Flexible and non-committal. Can lead to all kinds of things. In this instance, it transposes very quickly into a Queen's Gambit Declined type of opening.

Black has waited until White has played his King's bishop before capturing on c4; the idea being to force White to waste a tempo. But as the nature of the game changes as a result, it seems likely that 'loss of time' doesn't actually mean very much.

On odd choice of move, though I have an idea I've played something similar myself at some time not so long ago. Were I playing White now, I'd probably exchange bishops on a6. The World Champion is more subtle.

The alternative was 15.b3. Not a lot in it. White has a slight positional plus in the isolation of Black's c-pawn. What can be made of this is hard to fathom at this point.

I am a little puzzled by Black's decision at move 21 to recapture with the rook, instead of the a-pawn.

After 25.Bxh6! ... Black dared not take the bishop (25...gxh6??) on account of 26.Rxf7 with a decisive mating attack. For a whileafterward White seemed to have a very promising attack, but Black's counter-play has seen it off. How does this major piece late middle game look? Too close to call, though White probably has the initiative.

At move 37, one might be forgiven for thinking that Black's passed pawn conferred an advantage. It is an asset, sure, but also something of a liability: it has to be protected. In fact, if there is any margin at all, it is in White's favour, for his more compact structure. It would be difficult to realise a win, though. ++++ By the diagram position, the Black a-pawn is still at a7, with not a prayer of advancing. White is probing and prodding, but, with only one real target, he's not making any substantive progress, even though Black is reduced, pretty much, to passive defence.

Finding no way through with the queens on, White's latest manoeuvre (begun with move 53) has aimed to force the queens off. He wants to try his luck in the rook ending. But I would not expect White to get much leverage there, neither. Even absent his a-pawn, Black ought to draw this ending.

Why on earth did Black play 62...g5?! What that did was to award White a protected passed pawn, AND a target at f6. I am surprised that a GM of Nakamura's stature should make such a horrible move. The upshot has been to induce Black to sacrifice his a-pawn to narrow down White's attacking options, and to try and contain the White pieces.

You just have to admire the care and planning that went into White's King journey into the Black position. I'm betting the World champion worked all this out right from move 67. I reckon so did his opponent, who must have realised he could do nothing much about it. You can see a long, long way in end games - if you have the patience. +++++++++++++ The purpose of this 'offer' of a rook exchange is to provide cover for the King to move across towards the pawns. There will will not be exchange of rooks: the pure pawn end game would be dead lost for Black.

Here's what might have happened after 88...Rxc7?? 89.Kxc7 Kf8 90.Kd6 Kf7 91.Kd7 Kf8 92.Ke6 Kg7 93.Ke7 ... (93.h6 would also win, but there is no need for dramatics) 93... Kh7 94.Kxf6 Kh6 95.Kxe5 ... 'nuff said.

The condemned ate a hearty meal. There is no real defence, so Black tries counter-attack.

can someone explain, the fun in annotating GM games? * note to jkarp: yeah, we all have seen what happens when you annotate a game; you should just shut up, but I know you won't... *

Yes. It's good for learning, and I encourage Eric to continue. Note to Bonnie: You might have shut up other critiques, but I am not shutting up, any time soon.

That is a fair question that fiercequeen asks. The real interest in the game lies in the end game, especially the rook ending, and then only after Black made the regrettable decision to advance his g-pawn to compromise his King side. I would prefer, though, that she keep to herself her opinion of other persons' efforts. No harm in offering corrections or alternative analyses: that is entirely called for. Gratuitous derogatory remarks are not. +++++++++++++++++ Meanwhile, what are we to make of this final position? How might the game have ended? It is not so simple as might first appear. I think what GM Carlsen had in mind, and GM Nakamura also realised was something like this: 97...Kg8 98.Re7! ... This seems critical. White threatens checkmate, against which there is but one defence (NOT 98...Kf8 99.Rf7ch Kg8 100.h7ch Kh8 101.Rf8#). By placing itself behind the e-pawn, White can now clear out the Black pawns. So... 98...Ra8 99.Kxf6 Ra6ch 100.Kxg5 e4 101.Kh5 Ra5ch 102.g4 ... Now it is plain sailing. 102...Kf8 103.Rb7 ... (103.h7 also wins, but the rook move is simpler) 103...Ra1 104.g6 Rh1ch 105.Kg5 Ke8 106.g7 Rg1ch 107.Kf6 Kd8 108.h7 ... and Black can not stop both pawns. I stand to be corrected on this, but the impression I get is that after 97...Kg8, 98.Re7! is the only move to win.

To Bonnie: It makes more sense to annotate GM games, than Gameknot blitz games (a Bonnie pastime) .. it's more instructive. I would encourage jkarp to continue. It shows a real love of chess, and is a good test of his own analytic development.