1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
a6
4.Ba4
Nf6
5.Bxc6
dxc6
6.d3
Bd6
7.Nbd2
Be6
8.0-0
0-0
9.b3
Nd7
10.Bb2
b5N
New move, but not a new idea - this thrust is known in the regular Exchange Ruy, and is used to keep a White knight off c4.
11.d4
f6N
12.h3N
c5
13.d5
Bf7
14.a4
White attempts in earnest to permanently lock the queenside before trying to attack on the kingside, and Carlsen fights just as resolutely to keep the queenside open.
14...Nb6
15.c4
c6
16.Nh4
Re8
17.Nf5
Bf8
18.Qg4
Kh8
19.f4
[19.Bc3
is interesting, aiming to clarify the queenside situation thanks to the threatened Ba5.]
19...exf4
20.Qxf4
bxc4
21.bxc4
cxd5
22.cxd5
Qb8
23.Qh4
Nxd5
24.Rab1
Qb4!
A very smart, pragmatic choice. [24...Nb4
is the obvious move, but best? Probably not: it's objectively no better than Carlsen's move, while giving Nakamura all kinds of chances to win with a brilliant attack. 25.Nh6
(25.e5
isn't so good 25...Rxe5
26.Bxe5
Qxe5-/+
; but 25.Bxf6
is enough for a draw: 25...gxf6
26.Qxf6+
Kg8
27.Rb3
(27.Rf3
Bg6
28.Rg3
Ra7
(28...Qc7
29.Rxg6+
hxg6
30.Qxg6+
Kh8
31.Rb3
Re7
32.Rg3
Rg7
33.Nxg7
Qxg7
34.Qh5+
Qh6
35.Qf5
Bg7
36.Nf3
Rf8
37.Qxc5=
) 29.Nf3
Rxe4
30.Rd1
Nd3!
31.Ng5
Bg7
32.Nh6+
Kh8
(32...Bxh6?
33.Nxe4
c4
34.Rxg6+
hxg6
35.Qxg6+
Rg7
36.Qxh6+/-
) 33.Ngf7+
Rxf7
34.Nxf7+
Kg8
35.Nh6+
Bxh6
36.Rxg6+
hxg6
37.Qxg6+
Bg7
38.Qxe4
Bd4+
39.Kf1
Qf8+
40.Ke2
Nf4+
41.Ke1
Qf6=/+
) 27...Bxb3
28.Qg5+
Kh8
(28...Kf7??
29.Nd4+
Qf4
30.Rxf4#
) 29.Qf6+
Kg8
30.Qg5+=
) 25...Ba2
26.Rxf6!
Ra7
and maybe Black survives, though I wouldn't bet on it. (26...Bxb1?
27.Nf7+
Kg8
28.Ng5
h6
29.Qxh6!!
gxh6
(29...Qh2+
30.Kxh2
Bd6+
31.Rxd6
gxh6
32.Rxh6+-
) 30.Rg6+
Bg7
31.Rxg7+
; 26...Qa7?
27.Nf5
Bxb1
(27...gxf6
28.Qxf6+
Kg8
29.Rf1
Bg7
30.Nxg7
Rf8
31.Qg5
Rxf1+
32.Nxf1
Bf7
(32...Kf7
33.Qf6+
Kg8
34.Nf5+-
) 33.Nf5+
Bg6
34.N1e3
c4
35.Bd4
Qd7
36.Qf6+-
) 28.Rh6
Kg8
29.Rxh7
c4+
30.Kh1
Nd3
31.Qh5
Nf2+
32.Kh2
Bd6+
33.Nxd6
Kf8
34.Bf6
gxf6
35.Qh6+
Qg7
36.Qxg7#
) 27.Ng4
Be7
28.Qh5
Bxf6
29.Nxf6
gxf6
30.Bxf6+
Rg7
(30...Kg8
31.Qg5+
Kf7
32.Rf1
Ke6
33.Rd1!
Rf7
34.Qf5+
Kd6
35.Nb3+
Kc7
36.Qxc5+
Kb7
37.Rd4!
