THE Chessable Masters final between Anish Giri and Magnus Carlsen lived up to expectations. The world champion took the $45,000 (£36,000) first prize, but for Giri it was a missed opportunity.
Game two first set, Carlsen has
just played 43.a4-a5.
43…Rc1? This seems to be a losing move, as White is able to move his rook in front of the a-pawn and this allows his king freedom to manouevre as the e-pawn can’t be touched. Instead, 43...Ra4 44.Kf4 Ke7 45.Kf5 c6 holds the draw, as if White ever takes on c6 and loses a5, Black’s king is front of the e-pawn and that is a theoretical draw. For example, 46.Re5+ Kf7 47.Rc5 Ke7 48.e5 Ra1 49.Rxc6 Rxa5. 44.Rd8 Rf1+ 45.Ke2 Ra1 46.Ra8 Kd6 47.a6 Kc6 (The other point is that Black’s king is severely limited. If the pawn gets to a7, Black’s king needs to be on the c-file, shielded by his pawn from Rc8+ or on the seventh rank. Even here the e-pawn advances. For example, 47...Ke6 48.a7 Ke7 49.e5 Ra3 50.e6 Ra6 51.Kd3 Ra4 52.Kc3 Ra5 53.Kb4 Ra1 54.Kb5 Rb1+ 55.Kc6 Rc1+ 56.Kb7 Rb1+ 57.Kxc7 Ra1 58.Kb6 Rb1+ 59.Kc5 Rc1+ 60.Kb4 Rb1+ 61.Kc3 Ra1 62.Rh8!) 48.Ke3 Re1+ 49.Kf4 Kb6 50.e5 c5 51.Rc8 Rf1+ 52.Kg5 Rg1+ 53.Kf6 Rf1+ 54.Ke7 Rc1 55.e6 c4 56.Kd7 Rd1+ 57.Ke8 Rc1 58.e7 c3 59.Kf7 Rf1+ 60.Kg6 Rg1+ 61.Kf5 Rf1+ 62.Kg4 1–0
Today’s puzzle is from the first Blitz tie-break game in the first set. Carlsen has just played 60...Rd4-d7. How would you continue?
69.f4 (69.b5 Rb4+ 70.Kd3 Rb3+ 71.Kc4 Rxf3 72.b6 Kd7 73.Kb5 Rb3+ 74.Ka6 Ra3+ 75.Kb7 Ra4=) 69...gxf4 70.Kxf4 Rb1 71.Rb6+ Kf7 72.b5 Kg6 73.Rb8 Rb4+ 74.Kf3 f5 75.gxf5+ Kxf5 76.b6 Ke6 77.Rh8 Kd7 78.Rh6 Kc8 79.Ke3 Kb7 80.Kd3 Rxb6
81.Rxb6+ Kxb6 draw
