Carlsen plays the Modern

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Tiger

I really hope this is not the last part of a series, but considering that the result went his way, I’m hoping for a continuation. So, to make a short story: Magnus (who’s surname everyone knows) lost the first round of the Bilbao Masters to Nakamura and had to bounce back, fast, in order to have a chance at winning it all. The counterpart: Wei Yi, a player from the East, of awesome strength. Will Magnus answer his opponents 1.d4 with his traditional light square strategy? Anyone? (Yes, everyone knows the answer to that question. Everyone deserves a “well done”.)

   [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

In the coming week I will update you on the progress of the Swedish Championship and also write something about my upcoming match against Alexander Morozevich. We will play a bit of chess, but also go.

Look there!!

Posted on November 14, 2015 by Tiger

The European Team Championship has just started and I lost my first game in our (Sweden’s) match against France. In an attempt to turn the focus away from the current state of my game, I’ll point towards the Danish League today, in a “look there!” attempt. My team Brönshöj got a decent start in this years Xtracon Skakligaen and won the first two matches. But looking back at that weekend what I really remember is watching a guy born in 2003 play like a constrictor and slowly squeeze his opponent in a slightly better endgame. This is how it happened:

   [Event "Skakligaen"]  [Site "Chess House"]  [Date "2015.10.31"]  [Round "1.8"]  [White "Filip Boe Olsen, Nordre"]  [Black "Lars Kjøller Nilsson, Hillerød"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E11"]  [Annotator "Hillarp Persson,Tiger"]  [PlyCount "83"]  [WhiteClock "0:15:32"]  [BlackClock "0:00:42"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 d6 6. Nc3 Nc6 {This is a  rather rare bird in tournament games.} (6... O-O {is more flexible and  therefore better. I often encounter the question "do you try to avoid  castling". No, not really, but when you have a potential "attack on opposite  flanks", then it is sometimes good to keep the king in the center for a while,  in order to first read the opponents intentions. This is hardly the case here.}  ) 7. e4 ({The usual way to continue here is} 7. g3 {, keeping the e2-e4 in  reserve for a sunnier day. Common wisdom says: as long as Black does not  actually threaten to play e5, followed by e5-e4, then White should generally  avoid e4. Still, it is not a bad move. Filip obviously believes in the extra  space and he is in good company there. Kortchnoi might well have played  something similar, claiming that space is of more concequence than potentially  weak dark squares (d4).}) 7... Nd7 {This move is a typical maneouvre if Black  has a bishop on the h8-a1 diagonal, since it opens up for e5, followed by Nd4  in some cases. Here it is not necessary and leaves Black somewhat less  flexible than after the natural} (7... e5 8. dxe5 (8. d5 Ne7 {when White has  nothing better than} 9. g3) 8... Nxe5 9. Be2 {when White keeps a slight  advantage.} (9. Nd4 $5)) 8. Be2 e5 9. O-O O-O 10. Rfd1 $1 {The right rook.  Black cannot put pressure on e4, so the rook is not needed on e1. Ra1 can  later be deployed on either b1 or c1.} ({Maybe White is a little better after}  10. d5 Ne7 11. b4 a5 12. a3 {, but Black can play} f5 13. exf5 Nf6 {with  decent counterplay.