Magnus Wins With Black Zenon Franco Magnus Wins With Black Author: Zenon Franco Ocampos Typesetting by Andrei Elkov (www.elkov.ru) Cover photo © Eteri Kublashvili, taken at Shamkir 2019 © LLC Elk and Ruby Publishing House, 2020 Follow us on Twitter: @ilan_ruby www.elkandruby.com ISBN 978-5-6044692-5-5 Contents Index of Games 4 Introduction 5 30 Black Wins 7 Index of Openings 223 4 Index of Games No. 1: Alexander Morozevich – Magnus Carlsen, Biel 2006. No. 2: Dmitry Jakovenko – Magnus Carlsen, Tal Memorial, Moscow 2007. No. 3: Vladimir Kramnik – Magnus Carlsen, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008. No. 4: Yannick Pelletier – Magnus Carlsen, Biel 2008. No. 5: Ni Hua – Magnus Carlsen, London Classic 2009. No. 6: Alexei Shirov – Magnus Carlsen, Biel 2011. No. 7: Teimour Radjabov – Magnus Carlsen, Tal Memorial, Moscow 2012. No. 8: Luke McShane – Magnus Carlsen, Tal Memorial, Moscow 2012. No. 9: Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen, World Championship, Chennai 2013. No. 10: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov – Magnus Carlsen, Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2014. No. 11: Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2015. No. 12: Viswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen, Baden-Baden 2015. No. 13: Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen, Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2015. No. 14: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov – Magnus Carlsen, Qatar Masters, Doha 2015. No. 15: Pavel Eljanov – Magnus Carlsen, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2016. No. 16: Dragan Solak – Magnus Carlsen, Baku Olympiad 2016. No. 17: Pavel Eljanov – Magnus Carlsen, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2017. No. 18: Eugene Perelshteyn – Magnus Carlsen, IoM Masters, Douglas 2017. No. 19: Pavel Eljanov – Magnus Carlsen, IoM Masters, Douglas 2017. No. 20: Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen. IoM Masters, Douglas 2017. No. 21: Levon Aronian – Magnus Carlsen, London Classic 2017. No. 22: Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen, Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2018. No. 23: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Magnus Carlsen, Biel 2018. No. 24: Sergey Karjakin – Magnus Carlsen, Gashimov Memorial, Shamkir 2019. No. 25: Peter Svidler – Magnus Carlsen, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden 2019. No. 26: Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen, Zagreb 2019. No. 27: Ian Nepomniachtchi – Magnus Carlsen, Zagreb 2019. No. 28: Ding Liren – Magnus Carlsen, Zagreb 2019. No. 29: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Magnus Carlsen, Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2019. No. 30: Alireza Firouzja – Magnus Carlsen, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2020. 5 Introduction This second volume of the games but I think when looking at the of world champion Magnus Carlsen games with computers it’s hard to contains 30 of his most instructive understand what’s actually going on wins from 2006 to 2020 as Black. in the minds of the players. When I It also follows the “move by move” look at chess I try to look as little as format with exercises and questions, possible with the computer, because which is a good way to train. I know that once we get past the The main difference between preparation phase then it’s not these games and those in the previous really relevant what the computer book is that fewer of them are says and it’s more about psychology attacking games than when Carlsen and everything.” plays White. This should not come He talked later specifically about as a surprise, because White has the Sveshnikov Variation of the more chances to dictate the game Sicilian, but these comments are valid scenario. Nevertheless, there are still for lots of structures and positions: some examples in this volume where “This particular opening is a special Carlsen wins by attack. Another case. If you turn on the computer early important difference is that there are on it will say that White is better, but more endings in this volume, which is it doesn’t say whether the position is also understandable. easier to play for White or Black. Once What remains unchanged is that the he got out of the opening then it feels fights are always intense. Carlsen never like, yeah, he’s a pawn up, but it feels stops trying to win the game, no matter like the stakes are kind of higher for if, objectively, his chances are small. him. I’m going for mate, and he has There are several examples where, at to survive. Yeah, I think psychology is some point, his opponents collapse, definitely a huge part of the game. It’s unable to withstand the tension that one of the reasons why this particular Carlsen maintains in the game. line is doing well.” As always, I