ODT060103

=**Prodigy emerges at World Cup**=


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

The FIDE World Cup, a 128-player knockout event held in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia, finished in December. The deserving winner was 23 year old Levon Aronian of Armenia, who beat a previous winner, Ukranian Ruslan Ponomariov in the final. The result will cement Aronian's recent move up into the world's elite group of players.

Possibly the most notable outcome was the 10th place of Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen. In finishing in the top ten Carlsen qualifies for the last 16 of next FIDE World Championship Candidates series; at 15 years of age the youngest player ever to do so. After a year of standing still, his result at Khanty Mansyisk displayed a new level of strength, beating four top-100 grandmasters along the way.

Today's game features Carlsen playing White against Russian grandmaster Vladimir Malakhov in the 6th round tie to decide who qualified for the World Championship. Having lost the previous rapid playoff game, Carlsen had to win here to stay in the match. media type="custom" key="27125152" This hybrid Meran/Gruenfeld Black setup seems to grant White the same central control without the usual c5 counterplay against d4. Perhaps 10 --- Bf5 to delay White's e4 offers more. Black has been trying to prepare c5, the immediate 18 --- c5? failing to 19 dxc5 Rxc5 20 e5 Ne8 21 Nd5! White now rules it out for good. With Black unable to open up the centre White prepares to attack the king. The threat of 30 Ng5 mating forces further weakening. Carlsen's handling of the attack has been exemplary. Black's position is hopeless due to the threat of Ne6.
 * 1.d4 d5**
 * 2.c4 c6**
 * 3.Nc3 Nf6**
 * 4.Nf3 a6**
 * 5.e3 g6**
 * 6.Be2 Bg7**
 * 7.0-0 0-0**
 * 8.Qb3 dxc4**
 * 9.Bxc4 b5**
 * 10.Be2 Nbd7**
 * 11.e4 Nb6**
 * 12.Bf4 Be6**
 * 13.Qc2 Bc4**
 * 14.Rfd1 Rc8**
 * 15.Rac1 Bxe2**
 * 16.Qxe2 Qd7**
 * 17.h3 Qb7**
 * 18.Bg5 Rfe8**
 * 19.e5 Nfd5**
 * 20.Ne4 Nd7**
 * 21.Qd2! ---**
 * 21. --- Qb8**
 * 22.Bh6 Bh8**
 * 23.h4! Nf8**
 * 24.Nc5 Qa7**
 * 25.h5 Nc7**
 * 26.hxg6 hxg6**
 * 27.Bxf8! Rxf8**
 * 28.Qh6 Bg7**
 * 29.Qh4 ---**
 * 29. --- f6**
 * 30.Qg4 Kh7**
 * 31.Nh4 g5**
 * 32.Qh5+ Kg8**
 * 33.Nf5 Ne8**
 * 34.Qg6**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Qxg5+! fxg5 2 Rxf7+ Kxh6 3 Rxh7#