}) 10... exd4 {Black has run out of preparatory moves and  is forced to release the tension.} 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Nc5 $2 {A good  square, but the wrong timing.} ({Better was} 12... b6 {, preparing a5 and Nc5  with a cramped but possibly surviveable (is that a word??) position.}) 13. b4 (  {Here White missed} 13. e5 $1 {ruins Black pawn structure, leaving White with  a clear advantage.}) 13... Ne6 14. Qd2 ({It is more standard to play} 14. Qe3 {  in such a position. The queen keeps an eye on a7, protects the e4-pawn and -  most important - doesn't obstruct the rook on d1.}) 14... a5 15. a3 axb4 16.  axb4 Rxa1 17. Rxa1 Qf6 {We have come to the point of why I chose to publish  this game. It is not every day you see a twelve year old guy play a solid  positional game and then completely own the endgame. I am quite impressed.} 18.  Ra7 Qd4 19. Qxd4 Nxd4 20. f3 ({Most GM:s would prefer to keep the bishop with,  since Black's knight doesn't have a clear point of support. Unless Black plays  c5, then f3, followed by Kg1-f2-e3 will kick the knight back, leaving Black  with an even more cramped position.} 20. Bf1 $1) 20... f5 21. Kf2 fxe4 22. Nxe4  Nc6 23. Ra4 Ne5 24. Ke3 Be6 25. Kd4 h6 26. b5 $1 {A strong move! Now Ra7 is  again made possible and also Black has to watch out for b5-b6 (undermining d6).  } b6 (26... Nd7 27. Ra7 Rb8 28. f4 {is similar to the game.}) 27. Ra7 Rc8 {  This is very passive. It was absolutely necessary to play} (27... Rf7 {in  order to keep White from playing the f-pawn forward. Still White keeps the  advantage after} 28. Ra8+ (28. c5 bxc5+ 29. Nxc5 dxc5+ 30. Kxe5 Re7 31. Kf4 g5+  32. Kg3 Kf7 {is balanced.}) 28... Rf8 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8 30. Nc3 {when White's  pawns on the kingside are more mobile and his king is more centralized.}) 28.  f4 $1 Ng6 29. g3 Kf8 30. Bf3 Ne7 31. Nc3 Ke8 32. g4 $1 {Filip plays it by the  school book, slowly pressing his opponents forces backwards while not giving  anything away. Now the knight on e7 is doomed to passivity.} Kd7 33. f5 Bf7 34.  h4 $6 {A slight blot in the protocol that gives Black some chances. (Easy for  me to say with a little help from a Silicon Monster.)} (34. Nd1 $5 {(intending  Ne3 followed by h4, when h6-h5 doesn't work anymore since the f5-pawn is  defended)} d5 $1 35. cxd5 Re8 36. Nc3 Nc8 37. Ra1 Nd6 {was one way to keep the  advantage.}) 34... h5 35. Kd3 $1 {A very, very strong move. Filip is thinking  prophylactically that the king is a tactical problem on d4 since the black  knight can take on f5 with a check in case of gxh5.} Rh8 $6 ({Here the best  move was} 35... Rf8 {when} 36. gxh5 Bg8 37. Na4 $1 Nc8 38. Ra8 Bh7 39. Nc3  Bxf5+ 40. Ke3 {, still keeps a considerable advantag for White.}) 36. g5 g6 $2  {Black collapses.} (36... Rf8 {seems to put up a bit of a fight, but after} 37.  g6 Bg8 38. Bxh5 {, Black is running out of good options:} d5 (38... Rxf5 $5 39.  Bg4 Be6 40. Bxf5 Bxf5+ 41. Kd4 Bxg6 42. Nd5 Nxd5 43. cxd5 {should be winning  for White due to the precence of two weaknesses in Black's position; g6 and c7.  Still, I'm not sure how it should be carried out.}) 39. cxd5 Kd6 40. Bg4 Nxd5  41. Kd4 {is winning for White.}) 37. f6 Nc8 38. Bc6+ Kd8 39. Ra8 Be6 40. Nd5  Bxd5 41. cxd5 Rf8 42. Bb7 {Again, it's not every day I see such a young guy  enter an endgame and play it so well. I am pretty sure we'll see more from him  in the future.} 1-0

