So, Wesley (2778) vs.

Carlsen, Magnus (2843)

Altibox Norway Chess | Stavanger | Round 6.1 | 3 Jun 2018 | ECO: D13 | 1-0

Before today, Wesley So had never beaten Magnus Carlsen in a classical game. Many will
wonder how he managed to do so with the "drawish/boring" exchange Slav. Those who
dismiss the opening do not realize how difficult it can be to fully equalize. And if that
equality is not reached, the nagging advantage that White obtains is so frustrating that it
often causes Black to lash out in unproductive
ways.1. d4d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nf6 5. Nc3Nc6 6. Nf3 a6 7. Rc1 Bf5 8. e3 Rc8 9.
Be2 e610. O-O Nd7!?(10... Bb4is a rare move 11. a3 Bxc312. Rxc3 Ne4 13. Rc1 O-
O 14. Qb3 Na5?15. Qb4was advantageous for White in Akobian,V (2647)-Erenburg,S
(2564) chess.com INT 2018.)(10... Bd6offers a bishop exchange, but leaves the c5 square
somewhat vulnerable.)(10... Be7did not end well for the former world champion with the
Black pieces in this blitz
game: 11. Qb3 Na5 12. Qa4+ Nc613. Bxa6 Ra8 14. Bxb7 Rxa4 15. Bxc6+ Kf816. Nxa4 Ne4
17. Bb7 Nd6 18. Bxd6 Qxd619. Rc6 Qd7 20. Rc8+ Bd8 21. Ne51-0 (21) Kramnik,V
(2785)-Anand,V (2801) Moscow 2007)11. Na4 Be7 12. h3(12. a3 g5! 13. Bg3 h5according
to So. Black quickly gains an initiative on the dark-squared bishop and launches a pretty
intense pawn storm.)12... O-O(12... g5 13. Bh2 h5 14. Nd2 g4 15. hxg4hxg4 16. Bxg4So.
Wesley fully understands that this pawn sacrifice is speculative: Black is nowhere near
ready to attack on the
kingside.)13. a3 Na5(13... b5 14. Nc5 Nxc5 15. dxc5 Bf6(15... f6 16. Nd4leads to a huge
edge for White, whose passed c-pawn coupled b4, a4 ideas on the queenside is difficult to
overcome. Black can't really avoid capturing on d4 here, which improves White's pawn
structure.16... Nxd4 17. exd4)16. Nd4So. Again, White clearly has the upper
hand.)14. Nc5 Nc4 N(14... Nxc5 15. dxc5 Nc4(Agdestein suggested15... b6though this
move is exceptionally difficult to play even if it's good. It looks like White nets a pawn with
the
straightforward 16. b4 Nc4 17. Bxc4 dxc418. Qxd8 Bxd8 19. cxb6 Bxb6 20. Ne5)16. Bxc4 d
xc4 17. Rxc4 Rxc5 18. Rd4Rd5Alienkin,A (2387)-Lintchevski,D (2548) Ghent
2016)15. b4 Nxc5 16. dxc5 Nxa3?!Risky, but Magnus must not have liked the
alternatives.(16... b5aims to stabilize the knight on c4. White can obtain the queenside
majority with17. cxb6 Qxb6 18. Ne5 Nxe5 19. Bxe5and try to press for a win. The a6 pawn
is vulnerable, particularly because the light-squared bishop can't reroute to the queenside
quickly.)17. Nd4 Be4(17... Bg6 18. Qb3 Nb5(18... Nc4 19. Bxc4 dxc4 20. Qxc4)19. Nxb5(19.
Bxb5 axb5 20. Nxb5)19... axb5 20. Bxb5remains superior for White, thanks to the
queenside majority.)18. f3 Bg6 19. Qb3 Nc4 20. Bxc4 dxc421. Qxc4"Here I'm a little
