That picture was meant for game four but then I remembered
that it was Magnus Carlsen’s birthday so I did a cake instead.
( I spend more time on the cartoons than I do analysing the games.)
Game 5 was in my opinion a pretty dull affair. It had the makings of a cracker but
Nepo seemed to suddenly not believe in the position and let Carlsen off the hook.
I was saccing bits on g7 and h6 and went onto chess24 to see what they were
thinking just in time to see Giri show a lovely win. (much better than mine.)
Of course this is how good players think, they fantasise, the problem with me is
I could never tell the defence between fantasy and reality (probably I never will.)
So do give Giri’s line a view (it’s a double Rook sac - not forced, but pretty.)
I. Nepomniachtchi - M. Carlsen Game 5 Chess World Champion 2021.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {3...Nd5 a Bird's Defence, that is always good fun.} 3... a6 {Boo...well at least it's not a Berlin Defence.} 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O {Ready for another Marshall gambit.} 8. a4 {In Game one Nepo played 8.h3 in Game three he played this move.} 8... Rb8 {In game three Carlsen played 8...Bb7.} 9. axb5 axb5 10. h3 d6 11. c3 b4 12. d3 bxc3 13. bxc3 d5 {According to all the good books if Black can safely play this in 1.e4 e5 openings then it's equal.} 14. Nbd2 dxe4 15. dxe4 Bd6 16. Qc2 {I like White here, they can slowly put Black under some Spanish torture.} 16... h6 17. Nf1 {Both sides re-jig their Knight to better squares.} 17... Ne7 18. Ng3 Ng6 {White would love to play Nf5 - Black would love to play Nf4} 19. Be3 Qe8 {Black is planning to trade off the Lopez Bishop.} 20. Red1 {I don't like this. Black walked into a self x-ray with the Black Queen, why lift it.} 20... Be6 21. Ba4 Bd7 {Quick as a flash Giri pointed out a lovely 'perhaps win' with 22.Nf5 here. (see next game)} 22. Nd2 {Nepo goes into an ending seeing it as the only way to keep the pressure on.} 22... Bxa4 23. Qxa4 {I was disappointed to see the Queens coming off, I thought this game was going to explode.} 23... Qxa4 24. Rxa4 Ra8 25. Rda1 Rxa4 26. Rxa4 Rb8 27. Ra6 {This is what Nepo is after, pressure on d6.} 27... Ne8 28. Kf1 Nf8 29. Nf5 Ne6 30. Nc4 Rd8 {All hands to the pump to hold d6.} 31. f3 f6 32. g4 Kf7 33. h4 Bf8 34. Ke2 Nd6 {One pair of Knights come off. Not much left to try for a White win.} 35. Ncxd6+ Bxd6 36. h5 {Maybe, at a later date Nxh6 gxh6 Bxh6 and run the h5 pawn, but that is just a dream.} 36... Bf8 37. Ra5 {A last try for winning possibilities.} 37... Ke8 38. Rd5 {38...Rxd5 40.exd5 Nd8 and there are some winning chances for White.} 38... Ra8 {Carlsen is having none of it.} 39. Rd1 Ra2+ 40. Rd2 Ra1 41. Rd1 Ra2+ 42. Rd2 Ra1 43. Rd1 {Another three fold rep. Another draw.}
The Anish Giri line, I think I could have hit it eventually but he saw it right away.
FEN
1r2qrk1/2pb1pp1/3b1nnp/4p3/B3P3/2P1BNNP/2Q2PP1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 22
[FEN "1r2qrk1/2pb1pp1/3b1nnp/4p3/B3P3/2P1BNNP/2Q2PP1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 22"] 22. Nf5 {Go for this is instead of 22.. Nd2.} 22... Bxa4 23. Rxa4 Qc6 24. Bxh6 gxh6 25. Qd2 {Here Nf4 Black stops the fun. but let's take the Rooks (one with check!)} 25... Qxa4 26. Qxh6 Qxd1+ 27. Kh2 Ne8 {To stop mate on g7. Nh5 will meet the same reply.} 28. Ng5 {With mate on h7. Never happened but an idea of the potential in that White position.}
