Annotated chess game: Scotch game

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ANNOTATED GAME

Scotch game
Magnus Carlsen (2826) vs. Etienne Bacrot (2716)
Annotated by: dongoodman (2344)
Chess opening: Scotch (C45), Potter variation

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Sven Magnus Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian chess Grandmaster and chess prodigy currently ranked number one in the world on the official FIDE rating list. He has achieved the second highest ever rating exceeded only by Garry Kasparov. Étienne Bacrot (French pronunciation: [etjɛn baˈkʁo]) (born January 22, 1983 in Picardie, France) is a French chess grandmaster and currently ranked second in France (after GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave). I give their game from Nanjing Pearl Springs tournament, being played now. The lowest rated player in this tournament has a rating of 2719 and there are 3 players with a rating exceeding 2800. This is one of the strongest tournaments.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4	Popular in the 19th century, by 1900 the Scotch had lost favor among top players because it was thought to release the central tension too early and allow Black to equalize without difficulty. More recently the Scotch has regained some popularity and it has been used by grandmasters Kasparov and Timman as a surprise weapon to avoid the well-analyzed Ruy Lopez. White aims to dominate the center by exchanging his d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. Black usually plays 3...exd4, as he has no good way to maintain his pawn on e5.



3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Nf6	Fritz suggest 6. Qf6 with a mate threat after which the position is equal.
	2 comments excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: could you tell me which fritz version? also i do agree. the downside with Qf6 is lack of development but how is white gonna stop the mate? Be3 gives a double isolated pawn, Nd4 looses a piece,Qf3 gets double pawn,f3 makes that b6 bishop even stronger and Qd2+Qe2 blocks the bishops. Maybe Qf3 is the best choice because white can attack down the g-file. But in this game black chooses simple development,i suppose that's resonable. dongoodman (2344) on 25-Oct-10: It is Fritz10 and the line given is: 6...Qf6 7. Qf3 d6 8. Be3 Be6 9. Bb5 Qxf3 10. gxf3 Nge7 11. O-O-O O-O.


7. Qe2 O-O 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 a5 10. a4 Nd4 11. Qd3 Nxb3 12. cxb3 Re8 13. O-O-O d6 14. Qc2	White is planning to develop his lsb to c4 or can play his knight to d5. Black should control the d5 square.
	4 comments excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: i think carlsen chose a weird way to play,moving that queen around and all. thitho (1200) on 25-Oct-10: yes, I noted that too: the queen seems to move a lot. But on the other hand, black is not more developped than white. The result of 14 moves are quite amusinge, because the only piece not yet developped for white is ready to go, white occupies courageously the d column, is not threated by dangerous check, and black has a pin on his knight that could be dangerous for the castle and force the queen where it is... well, indeed, white is interestingly placed... hamis (1620) on 25-Oct-10: After 11.Qd3, think it is better for black to move 11...c5 instead of 11...Nxb3 black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 26-Oct-10: interesting how Carlsen allowed the doubled pawns...


14... Bd7 15. Bc4 Be6	Black plays this one move late.
	2 comments excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: can someone tell me why it is neccessary for a grand master to play two moves with the bishop at once? dongoodman (2344) on 25-Oct-10: I think the top grandmasters are taking this event lightly as they have the Corus and Linares events coming up. I watched Carlsen-Topalov game yesterday and Topalov played poorly in a well analyzed Ruy Lopez opening. It is incredible that a World Championship challenger would allow a Ruy Lopez with Black and not play the simple line properly. I think Carlsen is having an easy time. Anand won only 1 game out of 5 and managed to lose 1. Topalov did not win a single game out of 5. Something not reasonable.


16. Rhe1 Qe7	Black does nothing to release the pin on his f6 knight. This will prove to be a costly error. 16. g5 was necessary. White is in full control of the center.
	1 comment excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: yes,since black can't unpin without sabotage his pawn structure i also think g5 is worth considering.


17. e5	a bit premature. 17. f4 followed by 18. e5 would have been better.



17... dxe5 18. Rxe5	Now, Black's knight on f6 and bishop on e6 are both pinned.
	1 comment thitho (1200) on 25-Oct-10: two pins! White is definetely better now and I have to admit that I have been surprised by Bacrot.


18... Qf8	Black releases the pinned pieces but at a disadvantageous position. His king side castle will be torn open.



19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Re2 Qg7	A dangerous place for the Queen in front of the King while White Rooks can occupy the g-file.



21. Bxe6 Rxe6 22. Rxe6 fxe6 23. Rd3	White Rook is ready to swing over to the g-file.
	2 comments excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: i sometimes dont understand what grand masters are thinking,black had isolated double f-pawns and white helped black repair it a little bit thitho (1200) on 25-Oct-10: because the center is not the point anymore: white needed to evacuate obstacles for the real attack. the bishop e6 and the rook e8 were good defence pieces. That is my guess. Humbly...


23... Kh8 24. Rg3 Qh7 25. Qd2 Bc5	Bishop is rushing to his king's defense.



26. Ne4 Be7 27. Rh3	A critical position. White pressure on the h6 pawn seems to be deadly. Black chooses a weaker defense on his next move.



27... Kg7	? loses quickly. Better was 27...Rd8 28. Qe3 Bf8 29. Qc3 e5 30. Qf3 Be7
	1 comment damalfi (1200) on 28-Oct-10: Bf8, Nxf6 is deadly...


28. Qd7	White occupies the 7th rank.
	1 comment thitho (1200) on 25-Oct-10: and the knight is taboo as ... Qxe4 29 Qxe7, and there is no more good places for the king.


28... Kf7	? second mistake. Kh8 was better.



29. Ng5+	Piece sacrifice to open lines.
	1 comment thitho (1200) on 25-Oct-10: brilliant!


29... fxg5 30. Rf3+ Kg8 31. Qxe6+ Kh8 32. Rf7	Now White wins back more than his sacrificed piece.
	2 comments calvinballrules (1200) on 26-Oct-10: why not h7-g8 nuntar (1702) on 27-Oct-10: 32... Qg8 is answered by either Qxh6+ or Qe5+ with an easy checkmate.


32... Bd6 33. Rxh7+ Kxh7 34. Qf7+ Kh8 35. g3	To stop a check from f4.
	2 comments excile (1200) on 25-Oct-10: Bf4+ isn't deadly at all,i'd prefer Qg6 preventing black from taking the h-pawn dongoodman (2344) on 25-Oct-10: White is planning to create a passed pawn by playing g3 followed by f4.


35... Ra6 36. Kb1 Bb4 37. f4 gxf4 38. gxf4	Black resigns.