CHESS#1256

World champion Magnus Carlsen has been dodgy for a while and may slip down to 2818 by July

Levon Aronian has played sublime chess at the Norway Altibox Tournament to lead with 5 points (+3,=4) from seven games in the 10-player round robin. Hikaru Nakamura (4.5) has also played well. Third is shared by Anish Giri and Vladimir Kramnik (both 4). 

But these excellent performances have been obscured by the terrible form of homeboy and world champion, Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen (2.5 points, 2 losses & no wins) is sharing last with Maxime Vachier Lagrave (2.5). He was comprehensively outplayed by Aronian and Kramnik. 

Carlsen’s form has been dodgy for a while. His Elo has fallen from a lifetime high of 2882 in May 2014, a few months after winning the world title in November 2013. If he doesn’t claw something back, he’ll be down to 2818 by July. Aronian is all set to re-enter the 2800 club and Kramnik is at 2816 on the live list with So at 2816.  

This event has Sofia rules and it’s been terrific fighting chess all through. Aronian has generated super wins versus Carlsen, Kramnik and Sergey Karjakin (3). He has a talent for causing unusual practical problems and at his best, his creative style makes the Armenian GM a pleasure to watch.  

Nakamura has been his usual combative self with wins versus MVL and Giri. Kramnik won two great games versus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand. Anand (3) balanced losses versus Giri and Kramnik with a win against Caruana (3). Wesley So has scored seven draws but he’s failed to win a couple of good positions.  The erstwhile “drawing champion”, Giri has changed style and attitude; he’s prepared to accept the occasional loss (as against Nakamura) to generate wins (vs MVL and Anand). 

The DIAGRAM, WHITE TO PLAY, (White: Aronian Vs Black: Carlsen 5th Norway Chess 2017) illustrates Aronian’s creativity.  Aronian took 23 minutes to play 11.a3!?  (6 minutes) Bxa3 12.Rxa3! (17 minutes) Qxa3 13.c5 

White gives exchange + pawn for play against the trapped black queen.  Carlsen continued 13.-- b6 14.b4 Ne4 ? [The engines say 14.-- Qb2 is a good try.]  Play went 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxe4 Rb8  and now the spectacular 17.Bxh7+! Kxh7 18.Ng5+ Kg8 19.Qh5 Nf6  

The Bxh7 sac has been known for 400 years. It usually doesn’t work when Nf6/ Nf8 is threre to defend h7. But special circumstances exist with 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Qc7 Bd7 22.Nf7+ Kh7 23.Nxd8 Rc8 24.Qxb6 Nd5 25.Qa7 Rxd8 26.e4 Qd3 27.exd5 Qxd2 28.Qc7 Qg5.  

White’s pawns count for more than the extra piece. Now 29. d6 may be easier to win but Aronian took with 29.dxc6 Bc8 30.h3 Qd5 31.Rd1 e5 32.Rd3 exd4 33.Qe7 Bf5 34.Rg3 Bg6 35.Qh4+ (1-0). Much of this was not forced but Carlsen couldn’t solve problems at the board.  

Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player