How Magnus Carlsen Wins With White

Greetings everyone! After a lengthy hiatus spanning 2.5 years without writing, I am happy to return with my first blog as a grandmaster. Despite my protracted absence from the blogsphere, I did not stop consuming knowledge from books (which I felt greatly assisted my own chess improvement), and today I would like to share some of that knowledge.

 Loyal readers may recall my prolific book reviews, along with my inordinate interest in writing about Magnus Carlsen (and the London System, naturally); this blog is no exception. This is a book review starring Magnus Carlsen's crushing victories with white pieces, and I will complete the trifecta by showcasing a game in the London system!  

The late Paraguayan grandmaster Zenon Franco wrote excellent books; among my favorite works were his game collections featuring the legends of the game. Among these was Magnus Wins With White. The author examines 32 of Magnus Carlsen's greatest victories with the white pieces against the best players in the world, always asking the reader questions to maximize the instructional benefit of studying the game, and highlighting the deeper reasons behind why top players make certain decisions. Zenon's accessible and highly engaging writing style is further reflected in stellar ratings (4.8/5 stars, 40+ reviews).

Additionally, I would recommend studying chess books with the Forward Chess platform, which provides interactive e-books. I find their interface more practical than reading physical books (as an avid reader, my bookshelves are always helplessly overloaded), particularly when I am reading to actively improve my game. I can study material in a more seamless and time-efficient manner, while also checking lines that intrigue me with the engine. I am of the opinion that in modern chess, if one wants to go through high-level annotated games, study opening variations, learn endgames, solve exercises, or study any realm of the game involving active learning (which is the only mode of learning that can be translated into improvement), this is the best tool. I also find the platform's interface more fun to use in comparison to regular books. 

Now, let's jump into an instructive game featuring my favorite opening!

What lessons can we take from this scintillating victory in which Magnus completely dominated his super-GM opponent? 

• The Delayed London System is a flexible move order for entering the London, favored by Magnus, because Black cannot play variations with Bf5. Black also cannot play KID or Grunfeld setups, greatly restricting his options.
• h3 is always a useful prophylactic move to parry the threat of ...Nh5, seeking to gain the bishop pair.
• The e5 knight is a powerful piece in the London system, which sharply contrasts with that of Black's passive light-squared bishop. Oftentimes, this is not fatal since Black seeks to exchange light-squared bishops with Ba6, but clearly this was no longer a possibility in that position.
• Magnus is always thinking about the intentions of his opponent and plays prophylactically in order to nullify their plans (for example, with Rfe1! and b3!)
• When attacking the enemy king, a skilled opponent will try to exchange queens in order to extinguish the attack. Magnus exploits this by only allowing for a queen exchange under favorable circumstances. Here, he transformed his initiative into an endgame where all of his pieces were strong, while Black had to passively defend his weaknesses. Once Magnus consolidated, it was a death knell for his opponent, who suffocated without even a hint of counterplay.

I hope you enjoyed Magnus's masterclass in the London as much as I did. Until next time!