By this point in his career, Magnus Carlsen has established a strong claim on the rather subjective title of: GOAT (“Greatest Of All Time”), at the chess board. At the very least, even his most blinkered critics are forced to admit that the “all time” conversation really boils down to just three champions: Fischer, Kasparov, and Carlsen. His dominance over the chess world is so extreme that it becomes difficult to report on almost anything else. The mere fact that Magnus fails to win an event somehow seems more unlikely and newsworthy than the fact that another player actually won it. So I’ll get that out of the way for you, right here: in the Airthings Masters event - the second tournament of the Champions Chess Tour 2021, Magnus Carlsen was ousted in the first round of the knockout portion by the same Daniil Dubov who gave us a brilliancy-prize-winning speculative queen sacrifice against Sergey Karjakin in the Russian Championship, mere weeks ago. It happens. We move on.
Arguably, the more important metric to judge Carlsen on, as world champion, is the impact that he’s had on the game of chess during his seven-year-long reign as the official World Champion (he’s been atop the Elo rating list for 9…). History does not always look kindly on the world champions for their efforts, in that arena. Even if one takes a historical survey that goes all the way back to Paul Morphy, the “pride and sorrow of chess,” the political administration of the game and its organization as a global sport has always advanced rather haltingly - one, or two steps forward, and then one, or three steps back. Mr. Morphy created a global phenomenon that made the market for chess as a professional sport, but refused to become a professional himself, at a time when the future of the game was doubtful, indeed. If we were to take Mr. Morphy seriously at his word, he would be appalled to learn that over 150 years later, the game has become organized, and professionalized.
Fischer forced chess into a new era of professionalism via sheer force of will, but while his demands created, for the first time, a realistic possibility that elite western players could pursue the game professionally and demand financial recompense for their efforts, the form they came in was rather bizarre. At times petulant or paranoid (only at first, justifiably), Fischer was able to open a door in the chess world for himself, but could not usher many of his peers and compatriots through it. Of course, as soon as he attained the world championship, he disappeared from the scene, leaving only a large shadow and a generation of American players bitten by the chess bug.
I believe Kasparov saw in his own efforts some type of logical extension and conclusion of Fischer’s aborted attempts (Kasparov is still with us, you could ask him yourself if you disagree). And to a great extent, I think this is actually true. He demanded money, and he found sponsors for the game. Even as his own future and fortunes were ruled in large part by the Soviet establishment, he bristled at their demands, and extended a symbolic hand to “traitors” like Victor Korchnoi, even after he had defected to the west.
Carlsen has done considerably more for the game, though perhaps it could be argued that he’s only been put in a position to do so by the efforts of those who came before. He exudes a quiet confidence and pragmatism, and he’s willing to embrace and endorse policies that do not necessarily conform with tradition. The Champions Chess Tour is a perfect example. Over and above objections from those like Ian Nepomniatchi…
… the Play Magnus group has created an online-only, year long chess season that actually makes the game look like an e-sport. The games are rapid play, true, and the format (preliminary round robin to decide on a “final eight” who play a knockout tournament) does necessitate that many games be played in one day. We have seen blunders and mouse slips. But this is what twitch audiences are used to! And the ratings have never been higher. Credit Beth Harmon with that, if you’d like, but understand that for the first time in history, when the audience showed up, there is a product worth watching on display. That’s due to Magnus and his company, full stop.
One thing the format does is offers spectators, commentators, journalists and casters something like performance statistics to talk about, when there isn’t enough time to get into the depth and detail of the chess. There are enthusiasts who will do that (in newsletters, like this one, or youtube videos like this one, later. Take Hikaru Nakamura for example. Even in this column I’ve noted that Hikaru’s stature in the chess world is better elevated than his actual Elo ranking, but his performances in the early events of the champions chess tour validate his success and silence his critics. We’ve had two events, and two top eights for Hikaru. He’s 1/3 in knockout round minimatches, so far, true. But he’s firmly inside the top eight in the overall standings and it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere. A betting man would make Hikaru one of the favorites to make the top eight again in the upcoming Meltwater event (February 6th-14th).