It seems like my team mates are doing well today, so you can expect a game from that match in the coming week.

Turning the tide

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Tiger

…is something of a challenge. For months I didn’t play a single game I was prepared to publish and my self confidence went into a head spin. Lately, though still playing rather kamikaze-like chess (trigger-happy-g-pawn-pushing-side-pawn-launching-no-objectivity-whatsoever-stuff), I have finally played some decent games. At the beginning of October I participated in PokerStars Chess Masters, in Isle of Man. It’s a strong tournament that again was faultlessly arraged. While Pentala Harikrishna steamed on to win the tournament I did my best to find my game. In the eight round I faced Gawain Jones with the Black colors and knew that kamikaze would just not do:

   [Event "PokerStars Chess Masters"]  [Site "Douglas"]  [Date "2015.10.10"]  [Round "8"]  [White "Jones, Gawain"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "B90"]  [WhiteElo "2620"]  [BlackElo "2545"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [EventCountry "IOM"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 {Now that was a  surprise to me. I expected either Bb5+ on move 3, or either Be3 or Bg5 at this  moment.} g6 ({Two days earlier Nils Grandelius had informed me that I didn't  need to fear the line} 6... e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f4 {due to Gelfand's invention} g6  $1 {However, I could not for my life remember how to continue after 7.Nde2, so  I decided to play Dragon-style against the Dragon Guru himself and see how he  would react.}) 7. g4 Bg7 8. Bg2 {Another surprise.} ({The main line - as I saw  it - goes} 8. Be3 O-O 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O {and here I had something of a  preparation that I was hoping to unleash on my opponent.}) 8... O-O 9. Be3 Bd7  {This is slightly inaccurate.} ({My inexperince in Dragon structures made me  avoid} 9... Nc6 {(!) due to} 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. e5 $6 {, which I thought looked  good for White. However, after the thematic} Nd5 $1 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. exd6 (13.  Qxd5 Rb8) 13... Qxd6 14. Qxd5 Qb4+) 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. O-O-O Rc8 ({After} 11...  Ne5 $6 12. b3 {, then f2-f4 will force my knight on e5 to a unorderly retreat  without any real compensation.}) 12. f4 {Gawain more or less blitzed this move  out and I decided that it was time to ponder my situation somewhat in detail.  White is threatening to play e5, when dxe5 will lose material to Nxc6 and  g4-g5. Slow moves such as Re8 does little to improve my position, so it is  time for drastic measures:} Na5 $1 {This is the start of a forced sequence  that gives me a decent game.} ({I also considered, but didn't like} 12... b5 $5  13. e5 (13. Nd5 $6 Nxd5 14. exd5 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Bxd4 16. Qxd4 Qa5 17. Kb1 Rc4 {  and it turns out that f4 is weak. After} 18. Qe3 Rfc8 {Black is not unhappy.})  13... b4 $1 14. Nce2 Ne8 15. Kb1 a5 16. Bxc6 Bxc6 17. Nxc6 Rxc6 18. h4 {  and I didn't see a way to continue for me. The engine points out that 15...a5  is far from necessary and advocates 15.Qc7 with a balanced game. I still  prefer my move though.}) 13. b3 Qc7 $1 14. Nd5 (14. Kb2 {is not completely out  of the question, but after} Qb6 15. Ka1 Qc7 {White has nothing better than to  repeat moves with} 16. Kb2) 14... Nxd5 15. exd5 e5 $1 {This is the whole point  of my earlier moves.} 16. dxe6 ({I didn't even consider} 16. fxe5 $1 dxe5 (  16... Bxe5 {might be better, although I still have to suffer a bit due to the  silly position of the knight on a5. If only I could find a way make the  sacrifice on c4 work...}) 17. Ne2 {although, maybe, I should have. Now} e4 18.  d6 Qc6 19. Kb1 Rfe8 20. Rhe1 b5 21. Bd4 e3 22. Bxc6 exd2 23. Bxd7 dxe1=Q 24.  Rxe1 Bxd4 25. Bxc8 Rxc8 26. Nxd4 Rd8 27. c3 Rxd6 28. Re8+ Kg7 29. Rc8 {is one  of those wonderful lines that only an engine can shove down your throat,  claiming "a small advantage for White". Bastard.}) 16... fxe6 17. f5 $6 {  Again, played very quickly. After the game Gawain said that he thought we were  still within his preparations at this point. I still haven't quite digested  the consequences of that.} exf5 18. gxf5 Rxf5 $1 {Necessary but strong.} (18...  Bxf5 19. Nxf5 gxf5 20. Rhf1 {and apart from having problems with my king, a  pawn structure this scrambled gives me little hope of resisting White's bishop  pair.}) 19. Nxf5 Bxf5 20. Bd5+ Kh8 21. Rh2 $1 ({One can always hope for} 21. c4  $2 Nxc4 22. bxc4 Qxc4+ 23. Bxc4 Rxc4+) 21... Bxc2 $1 {I took far too much time  to decide on this move. 21...Qe7 was humming at the back of my mind and I just  felt compelled to check the lines. It took me 20 minutes.} 22. Qxc2 Qd7 23. Rf1  ({I was expecting} 23. Bc4 b5 24. Rhd2 bxc4 25. Rxd6 {, when I saw that I  could force a draw with} cxb3 26. Rxd7 Rxc2+ 27. Kb1 Rb2+ 28. Kc1 Rc2+ {  15...Qe8 is even stronger, but sometimes it is best to find a line that one is  happy with and deal with further details later (which is what I ought to have  done on the last move).}) 23... Rxc2+ 24. Rxc2 Nc6 {The engine claims that my  position is winning, but during the game both me and Gawain thought that he  had some dangerous counterplay.} 25. Rcf2 Qxh3 $2 (25... Ne5 $1 26. Kb1 Qxh3 {  was much stronger and should win rather easily for Black. My excuse is that I  was low on time with an opponent who still seemed to be within his  preparations, so I was not unhappy with a draw.}) 26. Rf3 ({Gawain is playing  for the whole point.} 26. Rf8+ Bxf8 27. Rxf8+ Kg7 28. Rf7+ Kh8 {is a draw.})  26... Qc8 27. Kb1 Qe8 (27... Ne5 $1 28. Rc1 Qd7 {should be winning.}) 28. Bg5  h6 $2 {A last mistake that robs me of all winning chances.} (28... Nb4 $1 29.  Bxb7 (29. Re3 Qc8) 29... Qe2 {and it's all over. In retrospect I fail to see  what my worries were here.}) 29. Rf7 Qe5 30. Rf8+ Kh7 31. Bg8+ Kh8 32. Bc4+ Kh7  33. Bg8+ Kh8 34. Bc4+ {and draw agreed.} 1/2-1/2

