Magnus Carlsen

Magnus playing Judith Polgar has some kind of mystique to me. She has just turned 30 and is the strongest female player ever, but still I had read about her fantastic results as a prodigy before Magnus was born!  

With black Magnus played Spanish with 6...Bc5. He was out of theory after 11.Sdb2 but felt he managed to find an acceptable continuation. Despite the loose kingside he never felt in danger of losing. In the end both players had to repeat moves to avoid a worse position. Draw. 
With white Magnus really wanted to win to try to catch up with Bu and Karjakin (who had won as black against Topalov in round 7) and to improve his 50% score.
The opening transposed into something English-like and Magnus knew he could give the pawn on d4 for an initiative but not how to continue.
He chose 11...Bg5 and in the commentary room they looked at Qxb2 as interesting but probably dangerous for black. However, after 12.e5 c5 it is hard to see how black can survive. Magnus attacked the kingside ferociously and decided the game with mating threats a piece up after a very nice game.

Bu looked clearly worse as black against Harikrisna when the latter blundered his queen (for a pawn and rook) with Qxc6. He got some compensation but in the end Bu was winning. Demoralized Harikrisna went on to lose the second game as well. 

After missing to transpose a promising attack into something decisive Topalov as white lost on time in a lost position against Karjakin, but as black he showed his great capability winning convincingly in a Lb5 Sicilian. 

Before the last round Bu has 18 points ahead of Magnus 12, Karjakin 11, Polgar 9, Topalov 8 and Harikrisna 6.
In my understanding Bu also will have the better tie-break irrespective of the results today and therefore is the winner already. Congratulations! 



This morning several hundred children participated in a tournament near the centre. 



Before the round today the players visited the venue to pose for pictures, write autographs and have lunch with the group winners. 



In parallel with the children tournament an internet match was held between young players from Bilbao and South Africa!  

The nice win against Polgar and the visit to the children tournament in my mind has contributed in different but equally important ways to make this Bilbao trip very successful for Magnus!  

Todays rounds start an hour earlier than usual, at 17:30.

In the first game Magnus has white against Topalov and leader Bu is facing Polgar.        

Henrik Carlsen
Bilbao, October 20th