And it’s not as though the chess is sub-par, or mediocre! There’s plenty to talk about, and plenty of beautiful games to cover. This week, for example, I’ll be looking at Radjabov’s win over Aronian during the final of the Airthings Masters. Radjabov, incidentally, will be delighted that the beginning of 2021 has been kinder than the start of the previous year. In 2020, Radjabov was supposed to compete in the Candidates’ tournament, when the global coronavirus pandemic broke out and caused widespread suspension of in-person events, globally. The tournament organizers pressed on anyway, while Radjabov refused to participate. He got flak from Carlsen, who pointed out that those who wanted to compete, were competing. But the pandemic worsened, and by the halfway point of the tournament, it was suspended anyway. Radjabov’s objections, in hindsight, look prescient. But it’s not clear that he’ll be admitted back to the event when it re-starts. For one thing, his replacement, MVL, is actually leading the tournament. It’s kindof a mess.
But on January 3rd of 2021, Radjabov did earn a measure of revenge, defeating Levon Aronian in the final round of the Airthings Masters, and earning himself $60,000 for his efforts. Happy New Year, Teimour! That brings us, finally, to our game of the week:
Game of the Week #18:
Radjabov - Aronian (1-0) Airthings Masters Knockout, Final Round Match, Game #2:
As things got underway, Aronian opted for the Grunfeld:
d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5!?
While Aronian playing a Grunfeld is hardly a surprise, it is a bit of a change-up from Levon, whose primary repertoire has always been the Nimzo-Indian and Ragozin versus the Queen’s Gambit. An earlier match game in this very final saw Radjabov and Aronian draw in a Ragozin, for example. When he does change things up, he typically goes for a Grunfeld. And well, after falling behind 2.5-1.5 on the first day of the final, these were must-win games for Levon, even playing with the black pieces.
Bg5 is still well known theory, but it’s not the main line, by any stretch. It’s generally considered to be harmless for the black player, after 4. … Ne4 and 5. … Nxc3, which we saw in the game:
… Ne4 5. Bf4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5!? (diagram)
But 6. … c5 is a bit unusual. Most of the time, this move has no independent significance, as it will simply transpose with the “normal line,” that follows from the automatic 6. … Bg7 7. e3 c5. But Aronian does actually attempt to justify the move order subtlety with quick counterplay in the center. I don’t think he gets anything, and I doubt this experiment will be the next new thing in the Grunfeld, going forward.
e3 (as a matter of course) Nc6!?
Still focusing on direct play in the center of the board, rather than the natural development of the Grunfeld bishop to g7… the move g7-g6 was played all the way back on move two…
And Radjabov seizes the opportunity to force matters. The line that follows is all but forced, and I really don’t see where black can improve on the play if he’d like to keep some winning chances in the position - but the end result is a minimal, but comfortable edge for white in a position that the white player is just never losing. Not what Aronian had in mind, for a “must-win” game with the black pieces, I’m sure.
cxd5 Qxd5 9. Qf3 Qd7 10. Bb5 a6 11. Bxc6 Qxc6 12. Qxc6 bxc6 13. Nf3 Bg7 (finally) 14. Ne5 Bf5 15. f3 (diagram)
With 14. … Bf5 Aronian indirectly defended the c6 pawn by threatening 15. … Be4, with a double attack on c6 and g2, but the move 15. f2-f3 gives Radjabov control over the e4 square, and a neat little home for his king on f2, should he desire to connect the rooks. Now c6 really is threatened, and something should be done about it. Possible is 15. … cxd4 16. cxd4 c5 17. d5! after which it seems that the white central pawns are more dangerous than black’s c-pawn in most variations, especially if the e5 knight is allowed to take up the blockading square c4. Instead, Aronian makes the decision to trade his dark squared bishop for the knight, and plant his light squared bishop on d3. The piece looks nice there, but white’s development is not impeded, and there are no viable targets on the light squares within the white camp. What’s more - there’s no realistic way for Aronian to break the position open and create any winning chances. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from trying…
… Bxe5 16. Bxe5 f6 17. Bg3 Bd3 18. Rd1 c4 19. Rd2 Kf7 20. Rb2 Rhd8 21. e4 (diagram)
And here we see the “problem” for Aronian. If he’s going to play for a win, he simply has to try for breaks like … c5 and … f5, but these only leave black with loose pawns, and don’t ever really result in any coordination between his d3 bishop and the rooks on the newly opened files. Black is probably holding this position relatively easily with 21. … Ra7, and if the rooks are ever exchanged, the bishops-of-opposite color ending is likely very drawish, but this is not a satisfactory outcome for Aronian, and he presses on, despite the difficulties. Komodo 10, for example, doesn’t see the point. The computer offers: 21. … Ra7 22. a4 a5 23. Bb8 Ra8 24. Bg3 Ra7 25. Bb8 Ra8 26. Bg3 with a draw.
