Sina-Movahed vs MagnusCarlsen: game review

32…a5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked pawn to safety.
• Pushes the passed pawn to a5.
• The next best move, 32…Rd5, would drop Black's winning chances from 47% to 37% (+1.49).
• 32…a5 stops Qxa7.
• White was threatening Qxa7, winning a pawn. a5 takes care of it.
• White answers 33.Qa6, attacking the a5 pawn, which is undefended, leaving Black with an isolated pawn on a5.

35…Rc8! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook takes the half-open c-file, aiming at the c4 pawn.
• The next best move, 35…Rd4, would drop Black's winning chances from 48% to 31% (+2.22).
• 35…Rc8 stops Qxa5 and takes the half-open c-file, aiming at the c4 pawn.
• White was threatening Qxa5, winning a pawn. Rc8 takes care of it.
• White answers 36.Qa4.
• Engine line: 36.Qa4 Rc5 37.f3 Rf5 38.Qc2 a4 39.Qxa4 Rxf6 40.Kf2 (+0.27).

44…hxg4 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 50% to 14%.

• White answers 45.g6: a pawn break: it challenges the f7 pawn to open lines.
• Better was 44…Rxg5 (0.00), which takes the pawn on g5.

Better: 44…Rxg5 wins a pawn. After 45.gxh5 Rxh5 46.Kc2 Rf5 47.Qd4 a2, Black comes out a pawn up (0.00).

45.fxg4 misses the chance 44…hxg4 gave: 45.g6 would have punished it. White's winning chances go from 86% to 50%.

• Black answers 45…Rxg5, which takes the pawn on g5.
• After Rxg5, Black wins 1 point of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 45.g6 (+4.93): a pawn break: it challenges the f7 pawn to open lines.

Better: 45.g6 threatens g7, with mate in 7, and stops …a2. Engine line: 45…fxg6 46.Qe8 a2 47.Qxg6+ Kh8 48.Qe8 (+4.93).

47.Qa7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the a2 pawn, which is undefended.
• The next best move, 47.Qc3, would drop White's winning chances from 50% to 11% (−5.81).
• 47.Qa7 attacks the a2 pawn, which is undefended.
• Black answers 47…Rxg4, taking the g4 pawn and joining the attack on the king, leaving White with an isolated pawn on f6.
• Engine line: 47…Rxg4 48.Qxa2 Rg3+ 49.Ke4 Rg4+ 50.Kf3 (+0.42).

59.Ka4 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 50% to 5%.

• Black answers 59…Ra3+: the rook takes the open a-file.
• Better was 59.Ka2 (0.00): the king steps out of check to a2.

Better: 59.Ka2 threatens Qb7+, winning a rook, picking it up with 60.Qxf3. Engine line: 59…Rf5 60.Qc7+ Kf6 61.Kb2 Rf2+ 62.Kb1 (0.00).

59…Ra3+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook takes the open a-file.
• Check, and White has only one legal reply.
• The next best move, 59…Rf5, would drop Black's winning chances from 95% to 50% (0.00).
• 59…Ra3+ wins the queen for a bishop, picking it up with 61…Rxb8.
• Sets up a sequence and wins the queen for a bishop once the captures settle, picking it up with 61…Rxb8.
• White answers 60.Kb5, attacking the bishop on c5, which is undefended.

60…Rb3+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Skewers the king: when it moves, the queen on b8 behind it falls.
• The rook takes the open b-file.
• The next best move, 60…Bf2, would drop Black's winning chances from 96% to 45% (+0.53).
• 60…Rb3+ wins the queen for a bishop, picking it up with 61…Rxb8.
• Sets up a sequence and wins the queen for a bishop once the captures settle, picking it up with 61…Rxb8.
• White answers 61.Kxc5, taking the bishop on c5 and uncovering an attack on the rook on b3.

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 5.O-O: 9 moves in all, 5 by White and 4 by Black.
• Black left the book with 5…Qb6. In 249 games from this position, strong players played 5…a6 (82%), 5…Nd4 (7%), 5…Ng6 (4%) or 5…g6 (4%).
• The main line goes on 5…a6 6.Bxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qc7 9.Re1 Bd6.
• From here White scored 55% in those games, with 13% drawn.