[Event "FIDE World Championship 2016"] [Site "New York, USA"] [Date "2016.11.14"] [Round "3"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2853"] [BlackElo "2772"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "156"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {I think Magnus was winning in this game for a while but it is hard to tell. The computer is no good at such complex endgames. And I found it hard to assess myself the position. Sergey plays in a rather solid manner and its hard to decern where the losing mistake is if there is one. But Magnus just fails to win.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 {This opening may look like White is gifting a pawn but it is not a true Gambit as White can get the pawn back easily enough and does so quickly. It is a Berlin Defence Ruy Lopez. An opening often seen at this level. Known for being boring.} 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 (6... g6 $4 7. Nxc6+ Be7 {its check from the rook discovered by the Knight move.} 8. Nxd8 Kxd8 $18 {of course no one at this level would fall for such a ploy.}) 7. Bf1 {the bishop was under attack from the Knight at d6.} Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re2 $6 {not a great move by Magnus. May have been a ploy to avoid Sergeys preparation .} b6 $1 {the a8 to h1 diagonal looks inviting for Sergeys light squared Bishop-especially with Magnus' bishop on f1, but Magnus will end up playing g3 under the pressure and cancelling out the Bishop with one of his own on the g2 square.} 11. Re1 $6 $15 Re8 12. Bf4 Rxe1 13. Qxe1 Qe7 $2 $14 {in his haste for a draw with Queens off (which is a well known ploy to get a draw as Black) Sergey gives the initiative to White.} ( 13... Bb7 $15) 14. Nc3 Bb7 15. Qxe7 $1 Bxe7 16. a4 $1 a6 17. g3 {the plan to swap of and thus neutralise the massive Bishop on b7.} g5 18. Bxd6 Bxd6 19. Bg2 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 f5 21. Nd5 Kf7 22. Ne3 Kf6 23. Nc4 Bf8 24. Re1 $1 Rd8 25. f4 gxf4 26. gxf4 b5 27. axb5 axb5 28. Ne3 $3 {the retreat by the knight is part of a plan to show up the weakness black pawns which nearly succeeds in creating a win.} (28. Ne5 d6 29. Nd3 $11 {and neither side will make anything of the position.}) 28... c6 29. Kf3 Ra8 30. Rg1 $3 {both sides try to infiltrate their rooks on different entry attempts.} Ra2 $6 (30... Bh6 31. Rg3 Ra4 32. Rh3 Kg6 33. Nxf5 Kxf5 34. Rxh6 Rxd4 35. Rh5+ Kg6 36. Rg5+ Kf6 37. Rh5 Kg6 $11 { draw.}) 31. b3 $5 c5 $1 32. Rg8 Kf7 33. Rg2 cxd4 $6 (33... Kf6 $14) 34. Nxf5 d3 $3 {Sergey is trying to give away his weak pawn to desrupt the position by creating every pawn weak.} (34... Bc5 $6 35. Ke4 d6 36. Nxd4 $16) 35. cxd3 Ra1 36. Nd4 b4 37. Rg5 Rb1 $6 ({more accurate is:-} 37... Rf1+ 38. Ke3 Bg7 39. Rf5+ Ke7 40. Nc2 $14) 38. Rf5+ $1 {making Black choose between the h-pawn and d-pawn defending duty.} Ke8 39. Rb5 Rf1+ 40. Ke4 Re1+ 41. Kf5 Rd1 42. Re5+ Kf7 43. Rd5 Rxd3 44. Rxd7+ Ke8 45. Rd5 Rh3 46. Re5+ Kf7 47. Re2 $1 (47. Ne6 Be7 $3 (47... Rxb3 $6 48. Nd8+ Kg7 49. Rb5 Bd6 $14) 48. Rb5 $11) 47... Bg7 48. Nc6 $1 Rh5+ $1 49. Kg4 Rc5 $3 {Rb5? would have been a mistake as it sees Sergeys King further shepherded.} 50. Nd8+ Kg6 51. Ne6 h5+ 52. Kf3 Rc3+ 53. Ke4 Bf6 54. Re3 h4 55. h3 Rc1 56. Nf8+ Kf7 57. Nd7 Ke6 58. Nb6 Rd1 59. f5+ Kf7 60. Nc4 Rd4+ 61. Kf3 Bg5 62. Re4 Rd3+ 63. Kg4 Rg3+ 64. Kh5 Be7 65. Ne5+ Kf6 66. Ng4+ Kf7 $5 ( 66... Kxf5 $4 67. Re5+ Kf4 68. Rxe7 $18) 67. Re6 Rxh3 68. Ne5+ Kg7 69. Rxe7+ Kf6 70. Nc6 Kxf5 71. Na5 Rh1 72. Rb7 Ra1 73. Rb5+ $2 $11 (73. Nc4 h3 74. Rf7+ Ke4 75. Rf2 Kd3 76. Rf3+ Kc2 77. Rxh3 Rb1 78. Na5 Rxb3 $4 {desperation.} (78... Ra1 79. Nc6 Rb1 80. Nxb4+ Kb2 81. Kg4 Ka3 82. Nc2+ Kb2 83. Nd4 Rc1 84. Kf4 Rc3 85. Rh2+ Kb1 86. Ke4 $18) 79. Nxb3 $18) 73... Kf4 74. Rxb4+ Kg3 75. Rg4+ Kf2 76. Nc4 h3 77. Rh4 Kg3 78. Rg4+ Kf2 {The h-pawn has 'got away' but it needs the Kings defence and it is imposible to shepherd the pawn.} 1/2-1/2