One More for Carlsen
Hint and Explanation: A Quarterback (the King) Who Runs
Magnus Carlsen is riding high.
A few days ago, he achieved his goal of winning the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands with 10 points (wins count for one, draws for one-half) in 13 games.
Earned against an elite field of grandmasters, his 10-3 score was a proud achievement for the Norwegian chess nonpareil.
Although he wins virtually every event in which he plays, young Magnus is far from jaded.
From his remarks, his victory at Wijk aan Zee had special meaning. It was the most dominant of any first-place finish in the history of that celebrated event, except for the identical numbers posted by Garry Kasparov in 1999.
But there is a significant difference. Kasparov was 36 years old at the time. Carlson is only 22. (The discrepancy is hardly worthy of debate. Players are simply starting younger and maturing faster than ever.)
Records are made to be broken. Virtually all competitors concede that fact. But it especially true in chess — a game, sport and science combined, whose protean and evolving nature continuously pushes its acolytes to new heights.
As we have many times noted, today’s computers and the Internet offer young players advantages for developing their game that the Boris Spasskys, Bobby Fischers, Anatoly Karpovs and even Garry Kasparovs — the latter, a notable computer chess fanatic — never fully enjoyed, if at all.
Below is Magnus Carlsen’s crushing win against Hikaru Nakamura from the Tata Steel tournament.
Carlsen Nakamura
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 e5
5. Nb5 d6
6. g3 h5
7. N1c3 a6
8. Na3 b5
9. Nd5 N(g)e7
10. Bg2 Bg4
11. f3 Be6
12. c3 h4
13. Nc2 Bxd5
14. exd5 Na5
15. f4 Nf5
16. g4 h3
17. Be4 Nh4
18. O-O g6
19. Kh1 Bg7
20. f5 gxf5
21. gxf5 Ng2
22. f6 Bf8
23. Qf3 Qc7
24. Nb4 Nb7
25. Nc6 Nc5
26. Bf5 Nd7
27. Bg5 Rg8
28. Qh5 Nb6
29. Be6 Rxg5
30. Qxg5 fxe6
31. dxe6 Black resigns
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Solution to Beginner’s Corner: 1. Rg4ch! Kh7 2. Kf2! (with the lethal threat of Rh1 mate).
