Nakamura-Carlsen Game 4 Annotated Magnus Carlsen Invitational 2020

Hikaru with White must win to tie the match 2-2. He is trailing 1-2 in a rapid match of 4 games played online at chess24.com

First key moment

Black (Magnus) to play

Here Magnus saw that 16..c5 worked and would allow Black to equalize. Opening the position will favor the bishop pair.

Second key moment

White (Hikaru) to play 

Here Hikaru played 22bc5!? . He saw 22.Nc5 Nc5 23 bc5  Rdc8 with an extra pawn but the position has opposite bishops. Magnus would put his pieces on black pieces and his next moves would be easy to find. By playing 22bc5!? White keeps more pieces on the board.


Third key moment

White to play

Here Hikaru has an extra pawn and Knight versus Bishop instead of opposite bishops. Magnus drifted as the position was near equal around move 22. The position is now between draw and win for white and chess24.com commentators thought White had good chances to convert.
Here White rushed by playing 41.Ne5 on which Black played Bxe5 to enter the rook endgame. It was much stronger to play 41.a5 or 41 Kg2 to activate pieces. Black is passive and cannot start counterplay so White should improve his position patiently.


Fourth key moment

White to play

Here white played 43 Kg2?. This is a mistake from Hikaru as Magnus replied 43..g5 and later on ..h5 and ..g4. If Hikaru had played the best move 43 h4! , Magnus could have tried 43...h6  on which White would respond 44a5 g5 46 h5!. by not exchanging the h pawns, White would have another target the h6 pawn, on top of the threat of advancing the a pawn. This rook ending is winning for white.


in the end after 43 Kg2 g5! they continued but the game ended up in a draw by perpetual check. full game below.

[Event "Magnus Carlsen Invitational Final 4"]
[Site "chess24.com "]
[Date "2020.05.03"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D52"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4 8.
Bxf6 Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Be2 Be7 11. a3 O-O 12. b4 Rd8 13. O-O b6 14. Bf3 Ba6
15. Qb3 Rac8 16. Rac1 c5 17. dxc5 Bxc4 18. Qxc4 bxc5 19. Na4 Nd7 20. Qb5 Qb8
21. Qxb8 Rxb8 22. bxc5 Rdc8 23. c6 Ne5 24. Rc3 Nxf3+ 25. gxf3 Kf8 26. Rd1 Ke8
27. Rd7 Bf6 28. Rc5 Rxc6 29. Rxa7 Rxc5 30. Nxc5 Be7 31. Ne4 f5 32. Ng3 g6 33.
a4 Kf7 34. Ne2 Kf6 35. Ra6 Rb2 36. Nf4 Kf7 37. Nd3 Ra2 38. Ra7 Kf6 39. f4 Bd6
40. Ra6 Ke7 41. Ne5 Bxe5 42. fxe5 Kd7 43. Kg2 g5 44. Rd6+ Ke7 45. Ra6 Kd7 46.
a5 h5 47. Rd6+ Ke7 48. a6 h4 49. Rb6 Kd7 50. Rd6+ Ke7 51. h3 Ra5 52. f4 g4 53.
Rb6 Ra2+ 54. Kh1 Ra1+ 55. Kg2 Ra2+ 56. Kf1 Ra1+ 57. Kg2 Ra2+ 1/2-1/2

Animated Game below