[Event "9th Masters Final 2016"]  [Site "Bilbao"]  [Date "2016.07.14"]  [Round "2"]  [White "Wei Yi"]  [Black "Carlsen, M."]  [Result "0-1"]  [WhiteElo "2696"]  [BlackElo "2855"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "120"]   1. d4 g6 {There are plenty of commentators that have and will explain what  went on in this game, but I will focus on some of the subtleties that concern  the opening.} 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 (4. f4 {is the better move if Black  just continues with} a6 {since White has better options than} 5. Be3 {(almost  a "?!") in this position.}) 4... a6 5. f4 {The difference compared to the last  line, is that here White's bishop on e3 will become something of a tactical  weakness later on if White decides to play e4-e5. The point is that if a Black  knight comes into the line of fire (or hangs out at h6) it can escape to  either d5, f5 or g4, with a tempo on the bishop. This is the main reason why  the positions without Be3 are quite challenging for Black, whereas those with  Be3 are basically fine for Black.} b5 6. Nf3 Nd7 {This surprised me somewhat  since it allows White to enter some of - what I consider to be - the more  critical lines.} ({I recommended} 6... Bb7 $1 7. Bd3 Nf6 $5 {in my last book  on the Modern. Possibly Magnus doesn't agree with me, possibly he feared some  preparation from Wei, and equally possible, well, there ought to be a third,  although I can't come up with one just now. I believe the stem game was played  by German GM Sebastian Siebrecht. Here is my latest game in this line:} 8. e5  Ng4 9. Bd2 $5 c5 10. dxc5 dxe5 11. h3 Nf6 12. fxe5 Nfd7 13. e6 fxe6 14. Ng5 $6  ({In the book I gave} 14. Be4 Nc6 15. Be3 Bxc3+ (15... Nf6 $5) 16. bxc3 Nf6 {  "with a balanced game."}) 14... Nxc5 15. Qe2 Nc6 (15... Qd7 $1 16. O-O Nc6) 16.  Nxe6 Nxe6 17. Qxe6 Ne5 18. O-O {and Black had no problems in Zeibel-Hillarp  Persson, Molnlycke 2015.}) 7. e5 {Yes, I know that Ivanchuk has lost a game in  these lines, but Svidler has a 3+ score, while both Vachier Lagrave and  Nakamura, Bacrot and McShane, have won games with Black from the positions  that arise after e4-e5.} ({I clearly prefer} 7. Bd3 $1 {, intending} Bb7 8. Qe2  $1 {I recommended Magnus to play this line with White when he faced  Azmaiparashvili in a World Cup match, long ago. I even sent some files to his  second. I guess Magnus's sense for these positions have evolved past my own,  but I still find them more challenging the ones that arise after 7.e5. The  move in the game gives Black a clear idea of what to do next. It is less  flexible and gives away information. According to how I think of and percieve  chess, this ought to be less challenging.}) 7... Bb7 $1 ({For a confused  moment I was unhappy with Magnus move order and thought} 7... Nh6 8. Bd3 Nb6 {  to be more flexible. Well, that's bollocks, and I should know better. After} 9.  a4 $1 b4 10. Ne4 $1 {White control the dark squares and therefore it is almost  impossible to play c7-c5. The outposts on d5 and f5 are of a rather temporary  character and doesn't make up for being completely passive.}) 8. Bd3 c5 ({  It is also possible to play} 8... Nh6 {, although} 9. Qe2 Nb6 10. O-O-O {  is quite dangerous for Black.}) ({I have heard people mention} 8... e6 $6 {  as an option here. I'd rather keep my dignity.}) 9. Be4 $1 {Other moves allows  Black to break up the White central phalanx.} Bxe4 $1 ({In one sense it is  more logical to play} 9... Qc8 {, when White will be unable to boost his  center with c3. However, chess is not only a strategical game and after} 10.  Bxb7 Qxb7 11. dxc5 $1 dxe5 12. Qd5 $1 Qxd5 13. Nxd5 Rc8 14. Nb6 $1 {Black was  second on the ball, in Mortensen,E (2450)-Hillarp Persson,T (2461) Denmark  2003.