Qc8
38.Rxb4+
Ka8
39.Qd5+
Rb7
40.e5
Bxb3
41.Rxb3
Qc1+
42.Kh2
Qf4+
43.Rg3
Qxa4
and Black survives, though White can keep trying.) 31.Bxg7+
Kxg7
32.Qg5+
Kh8
33.Qf6+
Kg8
34.Qg5+
Kh8=
]
25.Bc1
Qxa4
26.exd5
Qxh4
27.Nxh4
Bxd5
28.Ba3=
Re3
29.Ra1
Rd3
30.Rfd1
Probably wasting a tempo. [30.Nhf3
]
30...a5
31.Nhf3
a4
32.Rdc1
Kg8
[32...g6
may improve, with the idea of ...Bh6.]
33.Kf2
c4?!
Carlsen must be very confident that the resulting position is drawn; otherwise, it's hard to see why he'd give away the pawn and his bishop pair.
34.Bxf8
Kxf8
35.Nxc4
Rb3
36.Nfd2
Rb4
37.Ra3
Rc8
38.Rac3
Be6
39.Na3
[39.Ne3
Rd8
40.Ke2+/-
]
39...Rd8
40.Nf3
Rb3
41.Rxb3
axb3
42.Rc6
Bd5
[42...Ke7
43.Rb6
Ra8
44.Nb1
Ra2+
45.Nbd2
Bd5
46.Ke3
h5
47.Nh4!+/-
]
43.Rb6+/-
Rc8
44.Nb5
[44.Rb5
Bf7
45.Rb4+/-
followed by Nd4 or Nb1-d2.]
44...Rc2+
45.Kg3
h5!!
46.Nbd4
Ra2
47.Ne6+
[47.Nxb3?
h4+!!
(47...Rb2?
48.Nc5!
Rxb6
49.Nd7++-
) 48.Kf4
(48.Nxh4
Ra3=
; 48.Kxh4
Rxg2=
) 48...Ra4+
49.Ke3
(49.Kf5
Kf7!
with the threat of 50...g6#!) 49...Ra3
50.Nfd2
Bxg2=
; 47.Nf5
b2
48.Ne3
Be4
49.Nd2
h4+
50.Kxh4
b1Q
51.Nxb1
Re2
52.Nc4
Bxb1
53.Rb8+
Ke7
54.Rxb1
Re4+
55.Kh5
Rxc4
56.Kg6+/-
f5
57.Rb7+
Ke6
58.Rxg7
Rc8
59.h4
Rc2
60.g3
Rh2
61.h5
Rh3
62.Kh6
Kf6
63.Rg5
Rh2
64.Rg6+
Ke5
65.Ra6
Rg2
66.Ra3
Kf6
67.Rf3
Rg1
and Black holds.]
47...Kf7
48.Nf4
Be4
49.Rb4
This looks like the least promising option, but it's a draw in any case. [49.h4
b2
50.Nd2
Ba8!
51.Nc4
g5
52.hxg5
fxg5
53.Nxh5
Bxg2
54.Nxb2
is a draw, of course, but White can play for an attack. It would be ironic if White managed to win this, as Carlsen himself pulled out a win in a somewhat similar ending against Wang Yue within the past year.; 49.Rxb3
g5
50.Nxh5
Kg6
51.Nf4+
gxf4+
52.Kxf4
Bxf3
53.Kxf3
is a drawn ending.]
49...h4+!
50.Kg4
[50.Kxh4
g5+=
; 50.Nxh4??
b2-+
]
50...b2
51.Nd2
Ba8
52.Nc4
[52.Nd3?
b1Q
53.Nxb1
Rxg2+
54.Kf4
(54.Kxh4??
Bf3
55.--
g5#
) 54...Rg3-+
]
52...g5
53.Rxb2
[53.Nd3??
Ra4
54.Ncxb2
Rxb4+
55.Nxb4
Kg6!
56.Nc4
f5#
]
53...Rxb2
54.Nxb2
gxf4=
55.Kxf4
Bxg2
56.Kg4
f5+
57.Kxf5
Bxh3+
58.Kg5
Be6
59.Kxh4
1/2-1/2