Although I missed some opportunities at the end of the game, I was happy with my play in the critical phase and enjoyed the whole experience very much. It’s a fact: give me a fianchetto and I’ll be happy.

A hole in my preparation

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Tiger

In last months Elite Hotels Open, in Växjö, I played a decent tournament and in the last round I found myself facing the sympathetic Yuri Solodovnichenko, on board 2, with the Black colours. I have lately been working extensively on my repertoire with Black, but with only half an hour to prepare I did, for a moment, lose my confidence and decided to play something that “I know well”, ergo the Modern. I knew that Yuri has a favourite line that I wasn’t afraid of, so it seemed like a good idea. Instead of repeating the this line, my opponent played something that I had previously not even considered as critical. I followed my own recommendation, but after just a few moves my position started to deteriorate, fast, and it became a horrible game for me. It was a hard way to discover a flaw in my views on the Modern, but now I feel obliged to share it with other Modern afficionados:

   [Event "Elite Hotels Open"]  [Site "Vaxjo"]  [Date "2015.02.15"]  [Round "8"]  [White "Solodovnichenko, Yuri"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B06"]  [WhiteElo "2577"]  [BlackElo "2552"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "75"]  [EventType "normal"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 a6 5. Be2 b5 6. O-O Bb7 {In "the Modern  Tiger" I wrote that this is the correct move order, but after this game I have  started to doubt myself.} ({I used to think that} 6... Nd7 {was inexact here  due to} 7. d5 {, intending Nf3-d4(-c6), but now I have found that it is not  that dangerous anyway:} Bb7 8. Nd4 Ngf6 {and Black will continue with 0-0 and  then either Ne5, or Qc8, followed by c5. It seems good enough for equality.})  7. e5 {This natural move is quite dangerous for Black and although I believe I  have found something playable for Black here, it still seems to be better to  just play 6...Nbd7.} b4 $6 (7... Nh6 $1 {is the only move here that can hold  the balance. I recommend you to have a serious look at this if you want to  play this line.}) ({I believe I have written - in at least two separate places  in "the Modern Tiger" - that Black should always try to b5-b4 early in the  game and still I broke my own recommendation. Here I just reasoned that it was  impossible for me to play} 7... e6 {due to} 8. d5 exd5 9. e6 $1 fxe6 10. Ng5 {  when White gets a very strong attack with Bg4. Still, I only spent a few  minutes on it and I should have spent a bit more, in which case I believe I  would have found 7...Nh6.}) 8. Na4 e6 9. a3 $1 {White plays very instructively.  Now I'm not able to keep my pawn structure intact which is indeed bad news. (I  believe that the real strength of the Modern is in the structure. As long as  it is intact you can often get away with sacrificing the exchange, or a pawn,  but when the structure is bad, then you cannot get away with anything...)} bxa3  (9... a5 $5 10. axb4 axb4 11. Qe1 Nc6 12. exd6 Qxd6 (12... cxd6 13. d5 $1 {  looks bad for me.}) 13. Be3 Nge7 14. Nc5 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 Bc8 16. c3 O-O {is  worse for Black, but possibly better than what happened in the game.}) 10. Rxa3  {Have a look at this position and promise yourself that you will never have  such a lousy position. ;)} Ne7 11. Bf4 O-O 12. Qc1 {The engine is, for once, a  bit more optimistic about Black's position than it really should be. Normally  in the Modern, the engines favour White heavily, even in positions that are  absolutely fine for Black. (A similar pattern can be seen in the King's Indian)  . However, here the meagre +0,55, that the engine gives, should be at least  half a point higher, if not more.} Nf5 {This is not a move that Black would  like to do (because White can kick it back at any moment with g4), but there  were no good alternatives. I thought that it would at least be nice to have  White weaken (with g4) his kingside a bit. Not that it is much of a weakening  when my pieces are as they are.} ({To illustrate what I mean with "no good  alternatives":} 12... Nbc6 13. Rd1 {and I ask you. What is my next move? Ehhh?}  ) 13. Rd1 h5 $6 ({It was much better to go for} 13... Nd7 $1 {immediately. Then  } 14. g4 (14. c4 Qe7 15. g4 Nxd4 $1 16. Rxd4 Nxe5 {is another bad, but not  completely miserable position for me.}) 14... Ne7 15. exd6 cxd6 16. Bxd6 Nf6  17. Bxe7 (17. Bf4 {is better, although} Nxg4 18. Nc5 {is super messy. From  such a lousy opening, this is the best Black can expect.}) 17... Qxe7 18. Ne5  Rad8 $44 {is actually almost OK for me. I'm a pawn down, but White's pawn  structure is a mess and I have the bishop pair.}) 14. h3 $1 Nd7 15. g4 hxg4 16.  hxg4 Ne7 17. c4 $1 {Very strong move. There is not much I can do to improve my  position.} ({I only expected} 17. exd6 cxd6 18. Bxd6 Nf6 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Ne5  (20. Nc5 $1 Nxg4 21. Qg5 Nf6 22. Ne5 {is better and leaves me struggling.})  20... Ne4 {when I thought White would keep some advantage.}) 17... dxe5 18.  dxe5 Qe8 19. Qe3 Bxf3 {Not a move that I really liked to do, but allowing Ng5  and Qh3, would be suicidal.} 20. Bxf3 Rb8 21. b3 $2 {This slight mistake gives  me a chance to survive a bit longer.} ({Instead} 21. Nc5 Nxc5 22. Qxc5 {,  would have left me defenceless against the threat Bg5, trapping my knight (or  forcing me to further weaken my pawn structure with f7-f6).}) 21... Qc8 ({I  had my eyes on the break} 21... g5 $1 {, but I was slightly short of time and  decided to avoid the c6-e8-pin after} 22. Bg3 Ng6 23. Bc6 $2 {, but I forgot  to calculate one more move:} (23. Qxg5 $1 Ndxe5 24. Be4 f5 25. gxf5 Rxf5 26.  Qe3 Qe7 $5 27. Bxf5 exf5 28. b4 $1 {and White keeps a significant advantage.  Still, this line would force White to come up with a few exact moves.}) 23...  Qe7 $1 {and since the rook on a3 is hanging Black comes out on top. Still,  considering White's alternative on move 23 I would end up in a worse position  anyway.}) 22. Ra2 g5 23. Bxg5 Ng6 24. Be4 ({I was preparing to resign after}  24. Rxd7 $1 Qxd7 25. Nc5 Qc8 26. Bf6 {, since there is no defence against Be4  and Qg5.}) 24... Ndxe5 25. Qh3 c6 ({Preparing to play} 25... f5 {, which fails  at the moment due to} 26. gxf5 exf5 27. Bd5+) 26. f4 f5 27. fxe5 fxe4 28. Rh2  $1 Nxe5 29. Qh7+ Kf7 30. Qh5+ Kg8 31. Qh7+ Kf7 32. Qxe4 $6 (32. Bh6 $1 {was  winning more or less immediately. I intended to continue with} Nf3+ 33. Kh1 Rg8  {, but here} 34. Nc5 {is a killer.}) 32... Rxb3 33. Rf1+ $4 {This gives away  all of White's advantage.} ({Still winning was} 33. Rf2+ Kg8 34. Rxf8+ Qxf8 35.  Rd8 Nf3+ 36. Kg2 Nxg5 37. Rxf8+ Kxf8 38. Qxc6 {although this is one more of  those losing variations where Black is not completely without counterchances...  yet.}) 33... Ke8 34. Bf4 (34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Nc5 Rg3+ 36. Rg2 Rxg2+ 37. Kxg2  Kg8 {is about equal.}) 34... Qd7 $1 35. Rd2 Rxf4 (35... Rg3+ 36. Bxg3 Rxf1+ 37.  