This Carlsen’s game seems like the game that we play everyday when we use Spanish or Ruy Lopez Game, but the game went to a very interesting final. I watched it many times and asked myself: how could I see that move? Not the move 36.Qxg5+,…, white Queen sacrifice. But if I could see the move 35.Nh5+,… I guess the knight’s move is the key to the beautiful game end. What do you think?
This Carlsen’s game seems like the game that we play everyday when we use Spanish or Ruy Lopez Game, but the game went to a very interesting final. I watched it many times and asked myself: how could I see that move? Not the move 36.Qxg5+,…, white Queen sacrifice. But if I could see the move 35.Nh5+,… I guess the knight’s move is the key to the beautiful game end. What do you think?
Magnus Carlsen (2385) vs Hans Krogh Harestad (2249) XXV Politiken Cup (2003), Round 9 · Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Chigorin Defense (C98) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Nc6 (12... cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7) 13. d5 Nd8 14. a4 Ra7 15. Nf1 g6 16. Bh6 Re8 17. Ng3 Nd7 18. Nh2 f6 19. Be3 Nb6 20. axb5 axb5 21. Bd3 (21. Rxa7 Qxa7 22. h4) 21... Bd7 ( 21... Rxa1 22. Qxa1 Bd7) 22. Qd2 Nf7 23. Rxa7 Qxa7 24. Qe2 Qa6 25. Ng4 Kg7 26. Bc1 Na4 27. Bc2 Ra8 28. Qe3 c4 29. Rf1 Nc5 30. Nh6 Ng5 31. f4 exf4 32. Qxf4 Bxh3 (32... Kxh6 33. h4 Rf8 34. hxg5+ fxg5 35. Qh4+ Kg7 36. Bxg5 Rxf1+ 37. Nxf1 Bxg5 38. Qxg5) 33. Qh4 (33. gxh3 Nxh3+) 33... Bd7 34. e5 dxe5 35. Nh5+ gxh5 (35... Kh8 36. Bxg5 fxg5 37. Qg3) 36. Qxg5+ fxg5 37. Rf7+ Kxh6 38. Rxh7# 1-0 Video Icon Attribution: By Paweł Suwarski, Poland (Photo collection of Paweł Suwarski) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons