[Event "Mästarklassen-Elit 2025"]  [Site "Uppsala, Sweden"]  [Date "2025.06.29"]  [Round "2"]  [White "Carlsson, Ludvig"]  [Black "Strom-Engdahl, Alexander"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D04"]  [WhiteElo "2379"]  [BlackElo "2320"]   1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 (4... a6 5. Nc3 Bf5 {is one of the few times that I would consider exchanging the light squared bishops off at such an early stage. It is an exchange that generally favours Black, but here White gains some time and development, so it has its advantages too.} 6. Bd3) 5. Bd3 {Ludvig was quite happy with this game, and showed it to me over breakfast the next day. I laughed when I saw the last move, as I had expected something sharper. But, as usual, Ludvig has his own ideas, and they are quite interesting...} Bxd3 6. Qxd3 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nbd2 Nbd7 9. b3 O-O {Usually White would play e3-e4 somewhere around now, and when I saw the game my first impression was that there is little else White can do. No?} 10. Bb2 a5 11. a4 $5 {White's main idea - as I understood it from Ludvig - is that Black cannot do anything.} Re8 12. Rac1 Qc7 13. Rfd1 Rad8 14. Qc2 Nb8 15. h3 (15. e4 $5 dxe4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Na6 18. h4 h6 19. g3 {looks playable here too, but Ludvig has his mind set elsewhere.}) 15... Na6 16. Qb1 Nb4 17. Re1 {Because of the exchange of a4 for a5, Black never really wants to play c5, since it would weaken the light squares on the queenside.} h6 18. Rcd1 dxc4 $5 {Alexander plays quite dynamically here, but this kind of move is only good if you have a very clear view of what is coming next.} (18... Nd7 19. Bc3 b6 20. Rc1 Bf8 21. Red1 Qb7 {, and Black is set to play some combination of c5/b5/dxc4. White has not achieved anything.}) (18... Bf8 {is another move that asks White what he is up to.}) 19. Nxc4 b5 $1 20. Nce5 Qb6 {A small step in the wrong direction. The queens is generally better off on b7, from where it cannot be attacked by a knight, and from where it supports the knight going to d7 (which will soon be of importance).} (20... Qb7 21. Rc1 Rc8 {and Ludvig would not be able to play as in the game, since} 22. g4 {can be met with} Nd7 $1) 21. Rc1 Rc8 22. g4 $3 {Black is unable to play d7, so White gets a very strong attack here by just shovelling the pawns forward:} Nfd5 $1 23. h4 $1 Bf8 $2 {Black's first real mistake in the game. It was paramount to start exchanging off some stuff in the center:} (23... Bd6 24. g5 Bxe5 25. Nxe5 Qd8 26. f4 f6 27. gxf6 Qxf6 28. h5 Qf5 29. Qxf5 exf5 30. Ba3 bxa4 31. bxa4 $132) 24. g5 $1 h5 25. axb5 Qxb5 26. Rc4 {Now White is almost threatening to take on f7, but it is hard to come up with a good suggestion for Black.} g6 $2 {Alexander was not happy with his position and probably only thought about xg6, which can be survived. But, alas, there is another move.} (26... Ra8 27. Nd2 g6 28. Ne4 a4 29. bxa4 Rxa4 30. Qd1 Rea8 31. Bc3 {is awful for Black, positionally speaking, but not immediately losing.}) 27. Nxf7 Kxf7 28. Ne5+ Ke7 29. Qxg6 Kd8 30. e4 Kc7 ({Black's best defence only prolongs the suffering:} 30... Nb6 31. d5 c5 32. Rd1 exd5 33. exd5 N4xd5 34. Qf7 Rc7 35. Rxd5+ Nxd5 36. Qxd5+ Kc8 37. Qa8+ Qb8 38. Qf3 $18) 31. exd5 Qxd5 32. Rec1 Bd6 33. Nxc6 Nxc6 34. Rxc6+ Qxc6 35. Rxc6+ Kxc6 36. Qxh5 Kd7 37. d5 exd5 38. g6 Rg8 39. g7 Kc6 40. Qg6 d4 41. h5 Kd5 42. Bxd4 Kxd4 43. Qxd6+ Kc3 44. h6 Kxb3 45. Qe6+ Kb4 46. Qxc8 Rxc8 47. h7 1-0   

   [Event "Swedish Championship"]  [Site "Helsingborg"]  [Date "2023.07.09"]  [Round "9"]  [White "Seo, Jung Min"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "B81"]  [WhiteElo "2469"]  [BlackElo "2493"]  [EventCountry "SWE"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 {This surprised me,  but it did not matter too much since I was expecting to be surprised.} e6 {  Before the round, Stellan Brynell prophesied that we would be happy with a  draw. Jung Min's choice of an opening tells a different story, and if I had  been happy with a draw, I would have played 6...e5. Ergo, both players are  aiming for a complex game.} 7. g4 h6 8. Bg2 Be7 (8... Nc6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. e5  Nd5 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. Ne4 {is a bit better for White.