Kxf1 Qxd2 38. Bxe5 Bxe5 39. Qxe5 Qd1+ 40. Kf2 Qxa4 41. Qxe6+ Kf8 $11) (35...  Qf7 36. Rdd1 Qg6 37. Qxg6+ Nxg6 38. Nc5 Rb2 39. Bg5 Rxf1+ 40. Kxf1 Rb4 $11) 36.  Qxf4 Rg3+ $2 (36... Nd3 37. Qe4 Qd4+ 38. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 39. Kh1 c5 40. g5 Ne5 41.  Re2 Rh3+ 42. Kg2 Rh5 43. g6 Rg5+ 44. Kh3 Rxg6 $11) 37. Kh1 Rxg4 $4 38. Qxg4 1-0   [Event "Elite Hotels Open"]  [Site "Vaxjo"]  [Date "2015.02.15"]  [Round "8"]  [White "Solodovnichenko, Yuri"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B06"]  [WhiteElo "2577"]  [BlackElo "2552"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "75"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 a6 5. Be2 b5 6. O-O Bb7 {In "the Modern  Tiger" I wrote that this is the correct move order, but after this game I have  started to doubt myself.} ({I used to think that} 6... Nd7 {was inexact here  due to} 7. d5 {, intending Nf3-d4(-c6), but now I have found that it is not  that dangerous anyway:} Bb7 8. Nd4 Ngf6 {and Black will continue with 0-0 and  then either Ne5, or Qc8, followed by c5. It seems good enough for equality.})  7. e5 {This natural move is quite dangerous for Black and although I believe I  have found something playable for Black here, it still seems to be better to  just play 6...Nbd7.} b4 $6 (7... Nh6 $1 {is the only move here that can hold  the balance. I recommend you to have a serious look at this if you want to  play this line.}) ({I believe I have written - in at least two separate places  in "the Modern Tiger" - that Black should always try to b5-b4 early in the  game and still I broke my own recommendation. Here I just reasoned that it was  impossible for me to play} 7... e6 {due to} 8. d5 exd5 9. e6 $1 fxe6 10. Ng5 {  when White gets a very strong attack with Bg4. Still, I only spent a few  minutes on it and I should have spent a bit more, in which case I believe I  would have found 7...Nh6.}) 8. Na4 e6 9. a3 $1 {White plays very instructively.  Now I'm not able to keep my pawn structure intact which is indeed bad news. (I  believe that the real strength of the Modern is in the structure. As long as  it is intact you can often get away with sacrificing the exchange, or a pawn,  but when the structure is bad, then you cannot get away with anything...)} bxa3  (9... a5 $5 10. axb4 axb4 11. Qe1 Nc6 12. exd6 Qxd6 (12... cxd6 13. d5 $1 {  looks bad for me.}) 13. Be3 Nge7 14. Nc5 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 Bc8 16. c3 O-O {is  worse for Black, but possibly better than what happened in the game.}) 10. Rxa3  {Have a look at this position and promise yourself that you will never have  such a lousy position. ;)} Ne7 11. Bf4 O-O 12. Qc1 {The engine is, for once, a  bit more optimistic about Black's position than it really should be. Normally  in the Modern, the engines favour White heavily, even in positions that are  absolutely fine for Black. (A similar pattern can be seen in the King's Indian)  . However, here the meagre +0,55, that the engine gives, should be at least  half a point higher, if not more.} Nf5 {This is not a move that Black would  like to do (because White can kick it back at any moment with g4), but there  were no good alternatives. I thought that it would at least be nice to have  White weaken (with g4) his kingside a bit. Not that it is much of a weakening  when my pieces are as they are.} ({To illustrate what I mean with "no good  alternatives":} 12... Nbc6 13. Rd1 {and I ask you. What is my next move? Ehhh?