MagnusCarlsen vs puz2010: game review

28.Nf6+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked knight to safety.
• Shores up the e4 pawn, which was under as much attack as it had defence (1 against 1).
• The next best move, 28.Ne3, would drop White's winning chances from 84% to 71% (+2.42).
• 28.Nf6+ wins a pawn, picking it up with 29.Nxh5.
• Sets up a sequence and wins a pawn once the captures settle, picking it up with 29.Nxh5.
• Black answers 28…Kf8.

30.Bb4+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The bishop joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the Black king.
• Brings the bishop, White's least active piece, into play (from 3 to 7 usable squares).
• The next best move, 30.Nf6, would drop White's winning chances from 91% to 61% (+1.22).
• 30.Bb4+ joins the attack on the king and brings the passive bishop into play.
• Gives check, so the reply is forced.
• Black answers 30…Kg8, winning a pawn.

31.Nf6+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Shores up the e4 pawn, which was under as much attack as it had defence (1 against 1).
• Gives check, so the reply is forced.
• The next best move, 31.Qc1, would drop White's winning chances from 92% to 55% (+0.57).
• 31.Nf6+ shores up the e4 pawn and gives check.
• Black answers 31…Bxf6, winning a pawn.
• After 31…Bxf6 32.gxf6 Qxf6 33.Rg1+ Kh7 34.Qg2 dxe4 35.Rh1+, White is two pawns down (+6.79).

33.Rg1+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook takes the open g-file, aiming at the king.
• The rook joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the Black king.
• The next best move, 33.Qh2, would drop White's winning chances from 91% to 79% (+3.68).
• 33.Rg1+ wins the queen for 6 points of material, picking it up with 34.Rxg6+.
• Sets up a sequence and wins the queen for 6 points of material once the captures settle, picking it up with 34.Rxg6+.
• Black answers 33…Qg6.

34.Qh2+ misses 34.Qg2, which wins material. White's winning chances go from 90% to 50%.

• Black answers 34…Qh6: the queen walks into a pin by the queen on h2.
• Better was 34.Qg2 (+5.87), which protects the f3 pawn, which was hanging.

Better: 34.Qg2 protects the f3 pawn and lines up queen and rook on the g-file. After 34…dxe4 35.Rh1+ Qh6 36.Rxh6+ Kxh6 37.b3 exf3 38.Qxf3 Kg5, White comes out a piece up (+5.87).

35…Rg8 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 50% to 18%.

• White answers 36.Qf5+: the queen forks the king and the rook: both can't be saved at once.
• Better was 35…dxe4 (0.00), which takes the pawn on e4.

Better: 35…dxe4 stops Qf5+. Engine line: 36.Qxe4+ Qg6 37.Rh1+ Kg8 38.Qe2 Qe6 (0.00).

36.Qf5+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The queen forks the king and the rook: both can't be saved at once.
• The next best move, 36.Re1, would drop White's winning chances from 82% to 72% (+2.52).
• 36.Qf5+ forks the king and the rook.
• Black answers 36…Rg6.
• After 36…Rg6 37.Rd1 Rd8 38.Be7 Rh8 39.Bg5 Qxg5 40.Qxf7+ Kh6, White is two pawns down (+4.83).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 8.f3: 15 moves in all, 8 by White and 7 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 8.f3: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.