, file.) 

This is a game, that is annotated in a <light-to-medium> fashion. Hopefully it is done in a way that is both entertaining and also informative. The main purpose {and thrust} of this column is to try and educate the general chess public. 

I have deeply annotated this game on my hard drive, you are welcome to contact me if you would like to try and obtain a copy. (Because of copyright violations, I ONLY offer a printed version!)  

This is a feature where I will try to pick a game that was recently played at the GM level. Then I will annotate it and try to basically explain what happened. ---> This column is aimed primarily at lower-rated players.  (Say 1600 & below.) 

I hope that you enjoy this game ... feedback is both encouraged and welcome. (Please respect my copyright.) 

By now, every player in the world has heard of young GM Magnus Carlsen.  [His games.] 

A player who is already a seasoned master even though he is currently only sixteen, (born Nov. 30th, 1990); he became a GM at just 13 years, (four months and 27 days). He won the Wik aan Zee ("B" Section) at just age 13, and has continued to improve ever since. 

Here, he wins a game against GM Mikhail Krasenkow to win a major International Tournament, (The "Chess Classic"); followed closely by veteran GM Lajos Portisch, E. Rozentalis, and M. Krasenkow. 

   [The ChessBase report.]     [The TWIC report.]     [Search Google for this player.]  

  GM Magnus Carlsen (2693) - GM Michael Krasenkow (2661);  
  [A90]  
  GM Chess Classic  
  Gausdal, NOR; (Round #9) / 26,04,2007.  

[A.J.G.]

My "Game of The Month" for the month of May, 2007. (See the report and games in TWIC # 651.) 

GM Carlsen wins a key game that decides who will finish first in this tournament.  

 1.d4 d5;  2.c4 e6;  3.Nf3 c6;  4.Nbd2!?,   
Why this move? 

I think it is because Magnus feels sure that Krasenkow will employ the Dutch Defense. 
(Or maybe he just wanted to get his opponent out of book early in the contest?) 

     [ Instead, after the moves: 4.Nc3 Nf6;  5.e3 Nbd7;  we transpose to the Semi-Slav. 
       For more info on this line - and a ton of links - see the game for October, 2006. ]  

 4...f5!?;   
As advertised, Krasenkow opts for a Dutch, (Stonewall formation). Is he going for the full point? 

For more on the Dutch Defense, see MCO-14, beginning on page # 481. (All lines and columns.) 

     [ Another way to play this position would have been: 
        4...Nf6;  5.e3 Nbd7;  6.Bd3 Bd6;  7.0-0 0-0;  8.e4 dxe4;  9.Nxe4 Nxe4;   
       10.Bxe4 h6;  11.Bc2 e5;  12.Re1,   "+/="   with a nice edge for White.   

        A. Soltau (2621) - M. Plomp (2557); [D46]   
        W-ch21 q01 corr / I.C.C.F. Tournament, 2002. 
        {White won a long game.} ]   

Both sides continue to develop their pieces in a logical manner.   
 5.g3 Nf6;  6.Bg2 Bd6;  7.0-0 0-0;  8.Ne5 b6;  9.Ndf3 Ne4;  10.Qc2 Bb7;  11.b3,  "+/="  
Carlsen chooses slow, but consistent play.   

     [ Or 11.Bf4 c5; 12.Rad1,  "+/="  - Fritz. ]  

 11...a5;  12.Bb2 Na6;  13.a3 Qe7;  14.Nd3,  "+/="   {Diagram, below.}
A standard plan in this opening, White rearranges his pieces to take full effect of the e5-square.    

  r4rk1/1b2q1pp/nppbp3/p2p1p2/2PPn3/PP1N1NP1/1BQ1PPBP/R4RK1 b  

Time to take stock. White has a small edge ... mostly because his pieces are better coordinated than his opponent's, but it is nothing that Black should not have been able to overcome with careful and precise play. 

     [ Or 14.e3 Nb8; 15.Rfd1,  "+/=" ]   

 14...Rac8;  15.e3 c5;  16.Nde5 cxd4;  17.exd4 a4;  ('!')    {Diagram, below.}
Black tries to mix it up.   

 2r2rk1/1b2q1pp/np1bp3/3pNp2/p1PPn3/PP3NP1/1BQ2PBP/R4RK1 w  

GM M. Krasenkow's position is more than satisfactory at this point. 

 18.Qd3 Nb8;  19.Rfc1 Nd7;  20.cxd5 Bxd5;  21.b4,    
Carlsen choose to maintain the tension and keep a good structure as opposed to trying to win a Pawn.   

     [ Or 21.Rxc8 Rxc8; 22.bxa4,  "~"  which is probably not dangerous for Black. ]  

 21...Ndf6;  22.Nc4 Qb7;  23.Qe2!?,  {Diagram, below.}
I am not sure what Magnus had hoped to accomplish with this move. 
(Plus he is walking into a possible pin on the a6-f1 diagonal here.)  

  2r2rk1/1q4pp/1p1bpn2/3b1p2/pPNPn3/P4NP1/1B2QPBP/R1R3K1 b  

I do not know what the situation was (clock-wise) for the players at this point, but it may have been that either party was already short of time at this point.  

     [ 23.Nfe5 b5; 24.Ne3, "=" ]  

Now Fritz likes 23...b5. 
 23...Ng4!?;  24.Nfd2! Nxd2;  
Black trades down.  

     [ Of course not: </= 24...Ngxf2??;  25.Nxd6 Nxd6;  26.Qxf2, "+/-"  which wins for White. ]  

 25.Nxd6 Rxc1+;  26.Bxc1 Qc6?;   {Diagram, below.}  
Play has been perfectly balanced up to this point, but now Black has played a bad move that allows his opponent to win a Pawn with a fairly simple combination.  

  5rk1/6pp/1pqNp3/3b1p2/pP1P2n1/P5P1/3nQPBP/R1B3K1 w  

Study this position carefully. 

     [ Black's best was to play:  >/=  26...Qd7;  27.Bxd5 exd5;  28.Bxd2 Qxd6;  29.Re1, "+/="  
       although Fritz shows that White still holds the upper hand here. ]  

 27.Qxe6+! Bxe6;  28.Bxc6 Nb3!?;    
Fritz prefers 28...Rd8 here.  

 29.d5! Ne5;   
This is probably forced.   

     [ Even worse would be: 
       </= 29...Nxa1?;  30.dxe6! Nb3;  31.e7 Nf6;  32.Be3 Rb8; 33.Bxa4!,  "+/-"  
       and White wins easily. ]  

 30.Rb1 Nd4;  31.dxe6,   
Good enough ...   

     [ >/= 31.b5!, "+/-" ]   

 31...Nexc6;  32.b5 Ne7;  33.Be3 Rd8;  34.Nc4 Ne2+;  35.Kg2 Nc3;  36.Re1,  
Once more - this is sufficient for the win, however Fritz discovers a slightly better move.   

     [ I.e., >/= 36.Rb2! Nd1?!; 37.Bxb6!, "+/-" ]  

Now Carlsen wraps things up.   
 36...Nxb5;  37.Bg5 Kf8;  38.Re5 Nd6;  39.Nxb6 h6;  40.Be3 Ke8;  41.Ra5, "+/-"   
Black resigns, he is about to be two full Pawns down.   

A nice game by Carlsen. Maybe a lot of Fischer and Kasparov fans would have liked to see a fantastic brilliancy ... of great depth ... but this was still a solid effort by a chess pro ... that cemented a first place finish. 

  Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2007.  All rights reserved.   

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