… c5?! 22. dxc5 Rac8 23. Bf2 f5?! 24. exf5 gxf5 25. Be3 (diagram)
It’s not really clear to me what Aronian has gotten for the pawn. The d-file has been opened for the rook on d8, true, but there’s no way to really dream of winning the pawn back, since it sits on a dark square that’s protected by white’s bishop, and inaccessible to Aronian’s. In addition, black is left with weak pawns on a6, e7, and h7, which make his position very difficult to hold, indeed, if ever the initiative slips back to the white player. Aronian attempts to make a bit of progress by deflecting the bishop from defense of c5, and then contesting the b-file, but after a pair of rooks come off, there’s no way for him to make further in-roads in the white camp, because the bishop cannot threaten pieces and pawns placed on the dark squares:
… f4 26. Bxf4 Rxc5 27. Kf2 Rb5 28. Rxb5 axb5 29. a3 Ra8 30. Ra1 (diagram)
There’s no way to add pressure to a3, and the black queenside pawns are firmly blockaded on the dark squares. Radjabov only has left to begin safely advancing his kingside majority:
… Ra6 31. g4 Ke6 32. h4 Kd5 33. h5 e5 34. Be3 Ra8 (diagram)
There’s no further progress to make, for Aronian. Here, Radjabov must hatch a plan that improves his position. It’s actually not clear to me whether or not he can force a win, from this position, if black simply does nothing. Radjabov decides to put his king on e3 and bishop on b4 in order to support the queenside, and free up the a1 rook for more active duty. In the endgame, on is reminded, the activity of your most important piece is often a deciding factor in the evaluation of the position. So Radjabov looks to create some activity for his rook:
Bg5 Ke6 36. Bh4 Kd5 37. Ke3 Ke6 38. Ra2 Kd5 39. Be7 Ke6 40. Bb4 (diagram)
Here, the computer sees that white has an extra pawn, while black has no compensation, and it evaluates the position as about a pawn edge to white. But the moves it offers show no coherent plan for the white player to break through. Simply, black plays Kd5-e6-d5-e6 while white shuffles the a2 rook all over the first two ranks and achieves nothing. The e5 pawn and d3 bishop combine to cut off the white king’s advance, and the black rook is always on call to defend against an opening of the position if Radjabov tries to push the g pawn through. Indeed, if ever g5-g6 is played, the black player controls that square more times than white does, and the material advantage will disappear. Similarly, the f4 break can always be prevented by a timely … Rf8, when an exchange of rooks on the f4 square does nothing to increase white’s winning chances.
Of course, by this point, Aronian had seconds on his clock - and it’s not easy to evaluate a position like this with seconds. Psychologically, if you don’t see a break through for your opponent, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t one, and you don’t have time for a long think to clarify things. Without the benefit of certainty, Aronian played a move that superficially appears to reduce white’s options, but it actually amounts to little more than a blunder, which makes the defense a tricky, precise one for the black player:
… h6?
Pushing the pawn to h6 seems to put a stop to the plan of g5-g6, once and for all, but again, this is superficial. On h7, the pawn was defended on a light square by black’s d3 bishop, and the “fortress” was maintained by an ironclad grip on the g6 square. White can play g5, it’s true, but can make no further progress at that point. With the pawn on h6, it can now be threatened by the white bishop, and the advance g5 threatens to create a passed h-pawn after g5, hxg5. h6 is just a bad move. It might not be the losing move, but it’s something that I’m all too familiar with in my own games, and not used to seeing in Levon Aronian’s - an attempt to clarify the position or force an outcome, when there’s simply nothing to do in the position. The only result is an additional weakness for the black player to look after. Radjabov wastes no time rerouting the b4 bishop again, this time with the h6 pawn in its sights:
Rb2!
