ODT100921

= **Practice makes perfect** =



**Problem:** White to play and mate in 4.

The phenomenon of Norway's Magnus Carlsen becoming the youngest player ever to rank number one in the world has caught the wider public imagination outside of chess circles. A recent promotion for an international clothing label had a Carlsen vs the rest of the world exhibition match, in which the watching public voted on move suggestions by three top grandmasters Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) and Judit Polgar (Hungary). Garry Kasparov provided live commentary and Hollywood star Liv Tyler awarded Magnus the victor's trophy after the game.

An explanation for Carlsen's amazing success can best be found in a stud y 'The Role of Deliberate Practice in Chess Expertise', published in //Applied Cognitive Psychology// in 2005. The authors (Charness, Tuffiash, Krampe, Reingold and Vasyukova) surveyed a wide range of players on their training methods, history and playing strength. They found that overwhelmingly the single largest predictor of playing strength was accumulated hours of serious chess study by oneself. This dwarfed the effects of all other factors such as private or group coaching, or playing in tournaments. The reasons offered were that in private study, the player is able to repeatedly focus on the aspects of their play that need most improvement in a controlled setting. The ability to work on a problem, and attempt different solutions leads to the greatest learning, something that is impossible in competitive play.

Magnus Carlsen's father has alluded to early evidence of his son's persistence and determination as a toddler, long before chess became the focus of his abilities. In today's game he is White in the RAW World Chess Challenge match. media type="custom" key="26091720" **1.d4 Nf6** **2.c4 g6** **3.Nf3 Bg7** **4.g3 O-O** **5.Bg2 d6** **6.Nc3 Nc6** **7.O-O e5** **8.d5 Ne7** **9.e4 c6!?** A less-played option in this variation of the King's Indian Defence. The public choice of 2...g6 was unlucky for Black, as a consistent approach from three different players in the type of position arising is not likely. **10.a4 Bg4** **11.a5 cxd5?!** Criticised by Carlsen and Nakamura after the game, this move gives White easy play. 11...Qd7 was better. **12.cxd5 Qd7** **13.Be3 Rfc8** **14.Qa4 Ne8** **15.Nd2 Qd8** A queen exchange does not suit Black as White has the better endgame prospects on the queenside. **16.Qb4 Nc7** **17.Nc4 ---** Of course 17 Qxb7?? Rcb8 loses the queen, but the b7 pawn will not escape. However 17 f3!? Bd7 18 Qxd6 also looked convincing. **17.--- Na6** **18.Qxb7 Rxc4** **19.Qxa6 Rb4** **20.f3 Bc8** **21.Qe2 f5** **22.Qd2?! ---** In a more or less winning position, White allows a ray of hope for Black by allowing the activation of the light-squared bishop. **22.--- Ba6** **23.Rfc1 Qb8** **24.Na4 Rb3** **25.Rc3 Rb4** **26.Rca3 f4!?** Black's only hope is a kingside counterattack, which is why White avoids opening the position by 27 gxf4 exf4 28 Bxf4 – one extra pawn is sufficient. **27.Bf2 Bh6** **28.Nb6!!? ---** Playing to the crowd perhaps. Kasparov pointed out that 28 g4 would have snuffed out all counterplay. **28...fxg3** **29.Qxb4 gxf2+** **30.Kxf2 Bc8** Carlsen is clearly winning after this – his suggestion was for Black to play 30...Bf4! with some play against the exposed white king. **31.Rb3 axb6** **32.Qxb6 Qa7** **33.a6 Kf7** **34.Qxa7 Rxa7** **35.Rb6 Ke8** **36.Rxd6 Bf8** **37.Rb6 Nxd5!?** With R+3P vs two poor pieces Black is lost. This desperate shot is the best, given that 38 exd5? Bc5+ turns the tables. **38.Rb8 Bc5+** **39.Kg3 Ne7** **40.Bh3 Kd8** **41.Bxc8 Nxc8** **42.Rc1 Rc7** **43.Rxc5! Rxc5** **44.a7 Resigns**

**1-0**

**Solution:** 1 Rh7+! Kxh7 2 Qe7+ Rf7 3 Qxf7+ and 4 Qg7#.