}) 9. Be3 Nc6 10. f4 Qc7  $6 {Sometimes i wonder what the point of all those preparations are, when I am  unable to remember how to get to the point where my preparations begin. This  is such case.} ({The whole idea of Black's set-up is to continue with} 10...  Nd7 {, here, threatening ...Bh4+, thus forcing White to play} 11. O-O) {  Jung Min thought for a long while before playing:} 11. Qd3 $5 {After this move  I thought for a very long time.} ({I expected} 11. Qe2 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 e5 13. Be3  Be6 14. O-O-O Rc8 (14... exf4 15. Bxf4 O-O 16. e5 dxe5 17. Qxe5 Qc8 18. g5 $1 {  is much better for White. The bishop on g2 is perfectly placed, so that it is  difficult for Black to solve his problems by inviting exchanges.}) 15. Kb1 b5 {  with a position where White is better, but where I have "complications" (to  quote Mikhail Gurevich). Jung Min's move leads to similar positions, but  taking on f4 will no longer be an option for me.}) 11... Nxd4 12. Qxd4 e5 13.  Qd2 $5 {The upside to this move is that I will not be able to play ...Be6 next,  but the downside is that g4-g5 becomes less of a threat, as I can now take on  f4 before taking on g5 (since the queen will hang with a check before the  g-pawn hits h8).} ({I expected} 13. Qd3 Be6 (13... exf4 $2 14. Bxf4 O-O 15.  O-O-O {is the main point of Qd3. With the d6-pawn under attack I do not have  the time to play ...Be6 or some other move that would benefit my position.})  14. f5 Bc4 15. Qd2 b5 {and now, since} 16. b3 {can be met with} b4 {I have few  problems. (An obvious conclusion for someone who has played Najdorf structures  for half a life time, and who learnt the basics from Daniel King's (amazingly  good) "winning with the Najdorf").}) 13... b5 (13... Be6 $6 14. f5 Bc4 15.  O-O-O {is a tempo better for White, than in the lines where the queen landed  on d3.}) 14. O-O-O (14. a3 Rb8 15. O-O-O O-O 16. g5 exf4 17. Bxf4 hxg5 18. Bxd6  Bxd6 19. Qxd6 Qxd6 20. Rxd6 Re8 $132) 14... b4 15. Ne2 (15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. exd5 (  16. Qxd5 Bb7) 16... exf4 17. Bxf4 O-O 18. Bxh6 $2 (18. Qxb4 f5 $1) 18... gxh6  19. Qxh6 Bd8 $17 {[%cal Gf7f6,Ga8a7]}) 15... a5 16. Kb1 O-O 17. Ng3 ({I  completely missed that} 17. g5 $1 hxg5 (17... exf4 18. Bxf4 hxg5 19. Bxg5) 18.  fxg5 Nh7 (18... Nd7 19. Ng3) 19. h4 {, is dangerous for Black, although the  position after} Be6 20. Ng3 a4 21. Nf5 Rfc8 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 23. Qxd6 Qb7 24. a3  bxa3 25. Qxa3 Rc6 {is less than clear.}) 17... a4 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. exf5 b3 $2 {  I felt I had to open up as many files as possible around White's king, but it  was a big misjudgement.} (19... Rac8 $1 20. Rhg1 Rfd8 21. Qf2 Nd7 {is slightly  promising for Black. I underestimated how sound my position will become the  moment I play exf4 and Bf6. At some point I will probably prefer to play a4-a3,  rather than b4-b3, as in the game.}) 20. cxb3 axb3 21. Rc1 Qb8 (21... bxa2+ $2  22. Ka1 Qb8 {and my a2-pawn is White's greatest protector.}) 22. a3 $1 {  Now I have no obvious way to attack White's king, while the b3-pawn is weak.} (  22. Bxa8 Qxa8 23. a3 Ne4 24. Qh2 Rb8 25. Rc7 Qd5 $1 26. Ka1 (26. Rxe7 Qd3+ 27.  Ka1 Qxe3) 26... Bf6 27. g5 hxg5 28. fxg5 Nxg5 29. Rhc1 Nf3 $132) 22... d5 23.  fxe5 Qxe5 24. Qd4 (24. Bf4 Ne4 25. Qe3 $1 Bg5 26. Qxe4 Qxe4+ 27. Bxe4 dxe4 28.  Bxg5 hxg5 29. Rhe1 g6 30. fxg6 fxg6 31. Rxe4 Rf3) 24... Qb8 25. Rc6 Re8 $1 26.  Rg1 Qb5 (26... Bxa3 27. bxa3 Rxa3 28. Bc1 Ra2) 27. Rb6 Qe2 28. Rxb3 Rab8 $4 (  28... Reb8 $1 29. Qd3 Qxd3+ 30. Rxd3 Bxa3 31. Bd4 Ne4) 29. Rxb8 $2 ({Both Jung  Min and I thought} 29. Qd3 Rxb3 30. Qxe2 Bxa3 {to be promising for Black, but  we missed...} 31. Re1 $1 {which leads to a completely winning position for  White.}) 29... Rxb8 30. Bf4 $4 ({White's only defence is} 30. Qc3 Rxb2+ 31.  Qxb2 Qxe3 32. Rd1 {, and although the position is objectively balanced after}  Ne4 {I would prefer to play this as Black, with so little time on the clock.} (  {or} 32... Bxa3)) 30... Bc5 31. Qd2 (31. Qxc5 Qxb2#) 31... Qxd2 {And with this  win I ended up scoring 1/4 in the first four rounds, and 4½/5 in the last  five, taking the second place. I could not be more happy.} 0-1   

   [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