[Event "FIDE World Championship 2016"] [Site "New York, USA"] [Date "2016.11.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A45"] [WhiteElo "2853"] [BlackElo "2772"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {This was a cautious opening by both sides, Magnus was White and wanted to avoid any prepared traps from Sergey with a surprise choice of opening but it didn't seem the phase Sergey who seemed to take it in his stride and he played solidly in his first World Championship match. Indeed early on it seemed like Magnus might be in trouble from the opening as it looked like Sergey was going to hang on to a loose pawn and thus gain an advantage but then a weak move by Sergey solved all Magnuses problems but try as he might he could not break through for a win so honours even.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 {This is the Trompowsky and was popular with English grandmasters in the eighties and nineties in particular but it has never been seen before at this level I think I am right in saying, although it may have been seen in the semi-world championship match (ie the one for FIDE when FIDE wasn't the major title) between Anand and Karpov. It gives a fair game for small chances of losing so was an ideal choice but giving away the dark squared Bishop for a Knight to ruin the pawn structure is double edged strategically.} d5 3. e3 c5 4. Bxf6 gxf6 5. dxc5 Nc6 (5... e5 $6 {this has an even better record but its not clear why after 6.Nc3.} ) 6. Bb5 e6 7. c4 dxc4 8. Nd2 $146 {a novelty} (8. Nc3 {follows a line played by Rahman - Mas 2008}) 8... Bxc5 9. Ngf3 O-O {the pawn on c4 can be taken at any time here but Magnus leaves it too late.} 10. O-O Na5 11. Rc1 Be7 12. Qc2 Bd7 13. Bxd7 Qxd7 14. Qc3 $6 (14. Nxc4 $3 Rac8 15. Rfd1 Qc7 16. b3 b5 17. Na3 Qxc2 18. Nxc2 $11 {The position was actually even after Nxc4 despite the pin, but my guess is Magnus didnt realise that he had that defence, it is a computeresque defence.}) 14... Qd5 $2 {The point is after 15.Nxc4 Rac8? then Magnus has 16.Qxa4 now.} (14... b6 $3 $11) 15. Nxc4 Nxc4 (15... Rac8 $2 16. Qxa5 Rxc4 17. Qxd5 exd5 18. b3 $14) 16. Qxc4 Qxc4 17. Rxc4 {with the Queens off this is drawn but Magnus has won endgames with less advantage in the past- he has a strong Rook on c4, less pawn islands and Sergey has doubled pawns on the f-file but still Sergey has the Bishop for the Knight and the fact that a Rook and a Knight co-ordinates worse than a Rook and Bishop.} Rfc8 18. Rfc1 Rxc4 19. Rxc4 Rd8 20. g3 Rd7 21. Kf1 f5 22. Ke2 Bf6 23. b3 Kf8 24. h3 h6 25. Ne1 Ke7 26. Nd3 Kd8 27. f4 h5 28. a4 Rd5 29. Nc5 b6 30. Na6 Be7 $6 ({an alternative is:-} 30... b5 31. Rc7 bxa4 32. Rxf7 $4 (32. bxa4 Rd7 $1 $11) 32... axb3 $3 33. Rxf6 Rb5 34. Rf8+ Ke7 35. Re8+ Kf7 36. Rb8 Rxb8 37. Nxb8 b2 $19) 31. Nb8 a5 32. Nc6+ $1 (32. Rc6 $6 Rd6 $11) 32... Ke8 $1 (32... Kd7 $2 33. Ne5+ Ke8 34. Rc7 Bd6 35. Rc8+ Ke7 36. Nd3 b5 37. Rh8 $16) 33. Ne5 Bc5 $1 {blocking off the Rooks route to attack the h5 pawn from the h8 square. While the Bishop is there - Magnus stands zero chance of getting a winning advantage but he still tries.} 34. Rc3 Ke7 35. Rd3 Rxd3 36. Kxd3 f6 37. Nc6+ {again the Knight this time is blocked from attacking the weak pawn from the g7 square.} Kd6 38. Nd4 Kd5 39. Nb5 Kc6 40. Nd4+ Kd6 41. Nb5+ Kd7 42. Nd4 Kd6 {Finally the game was agreed drawn, although most first world championship games these days are drawn now Sergey must be the happier of the two as he drew the short straw getting Black for his first ever title game but now he can relax a little as White but Magnus is capable of playing many different openings and for someone so young he is very experienced.} 1/2-1/2