Magnus Carlsen

After two wins in a row, I've got the feeling that the spectators expected another win for Magnus today.
Well, it's not that easy.
Shirov has been a top 10 player for some 15 years and among other things he has absolutely excellent tactical skills and is generally very good in endgames. 

Magnus was again a bit uncertain about the opening choice.
He went for 1.e4 and Shirov responded e5 as expected.
However, Magnus did not expect Shirov to go for the same variation as the one in which he lost against Leko in Tal Memorial.
Magnus had not really prepared this line as he considered that after 15....Nxf4 white should in principle be somewhat better. Magnus liked the idea 18. Ra6 to take advantage of the inactivity of the black bishop and he thought Shirov would be prepared for the earlier seen b4.  
The computers gives white an advantage and suggests Ra8 by black, but both players seemed to think that black's main concern is to activate his bishop on b6.
Thinking for some 70 minutes after 19.Na3, Shirov responded c6 and after 22.e5 felt he was comfortably better.
Most of blacks subsequent moves are forced and whites position looks overwhelming.
However, the tactics seemed to work for black as he can take back on d5 with his rook.
Magnus (and the computer programs from what I'm told) says that black has a draw after 30.Rxc7, and after Qg4 black may take on e5 with his bishop, although the ending is better for white.

In the time trouble Shirov made some inaccurate moves and after exchanging queens the ending should now be winning for white due to the past pawns in the b- and c-file. Magnus was uncertain about how to continue and chose giving up the c-pawn to attack f7 and h7. But after excellent defence by Shirov the ending with rook+knight+pawn against rook+bishop is probably a theoretical draw despite the sidelined black king.

Magnus continued to create difficulties for Shirov and in a position where in fact most king moves lose (but Ke7 supposedly keeps the balance) Shirov blundered badly with Ke5 allowing b8Q! 1-0.
 
Magnus was of course immensely satisfied to win in the end after a seven hours fight especially since he probably had a winning position already after some 25 moves.
On the other hand it is difficult not to feel a bit sorry for Shirov after his excellent defence and fighting spirit. 

Aronian - Anand featured another chapter in a popular Queens Indian Variation, and after accurate defence Anand equalised and a draw was agreed after about 2 hours play. 

Radjabov blitzed out some 25 moves as black against Topalov to reach a slightly worse queen and rook ending but after (the usual) energetic play by Topalov, the rook endgame looked very promising for white.
It is difficult to say if and when he went wrong but after a very accurate defence black forced a draw after nearly 6 hours play. 

Ivanchuk seemed to have equalised as black against Leko after the opening. When Leko captured on e4 with the rook and took the pawn on a4 with his queen, black was allowed to invade the first rank after which his many threats soon decided.
Certainly a very good game by Ivanchuk but frankly this is not the cliff of a defender we are used to see in Peter. 

Before playing Anand as black tomorrow in round 10, Magnus is now in a clear 2^nd place (5,5 / 9) half a point behind Anand, and with Aronian trailing half a point behind him.
Topalov at 50% is still in contention, especially taking into account his often formidable finish in top events. 

Tomorrow night I'm leaving for Madrid to meet Magnus' three sisters (so no blogging after the Anand-Carlsen game.)
We'll return to Linares on Monday morning, and I hope that the family support will do Magnus some good :-)

Supposedly Magnus is unofficially ranked among the World top 5 (and even top 4 if Bundesliga is counted) after the win today!
It may not last, but anyhow it is of course a great achievement and inspiration for a 17 year old Norwegian! 

Henrik Carlsen, Linares,
February 29^th 2008