Incredible!

sundown316 View Profile

Only Chess

28 Aug '18 00:13

sundown316
The Mighty Messenger
The Wood of N'Kai
Joined
13 Dec '03
Moves
156184
28 Aug '18 00:132 edits
Blunder of the Year-Nakamura's 62...g5 against Carlsen today. Can't believe a Super-GM rated near 2800 could butcher an ending like this!
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
28 Aug '18 02:123 edits
Blunder of the year is a bit harsh. That is usually a won game ruined by a one
move howler followed by immediate resignation. Naka resigned 34 moves later.

Naka played 62...g5 here allowing Carsen a protected passed pawn with 63. h5

This is something you should avoid if you can - giving players protected passers.
Yes Naka should know better and it is bad but not quite Blunder of the Year material.

White now has the option of trading Rooks and can face them up anytime to gain a
file of allow the White King to become very active as any attempt to cut it off can be
met with an invite to trade Rooks as the B.K. must stay within range of the h-pawn..

Watch how Magnus used this 'you cannot swap Rooks' ploy to
get his King out of the Kingside and then across the c-file.

FEN 8/p4rp1/R4p1k/4p3/4P1PP/5P1K/8/8 w - - 0 62
Invert Board PGN Headers Comments

[FEN "8/p4rp1/R4p1k/4p3/4P1PP/5P1K/8/8 w - - 0 62"]
62. Kg3 g5 63. h5 Kg7 64. Kf2 Rb7 65. Ra3 Kh6 66. Ke3 a5 67. Rxa5 Rb3+ 68. Kf2 Rb2+ 69. Kg3 Kg7 70. Ra7+ Kg8 71. Ra1 Kg7 72. Rf1 Ra2 73. Rf2 Ra3 74. Rd2 Ra7 75. Kf2 Kf7 76. Ke2 Rb7 77. Rd3 Ra7 78. Kd2 Ke6 79. Kc3 Ke7 80. Kc4 Rc7+ 81. Kb5 Rc1 82. Rb3 Kf7 83. Kb6 Rc2 84. Kb7 Rc1 85. Kb8 Kg8 86. Rb6 Kg7 87. Rb7+ Kg8 88. Rc7 Rb1+ 89. Kc8 Rb3 90. Kd7 Rxf3 91. Ke6 Rf4 92. h6 Kh8 93. Rb7 Kg8 94. Rg7+ Kh8 95. Kf7 Rxe4 96. Kg6 Ra4 97. Rh7+ {Kg8 then Re7 - the Black Rook has to go to a8 then all the Black pawns fall off the board.}
RooksandHooks
rookorbycrook
Solihull
Joined
21 Nov '11
Moves
166859
28 Aug '18 04:38
what was the look on Nakamuras face on move 96 kg6 ???
sundown316
The Mighty Messenger
The Wood of N'Kai
Joined
13 Dec '03
Moves
156184
28 Aug '18 13:32
Originally posted by @rookorbycrook
what was the look on Nakamuras face on move 96 kg6 ???

Like he wanted to throw up
sundown316
The Mighty Messenger
The Wood of N'Kai
Joined
13 Dec '03
Moves
156184
28 Aug '18 13:36
Sorry, but there is NO excuse for a player of Nakamura's caliber to throw away a position like this. All he had to do was keep his King-side pawns exactly where they were, give up the a-pawn(which wasn't going anywhere)to activate his rook. If Magnus started pushing pawns, Naka would trade every one offered. Magnus would find it nearly impossible to win such a position.
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
28 Aug '18 23:44
Hi Sundown,

Last round, late in the last game - seen a lot worse than a player blowing an endgame.
Naka thought he could hold it and got impatient. It happens.
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
29 Aug '18 00:34
Some more details about this game.

Apparently Naka's 62...g5 was not the losing move.
It was giving up the a-pawn a few moves later that did it.
(blunders come in two's)

MVL was also playing in this event at St, Louis.
Naka's g5 may have brought back a painful memory.

G. Gajewski - M. Vachier-Lagrave Reykjavik Open 2013

Here ...

MVL played 44....g5. 45.h5

which is the same pawn set up as the Carlsen - Naka game.
MVL also lost.
Marinkatomb
wotagr8game
tbc
Joined
18 Feb '04
Moves
61941
29 Aug '18 08:11
Carlsen makes that look really easy, nice play. I bet Magnus was pleased to win that, not just as he tied for first place but it also meant his no.1 rating is a bit harder to catch. Not sure what the schedule is for him in the coming months, but i know Caruana is playing in the Olympiad. Caruana could concievably start their WC match as world no.1! Now that would certainly be a turn up for the books.

Only Chess Forum

Incredible!