ODT140304

=**Carlsen exercises his reign**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 6.

In his first elite tournament since being crowned World Champion, Magnus Carlsen again proved he is the ruler when it comes to classical chess. The Zurich Chess Challenge took place last month and combined games at Standard and Rapid time limits between six of the world's best players. Carlsen (Norway) dominated the standard half, winning with 4/5 ahead of Levon Aronian (Armenia) on 3. Both these players extended their leads as one and two respectively in the world rankings. The Rapid half was a triumph for Fabiano Caruana (Italy) who won with 4/5, While Carlsen achieved on 2 points. But the Standard games counted double under the tournament rules, so Carlsen's combined score was enough for overall victory.

Today's game is from the fourth Standard round at Zurich and features Carlsen playing White against Caruana. media type="custom" key="25241222" Choosing an uncritical variation against the Berlin Defence is typical Carlsen, avoiding detailed opening preparation. Having given up bishop for knight, he sets about depriving the black pieces of effective squares such as g4. The immediate 6.Nxe5? loses to 6... Qd4 7.Be3 Qxe5 8.d4 Qxe4 9.dxc5 Qxg2. Criticised after the game in favour of 12... O-O. Improving the opponent's pawn structure is of no consequence when it leads to the initiative. Black believes 16... O-O 17.Qh5 f5 18.Raf1 Rae8 to be too dangerous in the light of opposite coloured bishops favouring the attacker. Kingside castling is now ruled out: 17... O-O? 18.Rh4 h6 19. Rf1 the threat of 20.Bxh6 forces 19... f6 20.Qg6 Qe8 21 Rxh6 winning. The zwischenzug 22... g6! before capturing on f7 appears to gain a tempo for the defence as White can't improve his queen's position. Now White definitely has more than enough compensation for the exchange. This calm capture, more effective than any checks, maintains all the threats and prevents Black from organising his defences. Centralising the queen so as to combine the passed d-pawn with threats to the black king. Releasing the blockade on the c-pawn. Once it advances, a breakthough is inevitable. But after 33... Qb5 34.Qe6! Rxc2 35.d7 Qf1 36.Qe4 Rc1 37.Bb8 the pawn queens. Not 36... Qxc4?? 37 d7! Qxb3 38.dxc8=Q+ winning. Gaining time for the final combination. The rook is lost: 47... Qxc8 48.dxc8=Q+ Kxc8 49.Bxe7.
 * 1.e4 e5**
 * 2.Nf3 Nc6**
 * 3.Bb5 Nf6**
 * 4.d3 Bc5**
 * 5.Bxc6 dxc6**
 * 6.h3**
 * 6... Nd7**
 * 7.Be3 Bd6**
 * 8.Nc3 c5**
 * 9.O-O Nf8**
 * 10.Nd2 Ng6**
 * 11.Nc4 Be6**
 * 12.Ne2 Qd7**
 * 13.Nxd6+!**
 * 13... cxd6**
 * 14.f4 exf4**
 * 15.Nxf4 Nxf4**
 * 16.Rxf4 b6**
 * 17.Qh5 d5**
 * 18.d4 c4**
 * 19.b3 Qc6**
 * 20.Raf1 O-O-O**
 * 21.bxc4 Qxc4**
 * 22.Rxf7! Bxf7?!**
 * 23.Rxf7 Rd7**
 * 24.Rxd7 Kxd7**
 * 25.exd5!**
 * 25... g6**
 * 26.Qg4+ Kc7**
 * 27.Qe6 Kb7**
 * 28.Qe7+ Qc7**
 * 29.Qe4!**
 * 29... Qd7**
 * 30.d6+ Ka6**
 * 31.Bf4 Rc8**
 * 32.Kh2 Rc4**
 * 33.Bg3 Rc8**
 * 34.Qd3+ Kb7**
 * 35.c4! Qc6**
 * 36.Qb3 Ka8**
 * 37.a4 Re8**
 * 38.a5 Kb7**
 * 39.c5 Kc8**
 * 40.axb6 axb****6**
 * 41.d5!**
 * 41...** **Qxc5**
 * 42.Qa4 Re3**
 * 43.Qa8+ Kd7**
 * 44.Qb7+ Ke8**
 * 45.d7+ Kd8**
 * 46.Bh4+ Re7**
 * 47.Qc8+ Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1. g4+! Kh4 (1... Kxg4 2. Qh3+ etc.) 2. Qh6+ Kxg4 3. Qh3+ Kf4 (3... Kg5 4. Rg3+ Kf4 5.Qg4#) 4.Rf3+ Kg5 (4... Ke4 5.Qg4+ Rf4 6.Qxf4#) 5.Rg3+ Kf4 6.Qf4 mate.