[Event "FIDE World Championship 2016"] [Site "New York, USA"] [Date "2016.11.23"] [Round "9"] [White "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C78"] [WhiteElo "2772"] [BlackElo "2853"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "148"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {This game veers first one way then the next as Magnus comes out all guns blazing then after a period of manouvering, Sergey gets what looks like a winning advantage but it is an illusion and he rather surprisingly goes for a drawn Bishop sacrifice rather than going all out, because of the danger to his King. The key move played seems to be move 39.Bxf7+ when 39.Qb3 looked stronger but isn't. And also the move 40 choice} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Rb8 {I am not sure whether this is the Archangelsk defence or the Moller Defence of the Ruy Lopez Opening. I know little about this opening.} 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. axb5 axb5 11. Na3 O-O 12. Nxb5 Bg4 13. Bc2 exd4 14. Nbxd4 Nxd4 15. cxd4 Bxf3 16. gxf3 (16. Qxf3 { avoiding the weakened kingside position is even playable though it gives Black back his gambitted pawn.}) 16... Nh5 17. Kh1 Qf6 18. Be3 c5 19. e5 Qe6 20. exd6 c4 21. b3 cxb3 $146 {a novelty of reasonable quality.} (21... c3 {this was played before 1-0 (42) Nakamura,H (2787)-Kasimdzhanov,R (2700) Tromso 2014, though Kasimdzhanov was short of time and blundered in a decent position.}) 22. Bxb3 {notice how weak the h2 square is if Black can get his Bishop to c7 supporting his Queen on d6 it would be curtains for Sergey and it appears there is nothing stopping this plan but the idea of playing Ra6 scuppers most of Blacks innitial chances atleast.} Qxd6 23. Ra6 $3 Rfd8 (23... Ra8 $4 { this is a blunder if it had been played.} 24. Bxf7+ $3 Kxf7 25. Qb3+ Qe6 26. Rxb6 Qxb3 27. Rxb3 $16) 24. Rg1 (24. d5 Qc7 25. Qc1 Qxc1 26. Rxc1 $4 Bxe3 27. fxe3 Rxb3 $19) 24... Qd7 25. Rg4 $3 Nf6 26. Rh4 Qb5 27. Ra1 g6 28. Rb1 Qd7 29. Qd3 {at this stage Sergey is hanging on but his manouvering is more accurate than Magnus'. Even though Sergeys pieces are cast assounder all over the place they do defend all the key areas of the battle front. And Sergey repositions his pieces better to seriously impinge on Magnuses Kingside.} Nd5 30. Rg1 Bc7 31. Bg5 Re8 32. Qc4 Rb5 33. Qc2 ({I am not sure both or even one side saw fully the implications of 33.Ba4 but it actually ends with an even position.} 33. Ba4 Qf5 34. Qf1 (34. Qxb5 $4 Qxf3+ 35. Rg2 Re1+ 36. Qf1 Rxf1#) 34... Rb1 $3 35. Qxb1 Qxf3+ 36. Rg2 Nc3 37. Qf1 Nxa4 $44) 33... Ra8 34. Bc4 Rba5 35. Bd2 Ra4 36. Qd3 Ra1 37. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 38. Kg2 Ne7 $2 {another blunder in time trouble.} 39. Bxf7+ $3 (39. Qb3 $6 Nf5 40. Bxf7+ Kg7 41. d5 $4 Nxh4#) 39... Kxf7 40. Qc4+ $2 (40. Rxh7+ Kg8 41. Qxg6+ Nxg6 42. Rxd7 $14) 40... Kg7 41. d5 Nf5 $3 (41... Be5 $4 {How both players didnt miss that 41...Be5?? is an out an out blunder here is beyond me unless both are using computers somehow. To my untrained eye it looked the obvious move and how Karjakin spotted it was a blunder a few moves previous is mindboggling. It is a highly complex position.} 42. Bc3 Qd6 43. Qf4 Qxd5 (43... Bxc3 44. Qxd6 $18) 44. Bxe5+ Kg8 45. Qf6 Nf5 46. Qh8+ Kf7 47. Rxh7+ Ke6 48. Qf6#) 42. Bc3+ Kf8 43. Bxa1 Nxh4+ {with the Black Rook on a1 this would have been checkmate but no, just in time chess comes to Sergeys rescue.} 44. Qxh4 Qxd5 {now the position is totally drawn here if 45.Qxh7 then its drawn by a repeated position by Magnus with 45...Qg5+ 46.Kf1 Qc1+ 47.Kg2 Qg5+ and three repeated positions equals a draw. Sergey plays on because he is a pawn up technically but because it is doubled pawns and queens still on and a minor piece each, it is unlikely anyone can make any headway. Sergeys best bet of a win was to swap off Bishops first then Queens when it would be a win for White but it still would have been difficult in the 50 moves since a pawn move draw rule.} 45. Qf6+ Qf7 46. Qd4 Ke8 47. Qe4+ Qe7 48. Qd5 Bd8 49. Kf1 Qf7 50. Qe4+ Qe7 51. Be5 Qe6 52. Kg2 Be7 53. Qa8+ Kf7 54. Qh8 h5 55. Qg7+ Ke8 56. Bf4 Qf7 57. Qh8+ Qf8 58. Qd4 Qf5 59. Qc4 Kd7 60. Bd2 Qe6 61. Qa4+ Qc6 62. Qa7+ Qc7 63. Qa2 Qd6 64. Be3 Qe6 65. Qa7+ Ke8 66. Bc5 Bd8 67. h3 Qd5 68. Be3 Be7 69. Qb8+ Kf7 70. Qh8 Qe6 71. Bf4 Qf6 72. Qb8 Qe6 73. Qb7 Kg8 74. Qb5 Bf6 {Finally Sergey gives it up and accepts the draw, so that leaves Magnus needing a win in the last three games- two with him as white. Sergey looks strong favourite going into the final games, Magnus has not produced many winning chances though he has kept up with Sergey in all but 1 game. The 12 game format is very contentious with many westerners in particular, who remember the longer game formats for World Championships in the past. But maybe it is a blessing with their being so many draws in this match. One things for certain if Magnus doesnt win a game soon, their will be a new World Champion. Its 4pts - 5 pts to Sergey.} 1/2-1/2