Carlsen tops; So joint third

Again, Magnus Carlsen is the best. The reigning world champion delivered by beating Anish Giri in the penultimate round, to cap a 45-move title-clinching victory at the Masters Finals in Bilbao, Spain.

The 25-year-old Norwegian, who played his best in bigger stage, had 16 points, and won his fourth major plum of the year by five points, a lopsided margin, with still one round remaining. Carlsen earlier topped Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands, the Norway Chess Classic and the Grand Chess Tour in Belgium

Biting the dust in second spot was American Hikaru Nakamura, who had 11 points.

Half-a-point behind at 10 apiece were Chinese teenager Wei Yi and another American Wesley So.

Next were Russian world challenger Sergey Kariakin with 8.0 and Dutch youngster Anish Giri with 6.0.

A new scoring system of three points for a win and one point for a draw was applied in the double round-robin tournament.

Carlsen’s strength is his ability to find tremendous squares for his pieces. The following game is another example where the world champion excels in piece play.

2016 Bilbao Masters

W) M. Carlsen (Norway)

B)  W. So (USA)

Ruy Lopez

1. e4               e5

2. Nf3             Nc6

3. Bb5            Nf6

The super-solid Berlin “Wall” Defense, which Kasparov failed to break in the celebrated Kasparov-Kramnik 2000 world championship match.

4. d3              ...

This anti-Berlin line, in which the world champion has often shown his skill, is supposed to offer White only a slight edge if any. But Black has to handle the opening with extreme care and must improvise counter-play merely to hold his own.

4...                 Bc5

5. Bxc6          dxc6

6. Qe2            ...

The alternative 6. 0-0 leads to equal chances after 6...Bd6 7. b3 Be6 8. Bb2 Nd7.

6...                 Qe7

7. Nbd2         Bg4

8. h3              Bh5

9. a3              Nd7

9...a5 is a fair alternative.

10. b4            Bd6

After 10...Bb6 11. Bb2 a5

12. 0-0 0-0, the game is rich in chances for both sides.

11. Nc4          f6

12. Ne3         a5

Very interesting, but seems risky. The safety-minded would prefer 12...0-0, and as the early chess writers said, “The purpose of castling is to provide safety for the King and to get the Rook into play quickly – in one stroke.”

13. Nf5          Qf8

14. bxa5        Rxa5

15. 0-0           Qf7

16. a4!            ...

A brilliant idea, which aims to exploit Black’s back rank weaknesses.

16...               Nc5

17. Qe1!        ...

The point of White’s 16th move. Now the a4 pawn is taboo as after 17...Rxa4? 18. Rxa4 Nxa4 19. Qa5 Nb6 20. Nxd6ch wins a piece.

17...               b6

17...Ra6 and 17...Ra8 are fair alternatives which deserve attention.

18. Nd2         Rxa4

18...Ra6 should have been tried.

19. Nc4         Bf8

19...Be7 20. Ba3 Kd7 21. f4 exf4 22. e5 is unpleasant for Black, according to the engine.

20. Be3         Kd7

21. Qc3         ...

Here White enjoys a clear advantage because of Black’s vulnerable King and immobile pieces.

21...               Nxe4?

21...Rxc4 is the only move to prolong the game, but after 22. dxc4 g6 (22...Nxe4 25. Qd3ch Nd6 26. c5 is hopeless) 23. Qd2ch Ke6 24. Ng3, White is exchange up in a comfortable position. The text loses right off, and the rest needs no comment.

22. Nxb6ch   cxb6

23. dxe4        Qc4

24. Qd2ch     Kc7

25. g4            Bg6

26. Rfd1        1:0

Solution to last week’s puzzle:

White to move and win.

White=Kh2, Qe6, Rd7, Be3, Pf2, Pg3, Ph3 Black=Kh7, Qa8, Ra1, Bg7, Pg6, Ph5

1. Rxg7ch!    Kxg7

2. Bd4ch      1:0

If 2...Kf8 (2...Kh6 3. Qe3ch Kh7 4. Qe7ch Kh6 5. Qg7ch Kg5 6. f4ch Kf5 7. Qe5 mate, or 2...Kh7 2. Qf7ch Kh6 3. Bg7ch Kh7 (3...Kg5 4. Qf4 mate) 4. Bf6ch Kh6 5. Qg7 mate.) 3. Qf6ch followed by 4. Bxa1.