}  ) 13. Rd1 h5 $6 ({It was much better to go for} 13... Nd7 $1 {immediately. Then  } 14. g4 (14. c4 Qe7 15. g4 Nxd4 $1 16. Rxd4 Nxe5 {is another bad, but not  completely miserable position for me.}) 14... Ne7 15. exd6 cxd6 16. Bxd6 Nf6  17. Bxe7 (17. Bf4 {is better, although} Nxg4 18. Nc5 {is super messy. From  such a lousy opening, this is the best Black can expect.}) 17... Qxe7 18. Ne5  Rad8 $44 {is actually almost OK for me. I'm a pawn down, but White's pawn  structure is a mess and I have the bishop pair.}) 14. h3 $1 Nd7 15. g4 hxg4 16.  hxg4 Ne7 17. c4 $1 {Very strong move. There is not much I can do to improve my  position.} ({I only expected} 17. exd6 cxd6 18. Bxd6 Nf6 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Ne5  (20. Nc5 $1 Nxg4 21. Qg5 Nf6 22. Ne5 {is better and leaves me struggling.})  20... Ne4 {when I thought White would keep some advantage.}) 17... dxe5 18.  dxe5 Qe8 19. Qe3 Bxf3 {Not a move that I really liked to do, but allowing Ng5  and Qh3, would be suicidal.} 20. Bxf3 Rb8 21. b3 $2 {This slight mistake gives  me a chance to survive a bit longer.} ({Instead} 21. Nc5 Nxc5 22. Qxc5 {,  would have left me defenceless against the threat Bg5, trapping my knight (or  forcing me to further weaken my pawn structure with f7-f6).}) 21... Qc8 ({I  had my eyes on the break} 21... g5 $1 {, but I was slightly short of time and  decided to avoid the c6-e8-pin after} 22. Bg3 Ng6 23. Bc6 $2 {, but I forgot  to calculate one more move:} (23. Qxg5 $1 Ndxe5 24. Be4 f5 25. gxf5 Rxf5 26.  Qe3 Qe7 $5 27. Bxf5 exf5 28. b4 $1 {and White keeps a significant advantage.  Still, this line would force White to come up with a few exact moves.}) 23...  Qe7 $1 {and since the rook on a3 is hanging Black comes out on top. Still,  considering White's alternative on move 23 I would end up in a worse position  anyway.}) 22. Ra2 g5 23. Bxg5 Ng6 24. Be4 ({I was preparing to resign after}  24. Rxd7 $1 Qxd7 25. Nc5 Qc8 26. Bf6 {, since there is no defence against Be4  and Qg5.}) 24... Ndxe5 25. Qh3 c6 ({Preparing to play} 25... f5 {, which fails  at the moment due to} 26. gxf5 exf5 27. Bd5+) 26. f4 f5 27. fxe5 fxe4 28. Rh2  $1 Nxe5 29. Qh7+ Kf7 30. Qh5+ Kg8 31. Qh7+ Kf7 32. Qxe4 $6 (32. Bh6 $1 {was  winning more or less immediately. I intended to continue with} Nf3+ 33. Kh1 Rg8  {, but here} 34. Nc5 {is a killer.}) 32... Rxb3 33. Rf1+ $4 {This gives away  all of White's advantage.} ({Still winning was} 33. Rf2+ Kg8 34. Rxf8+ Qxf8 35.  Rd8 Nf3+ 36. Kg2 Nxg5 37. Rxf8+ Kxf8 38. Qxc6 {although this is one more of  those losing variations where Black is not completely without counterchances...  yet.}) 33... Ke8 34. Bf4 (34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Nc5 Rg3+ 36. Rg2 Rxg2+ 37. Kxg2  Kg8 {is about equal.}) 34... Qd7 $1 {With very litte time on the clock I  managed to find the best move.} 35. Rd2 $1 {And this is also the best move.  Now I wished I had had more than fourtyfive seconds...} Rxf4 {This is actually  all right, but the follow up is not...} (35... Rg3+ 36. Bxg3 Rxf1+ 37. Kxf1  Qxd2 38. Bxe5 Bxe5 39. Qxe5 Qd1+ 40. Kf2 Qxa4 41. Qxe6+ Kf8 $11) (35... Qf7 36.  Rdd1 Qg6 37. Qxg6+ Nxg6 38. Nc5 Rb2 39. Bg5 Rxf1+ 40. Kxf1 Rb4 $11) 36. Qxf4  Rg3+ $2 (36... Nd3 37. Qe4 Qd4+ 38. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 39. Kh1 c5 40. g5 Ne5 41. Re2  Rh3+ 42. Kg2 Rh5 43. g6 Rg5+ 44. Kh3 Rxg6 $11) 37. Kh1 Rxg4 $4 38. Qxg4 {and I  had to resign.} 1-0

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Tiger Hillarp on Chess

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Carlsen plays the Modern

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Turning the tide

A hole in my preparation