better." (So)21... Qe8"I thought for some reason he is playing for a win again."
(So)(21... Bg5 22. Bxg5 Qxg5 23. e4 Rfd824. Nb3Carlsen suggested to So right after the
game. The knight dominates the bishop, which is blunted by White's pawns.(24. Rcd1also
looks strong.))22. Bg3(22. Rfd1 e5 23. Bxe5 Bxc5 24. bxc5 Qxe525. e4 Kh8So. White is
clearly better, though, because at some point c6 will undermine the protection of the a-
pawn.)22... e5 23. Nb3(23. Bxe5 Bxc5 24. bxc5 Qxe5 25. e4is a significantly worse version
of the earlier variation, since White has lost a tempo by playing Bf4-g3-e5. Now Black is
quick to get in25... Rfd8 26. Rfd1 h6when 27. c6is met by the extremely
necessary(27. Nb3 b5with ...f5 coming soon.)27... Kh7)23... Bd8?!"It seems he is
miscalculating." (So)(23... Bg5 24. f4)24. Qd5So wins a pawn with a simple double
attack. 24... Qb5 25. Bxe5 Be7(So was refering to the fact that Carlsen noticed too late
that25... Qxb4fails
to 26. Bd6 Re827. c6)26. Qd2 Rfd8 27. Bd6 Bf6 28. e4 h6 29. Nd4Bxd4+ 30. Qxd4Opposit
e colored bishops are on the board, but Carlsen is down a pawn and equality is out of
reach. 30... Re8(30... f6is necessary at some point to get the bishop into the game.
Unfortunately it does little to impede White's progress, as31. f4among other moves
maintain the huge advantage. Just look what happened in the
game.)31. Rfe1 Kh7 32. g4 f6 33. f4 Qc6 34. f5 Bf735. h4 Ra8 36. Rc2(36. Rc3 a5 37. g5 Bh
5 38. Rg3So)(36. g5)36... a5 37. g5 Bh5 38. g6+?!(38. gxf6may appear risky because it
opens the g-file, but White's king actually is not in true
danger. 38... gxf6(38... Rg8 39. b5 Qxb5 40. Rb2 Qd741. Reb1)39. b5 Qxb5 40. Rb2 Qd7 41. Qxf6)38... Kh8 3
9. b5 Qxb5 40. Rb2 Qc6?(40... Qd7kept Carlsen in the game. The point is that 41. Qd5is met by an offer of a
queen trade 41... Qc6)41. Rb6 Qc8(41... Qd7 42. Qd5 Ra7 43. Bg3is crushing despite the even material. Black
can't afford to exchange queens, since White's pawns queen first. Keeping the queens gets Black
mated.43... Qc8 44. Rxf6 gxf6 45. Qf7 b6 46. g7+Kh7 47. g8=Q#)42. Qd5 a4 43. Rxb7 Rg8 44. c6(44... Ra6 4
5. c7(or45. Rb8)45... Rxd6 46. Qxg8+ Kxg8 47. Rb8)1-0

Li Chao vs Anish Giri

FIDE Grand Prix Mallorca (2017), Palma de Mallorca ESP, rd 8, Nov-24
Slav Defense: Exchange. Trifunovic Variation (D14) · 1-0
8

«<>»+
White to move.

1.d4d52.c4c63.cxd5cxd54.Nf3Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bf4Bf57.e3e68.Qb3Bb49.Ne5Qb610.N
xc6bxc611.Be2Ne412.f3Nxc313.bxc3Be714.c4Qxb315.axb3Bb4+16.Kf2a517.Rhc1K
d718.g4Bg619.cxd5exd520.e4dxe421.d5c522.Bb5+Kd823.Bd6Rc824.Bc6h525.g5exf
326.Bxc5Bxc5+27.Rxc5Re828.Rcxa5Re2+29.Kxf3Rxh230.b4Kc731.b5Rh3+32.Kf2
Rb333.Ra7+Kd634.Rd7+Kc535.Rc1+Kd436.d6Rb2+37.Kg1Bf538.Rxf7g639.d7Rd8
40.Re71-0