}) 10. Nxe4 Nh6 $1 11. dxc5 {6.1N: 'White has a number of alternatives  here:'} ({After} 11. exd6 $5 {Black has} O-O $1 12. dxc5 exd6 13. cxd6 Bxb2 14.  Rb1 Re8 15. Qd3 Qa5+ 16. Nfd2 Qxa2 17. O-O Rac8 {with unclear consequences.  Theses kind of sacrifices are a consequence of the weakening that arise after  f4 when the neighbours are gone.}) (11. e6 $5 fxe6 12. Neg5 Nf5 13. Bf2 Bxd4 {  Is how I would usually deal with this kind of situation. It's a mess.} (13...  Nf8 $5)) ({After} 11. O-O O-O 12. c3 (12. e6 $5 f5 $1 13. Neg5 Ng4 14. Bc1 Nb6  {with an unclear game.}) 12... Nf5 13. Qe1 {we see Black's idea in action:} {  I see nothing wrong with} Nxe3 14. Qxe3 cxd4 15. cxd4 Nb6 {, followed by Qd7  and Rac8. White still has a nice center here, but Black can play around it.}) (  11. Qe2 cxd4 $1 12. Bxd4 Nf5 {is also analyzed in "the book".}) 11... dxe5 $5 {  Carlsen avoids the line I give in "the Modern Tiger". Now he had my full  attention.} (11... Ng4 {is what I recommended, but it seems like Magnus's  alternative is just as good, if not better.}) 12. c6 ({It is also possible to  play} 12. fxe5 Ng4 13. Bg5 O-O $1 (13... Ndxe5 14. Nd6+) 14. e6 fxe6 15. c3 {  This kind of position has a strange tendency to be OK for BLack as long as  White is unable to defend the c5-pawn and keep the better pawn structure at  the same time:} Ndf6 $1 16. Qxd8 Rfxd8 17. Ned2 Rac8 18. Nb3 Ne4 19. O-O Bf6 $1  $11) 12... Nf6 (12... Nf8 {is also possible.}) 13. Qxd8+ Rxd8 14. Nxf6+ exf6  15. c7 Rc8 16. Bb6 Kd7 17. Ba5 (17. O-O-O+ $6 {This position was reached in  Smeets-Vachier Lagrave, in Wijk aan Zee 2011, with the inclusion of h3, which  makes some difference since White can sometimes go g2-g4. Carlsen has  basically transposed into that game without giving White the tempo h3. Black  won the game after (think white pawn on h3 instead of h2):} Kc6 18. Ba5 Nf5 19.  Rd8 Bh6 $1 {and in this situation it wasn't such a great idea to have the pawn  on h3 after all (since g3 is met with Nxg3).}) 17... Nf5 18. O-O-O+ Kc6 19. Rd8  $6 ({On Chessbase's home page they claim that} 19. Rd3 Nd6 {was 1/2-1/2 (19)  in Tan,J (2322)-Buchal,S (2296) Haarlem 2013. I have no record of this game.})  ({A more critical line goes:} 19. fxe5 fxe5 20. Rhe1 f6 ({The engine suggests}  20... e4 21. Rxe4 Nd6 22. Nd4+ Kb7 23. Re2 Nc4 24. Bc3 Rhg8 {, but I like  White somewhat better after} 25. b3 Nb6 26. Ba5 Rxc7 27. Nf3 {maybe I  shouldn't.}) 21. Rd8 Nd6 22. b3 Bf8 23. Kb2 Be7 (23... Rxc7 $2 24. Re3 $3 Kb7  25. Rd3 Rc6 26. Rd5 {and Black cannot move.}) 24. Nd4+ Kd5 {Yes, you are right,  I found this with the help of the engine. But, if felt quite right to play  like this.} 25. Rd7 Bf8 {and the engine informs me that it is "equal". Yeah,  perhaps. I wouldn't count on it unless I analyze this at least ten moves  further.}) 19... Nd6 20. fxe5 fxe5 21. Rd1 Nc4 22. Bc3 Rxc7 ({It seems that}  22... b4 23. Bxb4 e4 24. Nd4+ Kxc7 {is even stronger. Black is clearly faster  at creating a passed pawn on the kingside/center.}) 23. b3 {The Swedish Chess  Championship starts today and I need to get my ducks in a row before tomorrow.  Therefore I leave you to look up the rest of the game at - http://en.chessbase.  com/post/bilbao-rd-2-carlsen-overpowers-wei-yi.} Ne3 24. Bxe5 Nxd1 25. Rd6+ Kb7  26. Bxg7 Rg8 27. Bd4 Nc3 28. Rb6+ Kc8 29. Be5 Rd8 30. Kb2 Nd5 31. Bxc7 Kxc7 32.  Rxa6 Kb7 33. Ra3 Ne3 34. c4 bxc4 35. Ne5 $2 (35. b4) 35... Rd2+ 36. Kc3 Rc2+  37. Kd4 Nf5+ 38. Kd5 c3 39. Kc5 Nd6 $1 40. Nc6 Ne4+ 41. Kb5 Kc7 42. Ra7+ Kd6  43. Ra4 $2 f5 $1 44. Kb6 Rxg2 45. Rd4+ Ke6 46. a4 Ra2 47. a5 Rb2 48. Kc7 Nc5 $1  49. Rc4 Na6+ 50. Kb6 Rxb3+ 51. Kxa6 Kd5 52. Rb4 c2 53. Ne7+ Kc5 54. Rxb3 c1=Q  55. Rb6 Qc4+ 56. Kb7 Qe4+ 57. Nc6 Qd5 58. Kc7 Qd6+ 59. Kb7 Qd7+ 60. Kb8 f4 0-1