The b4 bishop will move in order to attack the h6 pawn. When it does, the rook will tie one of black’s pieces down to the defense of the b5 pawn.
… Bh7??
But this really is the losing move - already it was imperative that Aronian realize the danger. He does not have a tempo to waste. After 41. … Kd5! to deny the white bishop access to c5, Aronian can try to make it difficult for the bishop to ever arrive on the c1-h6 diagonal. 42. Kf2 Re8! 43. Kg3 Kc6, when, again, it’s hard to make progress for white. It’s clear, however, that Aronian did not see that this plan would be winning for white, so he didn’t put a stop to it.
Kf2 Bd3 43. Bc5 Kd5 (too late) 44. Be3 Kc6 45. Ra2! (diagram)
Ra2 really is an excellent move from Radjabov. The tempting 45. Bxh6?! is hasty, and after 45. … Rxa3 46. Bg7 Rxc3 47. Bxe5 Rc1, white is still a pawn up with three connected, passed pawns, but black has connected passed pawns of his own which generate counterplay. 45. Ra2 puts a stop to this, and white need not worry about 45. … Rh8, guarding h6, because the a2 rook can join in the attack on the h6 pawn after 46. a4! bxa4 47. Rxa4. 47. … Kb7 only delays the inevitable: 48. Ra7+ Kc6 49. Ra6+ and h6 will fall. 46. … b4 is little better, either, after 47. cxb4, when all of a sudden white has connected passed pawns on the queenside.
After 45. Ra2, black’s best try appears to be sacrificing another pawn to create a passed c-pawn and open a file for his rook to infiltrate, but the game is already out of hand for Levon. Radjabov’s technique is precise:
… e4!? 46. Bxh6 exf3 47. Kxf3 b4!? (creating a passed c-pawn, the rook will come to the e-file in order to help it promote) 48. cxb4 c3 49. Ke3 Bb1 50. Ra1 c2 51. Kf3 (diagram)
The pawn is only one square away from promotion - but that square is a dark square, and it’s controlled by the bishop on h6. Black is thoroughly lost, here. With seconds on the clock, Aronian might try to create a fortress by forcing white to sacrifice the h6 bishop for the c2 pawn when it promotes, and then trying to blockade all of white’s pawns on the light squares with his bishop - but this would be impossible, even if black could pull it off. The pawns are too far apart, on different sides of the board. Radjabov was precise to the end -
… Kb5 52. a4+ Kxb4 53. a5 Ra6 54. Bc1 Rf6+ 55. Kg2 Rd6 56. a6 Rd1 57. Be3 Rd3 58. Bc1 Rd1 59. Bh6 Rd6 60. a7 Rxh6 61. a8=Q c1=Q 62. Rxb1+ 1-0
A nice little tactic to finish things off. After 62. … Qxb1 63. Qb7+ and the newly promoted queen has been skewered. Congratulations to Radjabov on a well played game. It’s easy with hindsight and computers to question Aronian’s play here, but I find these types of mistakes to be instructive, actually. Moves like … h6?? are the types of mistakes that occur all too often in my play, and I find it instructive that, after the opening didn’t go his way, it was more hazardous for Aronian to try to force anything to happen in the position than it would have been to simply wait. Such things are also very difficult for human, club players. The tendency to force matters is strong with most of us.
In any case, well played Teimour Radjabov! And congratulations on a wonderful start to the 2021 chess season.
Puzzle of the Week #19:
But first, a solution to last week’s puzzle, which was a simple mate in two -
Qg6+! hxg6 2. Bxg6#
This week’s puzzle is much, much more difficult to spot, for my eyes. Taken from the conclusion of Carlsen - Dubov in the first knockout round of the Airthings Masters. Dubov (with black) to play:
What is the winning idea for Dubov?
If you think you have a solution, send me an email at JensenUVA@gmail.com or DM on twitter @JensenUVA. Would love to hear from you.
Until next week, ARGH! SHAKHMATY!! (Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe, forward, tweet, appreciate, donate (jk), you know)