Sina-Movahed vs MagnusCarlsen: game review

35…Kf7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The next best move, 35…Kg8, would drop Black's winning chances from 47% to 36% (+1.61).
• 35…Kf7 stops Qe7+.
• White was threatening Qe7+, forking the king and the pawn. Kf7 takes care of it.
• The engine's plan continues with …Kg8 and …Kf7: this move is the first step.
• White answers 36.Qh6.
• Engine line: 36.Qh6 Kg8 37.Qd2 Kf7 38.Qe2 c6 (+0.04).

40…h4 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 39% to 25%.

• White answers 41.Nxb7, which takes the pawn on b7.
• After Nxb7, White wins 1 point of material within 4 moves.
• Better was 40…b6 (+1.19), which moves the attacked pawn to safety.

Better: 40…b6 threatens …bxc5, winning a knight and a pawn. After 41.Nxa6 Qe4 42.Qxe4 dxe4 43.Nxc7 bxa5 44.bxa5 Nxa5 45.Ne8+, the queens come off and Black is a pawn down (+1.19).

44.Qf3+ lets the win slip: 44.Nc5 kept White winning. White's winning chances go from 77% to 56%.

• Black answers 44…Kg7: the king steps out of check to g7.
• Better was 44.Nc5 (+3.28): plants the knight on c5: a pawn defends it and no enemy pawn can chase it away.

Better: 44.Nc5 stops …Qxc3 and plants the knight on the c5 outpost. After 44…Nd6 45.Qe6+ Kg7 46.Qxd5 g4 47.Qe5+, White comes out a pawn up (+3.28).

44…Ke7 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 44% to 26%.

• White answers 45.Qxd5, which takes the pawn on d5.
• After Qxd5, White wins 1 point of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 44…Kg7 (+0.62): the king steps out of check to g7.

Better: 44…Kg7 prepares …Qd2+ and …Qxc3 and steps the king out of check to g7. After 45.Nc5 Qd2+ 46.Qg2 Qxc3 47.Qe2 Nd6, Black comes out a pawn up (+0.62).

45.Qe2+ is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 74% to 53%.

• Black answers 45…Ne3: the knight walks into a pin by the queen on e2.
• After Ne3, Black wins 1 point of material within 4 moves.
• Better was 45.Qxd5 (+2.82), which takes the pawn on d5.

Better: 45.Qxd5 wins a pawn and threatens Qxc4, winning a knight. Engine line: 45…Qc2+ 46.Qg2 Qh7+ 47.Kg1 Qd3 48.Nc5 Qxc3 49.Qe4+ (+2.82).

48…Kd7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the knight on c7, which is undefended.
• The next best move, 48…Qh8+, would drop Black's winning chances from 49% to 21% (+3.63).
• 48…Kd7 stops Qxe3+ and threatens …Kxc7, winning a knight.
• White was threatening Qxe3+, winning a knight and a pawn. Kd7 takes care of it.
• It threatens …Kxc7, winning a knight, so White has to spend the next move on it.
• White answers 49.Na6.

51…Ng4+ is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 49% to 8%.

• White answers 52.Kh3: the king steps out of check to h3.
• Better was 51…Qd4 (+0.07), which attacks the knight on c3, which is undefended.

Better: 51…Qd4 gets the queen out of the way of Nxe4 and threatens …Qh8+, winning a knight, picking it up with 53…Qxc3. Engine line: 52.Nb5 Qh8+ 53.Kg1 Qa1+ 54.Kf2 Nd1+ (+0.07).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 7.Nf3: 13 moves in all, 7 by White and 6 by Black.
• Black left the book with 7…e6. In 43 games from this position, strong players played 7…b5 (93%).
• The main line goes on 7…b5 8.Bb3 c5 9.dxc5 Qxd1+ 10.Nxd1 e6 11.Be3.
• From here White scored 52% in those games, with 13% drawn.