MagnusCarlsen vs KodandaPrime: game review

13…Nh5 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 46% to 33%.

• White answers 14.Nxd5, which takes the pawn on d5.
• After Nxd5, White wins 1 point of material within 6 moves.
• Better was 13…Bf8 (+0.45): moving away uncovers the rook on e8, which now hits the e3 pawn.

Better: 13…Bf8 opens the line of the rook on e8 to the e3 pawn. Engine line: 14.Rae1 Nh5 15.Bh4 g5 16.Bg3 Nxg3 17.fxg3 Bg7 (+0.45).

14.Nxd5!! A real sacrifice: White gives up material and the engine still rates it best.

• Puts the knight on d5 where it can be taken.
• Taking is too dangerous: Black's best reply is 14…Nxg3 15.Nxe7+ Rxe7 16.hxg3 instead (the engine rates it +2.05).
• Takes the pawn on d5.
• Moving away uncovers the queen on c2, which now hits the c6 pawn.
• 14.Nxd5 wins a pawn and threatens Bc7, winning the queen for a bishop, picking it up with 15.Bxd8.
• Takes the d5 pawn and wins a pawn once the captures settle.

• The idea: 14.Nxd5!! offers the knight on d5. Taking it gives White the material back and more.
• What White gives up: 14.Nxd5 puts the knight on d5 where it can be taken by the c6 pawn. That's a knight on offer.
• If Black takes the knight: 14…cxd5 is met by 15.Bc7, attacking the queen. Then 16.Qxc7 takes the queen on c7, and 18.Bh7+ gives check. White ends up a piece and a pawn ahead: White is winning (+6.01).
• Black's best try: Black's best is to leave the knight alone and play 14…Nxg3. White answers 15.Nxe7+, taking the bishop on e7 with check. Then 16.hxg3 takes the knight on g3. White ends up a pawn ahead: White is clearly better (+2.05).
• Without the sacrifice: The best move without the sacrifice, 14.Be5, is clearly weaker (+0.45 against +2.05). Black answers 14…Nxe5, taking the bishop on e5. That would leave White level.

15.Nxe7+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Takes the bishop on e7.
• The next best move, 15.Bh7+, would drop White's winning chances from 68% to 16% (−4.59).
• 15.Nxe7+ wins a knight.
• Takes the bishop on e7 and wins a knight once the captures settle.
• Black answers 15…Rxe7, taking back, leaving White with doubled g-pawns and a king with pawns missing from its shelter.
• After 15…Rxe7 16.hxg3 Nf6 17.Rfe1 a4 18.Rac1, White comes out a piece up (+1.86).

36…R3a5 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 38% to 17%.

• White answers 37.Bxg4, which takes the knight on g4.
• After Bxg4, White wins 1 point of material within 8 moves.
• Better was 36…Nxe5 (+1.34), which takes the knight on e5.

Better: 36…Nxe5 stops Nc4. After 37.dxe5 Qe6 38.e4 Be8 39.g4 hxg4 40.Bxg4 Qe7 41.Qxe7 Rxe7 42.Rc5, the queens come off (+1.34).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 7.cxd5: 13 moves in all, 7 by White and 6 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 7.cxd5: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.