have I also try to emphasise the practical, tried to include the opinion of the “human” side of the battle. That is main protagonists, above all Carlsen very important for understanding the and then his opponents, as well as of game, sometimes more relevant than Peter Heine Nielsen. the opinion of the computer. Regarding your task, I think that It is interesting what Carlsen says there is no reason to be upset if you about this: don’t manage to “guess” a large “Obviously you have to play number of moves. It is really more well, you have to play good moves, important to think about them as 6 Introduction deeply as possible, and then compare rather unpleasant for White, but it’s your thoughts with the explanations still unclear. given. This will become very useful for White has weak pawns on h5 your chess skills. and f5, but as long as Black’s bishop Magnus Carlsen continued to try remains inactive White’s position new openings and defences during the should be tenable. However, that 2020 pandemic. He played the Philidor would only have held true with a Defence for the second time in his life longer time control... at the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020, 37.Ie4? after playing it against Guseinov in a White wants to play 38.Gd3, with blitz tournament in 2017. his queen very well situated on e4, but the absence of a blockader will be Leinier Dominguez Perez punished. Magnus Carlsen 37...Gxb2+! St. Louis Rapid and Blitz chess24. The bishop enters the game, and, com (5), 16.09.2020 combined with the d-pawn, makes XIIIIIIIIY the queen attack irresistible. 9-t-+-+-+0 38.Kxb2 d3+ 39.Kc1 Ic5+ 40.Kd2 Ic2+ 41.Ke1 Eh4+! 9+-+-+pzk0 0–1 9-+-+-v-z0 I enjoyed writing this book: looking 9+-+q+P+P0 deeper into the games of Magnus 9p+-z-+-+0 Carlsen is always a great pleasure. I 9Z-+Q+-+-0 hope you like it too, and it will make me happy if it helps you to understand 9-Z-+R+-+0 better our mutual passion, chess, from 9+K+R+-+-0 the games of one of the greatest chess players in history. xiiiiiiiiyWhite to play Carlsen has sacrificed an exchange Dedicated to Yudania. for a pawn and obtained the better chances. A lot of things have GM Zenon Franco Ocampos happened and now the position is Ponteareas, September 2020 Game No. 30 215 Winning the exchange, because 14.Ch4! 22.Cf3? 22.exf5! 32...Ee6!). after 45.G1f2 Ie1+ 46.Gf1 Black has 2.) “What’s important is the 46...Ce2+! and mate. pieces that remain on the board, 0–1 not the pieces that are exchanged.” This victory gave Magnus what just (Tarrasch). (22...Exc3!). two days earlier seemed a completely 3.) General considerations are not improbable result: he shared first as important as concrete analysis at place in the tournament with Ding critical points. (24...exf4!). Liren. 4.) Once more, “Chess is a state of “I made my own luck in the last mind.” (22.Cf3?). two rounds...I have to say I didn’t * Italics refer to variations, as believe it one bit before today and opposed to moves actually played. especially before yesterday,” said Carlsen. “Today I knew I had a Game 30 chance. Obviously when we got this very complicated strategic position Alireza Firouzja from the opening then I’m starting Magnus Carlsen to think: well, I have some hope but Ruy Lopez Berlin Variation [C65] still it’s a bit surreal. Now I have to get Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee (9), back to earth because there’s more 21.01.2020 chess to play tomorrow.” (Ding Liren won the playoff). 1.e4 e5 2.Cf3 Cc6 3.Eb5 Cf6 Carlsen got a good position after 4.d3 the opening. The best French player XIIIIIIIIY played aggressively, but Carlsen defended very well. 9r+lwkv-t0 MVL lost faith in his position too 9zpzp+pzp0 early. He played his moves very quickly, 9-+n+-s-+0 applying pressure on the clock, but at 9+L+-z-+-0 some moment cracked when he took 9-+-+P+-+0 less than two minutes to commit a 9+-+P+N+-0 positional blunder; after that, Carlsen didn’t give him the slightest chance to 9PZP+-ZPZ0 save the game. 9TNVQM-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy Some lessons from this game: * Carlsen is more frequently seen playing White in this position. 1.) Always ask yourself “What is Anyway, he was happy to see 4.d3, my opponent planning?” or “what getting a position where not much defence does he have?” (14.h4? would be decided in the early phase. 216 30 Black Wins Playing the Berlin endgame after Answer: In a similar position, in 4.0-0 Cxe4 5.d4 Cd6 6.Exc6 dxc6 the Steinitz Defence Deferred, White 7.dxe5 Cf5 or 5.Ge1 Cd6 6.Cxe5 can play Exc6 after 1.e4 e5 2.Cf3 would have been very different. Cc6 3.Eb5 a6 4.Ea4 d6 5.Exc6+. 4...d6 Here it appears that White has gained a tempo. However, as Peter Question: Why not 4...Ec5? It is Svidler explained: “It’s very important more popular, isn’t it? for White in the structure to develop his knight to c3 before playing d4.