ODT130108

=**Carlsen breaks Kasparov's record in London**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

Magnus Carlsen of Norway became the highest rated player in history in the January rating list published by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. His new rating of 2861 eclipsed the previous record of 2851 in 1999 held by the then World Champion, Garry Kasparov.

Carlsen achieved the record in a crushing performance to win the 2012 London Chess Classic in December. But his five wins and three draws from eight games was only just enough to outdistance his main rival, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, who also had a fine tournament for second place on four wins and four draws. Kramnik, who moved up to second place in the world rankings on 2810 quipped he was number one, if you don't consider Carlsen's play human.

Today's game is Carlsen's fifth win in London, from the sixth round playing White against the strongest ever female player, Judit Polgar of Hungary. media type="custom" key="25209000" A Symmetrical English Opening has lead to the 'hedgehog' formation, where Black holds her pieces back, intending to meet any attack by White with a prickly counterstrike. A previous game Van Wely – Gashimov went 15 b4 Kh8 16 Bg3 g5! maintaining the outpost on e5 and the game was eventually drawn. Carlsen's move prepares f2-f4 driving back the knight. Black has been driven back by White's expansion, which is normal in this system. However, this move creates permanement dark square weaknesses on the kingside. A patient move like 22... a6 controlling b5 was to be preferred. White immediately exploits the lapse with a central thrust, making room on e4 for his knight to cross to the kingside. The pawn is immune: 23... dxe5 24 fxe5 Nxe5? 25 Bxb7 wins a piece. Again 29...Nxe5? 30 b5 wins the exchange. Generating threats against c4 – but Carlsen just lets the pawns go and aims at the black king. Otherwise Black has nothing to show for her dark square weaknesses. Similarly 32...Rxc4 33 Rxc4 Qxc4 34 Ng4 crashing through on f7. Exchanging queens is forced, but White's attack continues unabated. If 40...Rxc5 then 41 bxc5 Rc4 42 Rxf8+ Kg7 43 Rf4! saves the extra piece. Once White doubles rooks on the seventh rank, the game is virtually decided. Threats to the black king combined with creating a passed pawn on the queenside overwhelm the defence. Else Black gets mated: 50...a5 51 Kg5! axb4 52 Kh6 followed by Rf7-g7-g8. Black can win the first a-pawn but the second will decide. E.g.53...Rxa6 54 Rxf8+ Kg7 55 Rd8 Ra5+ 56 Kxe6 Ra6+ 57 Rd6 Rxd6+ 58 Kxd6 Kxf6 59 a4 etc.
 * 1.c4 c5**
 * 2.Nf3 Nc6**
 * 3.d4 cxd4**
 * 4.Nxd4 Nf6**
 * 5.Nc3 e6**
 * 6.a3 Bc5**
 * 7.Nb3 Be7**
 * 8.e4 0-0**
 * 9.Be2 b6**
 * 10.0-0 Bb7**
 * 11.Bf4 d6**
 * 12.Rc1 Rc8**
 * 13.Re1 Ne5**
 * 14.Nd2 Nfd7**
 * 15.Be3 ---**
 * 15--- Qc7**
 * 16.b4 Qb8**
 * 17.f4 Ng6**
 * 18.g3 Rfe8**
 * 19.Bf3 Qa8**
 * 20.Bf2 Ngf8**
 * 21.Qe2 Qb8**
 * 22.Red1 g6?**
 * 23.e5! Bc6**
 * 24.Bd4 Red8**
 * 25.Bxc6 Rxc6**
 * 26.Nf3 dxe5**
 * 27.fxe5 Rdc8**
 * 28.Ne4 Qc7**
 * 29.Nfd2 a6**
 * 30.Nf2 Bg5?!**
 * 31.Rf1! Bxd2**
 * 32.Qxd2 Nxe5**
 * 33.Bxe5 Qxe5**
 * 34.Ng4 Rd6**
 * 35.Nh6+ Kg7**
 * 36.Rxf7+ Kh8**
 * 37.Qf2 Qd4**
 * 38.c5 bxc5**
 * 39.Qxd4+ Rxd4**
 * 40.Rxc5 Rcd8**
 * 41.Rcc7 Rd1+**
 * 42.Kg2 R1d2+**
 * 43.Kh3 R2d5**
 * 44.Ng4 Rh5+**
 * 45.Kg2 Rd2+**
 * 46.Kf3 Rf5+**
 * 47.Ke3 Rxf7**
 * 48.Rxf7 Rd8**
 * 49.Nf6 Rb8**
 * 50.Kf4 h6**
 * 51.Ke5 a5**
 * 52.bxa5 Ra8**
 * 53.a6 Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Rxg6+! hxg6 (1... Bg7 2 Rxg7+ Kh8 3 Qxh7#) 2 Qxg6+ Bg7 3 Qxg7#.