Carlsen - Karjakin Game 5 - Still Level

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O {Both players have had this position this year. Carlsen as White v Aronian (Blitz draw). Karjakin as Black in the Olympiad v Harikrishna 1-0.} 6. a4 {Apparently new to both players. The Bishop has a retreat hole on a2. and a by the way c3 then b4 idea winning the Black Bishop.} 6... d6 7. c3 {Laying the foundations for a d2-d4 push. Karjakin is not going to get his Bishop trapped but others here have. (see next game)} 7... a6 {Same bolt hole idea as White. 7...a5 or 7...Bb6 are also legal.} 8. b4 {A standard move in this set up. One aim, as we shall see, is making Black think twice about playing d5. If he does then c5 is a nice square for the Knight.} 8... Ba7 {Now 9.Bg5 is the popular choice to see if White can weaken the castled King by tempting h6 forward.} 9. Re1 {Certainly playable, this holds the e-pawn. White is going for d4.} 9... Ne7 {Black has c6 and d5 plans of his own. Also this Knight goes to g6 to cover e5 and consider later jumping to f4 or h4 and we get a who is attacking who position.} 10. Nbd2 Ng6 11. d4 {Carlsen is going for it But if Black does not lose his head there no need to worry.} 11... c6 12. h3 {Not aimed at keeping the Bishop off g4 but the Knight. After dxe5 Ng4 hitting f2 then Rf1 and Ng4xe5 and Black is looking good.} 12... exd4 {Often not good in similar positions as it gives White to broad a centre but Black intends to liquidate it right away.} 13. cxd4 Nxe4 {Using the pawn fork trick to equalise. Nxe4 or Rxe4 then d5.} 14. Bxf7+ {That's an anti rule of thumb move by Carlsen. (which is typical Carlsen) Usually in the Pawn Fork Trick positions you keep the Bishop on the board.} 14... Rxf7 {I would not mind this position as Black It has the makings of creating some threats v the White King.} 15. Nxe4 d5 16. Nc5 {There is the Knight on c5 I mentioned earlier.} 16... h6 {To keep thing off g5. Black likes the idea of keeping the Rook on f7, maybe it's pal on a8 can go to f8 then all kinds tricks appear.} 17. Ra3 {A good move that one. Short term stopping Rxf3 attacking sacs. Has Rae3 doubling on the e-file plans, Long term perhaps going to g3.} 17... Bf5 18. Ne5 {I would have lost money bettering on that one. Rae3 looks the obvious move.} 18... Nxe5 {It has to come off. Now is it Rxe5 keeping the c5 Knight cosy or dxe5.} 19. dxe5 {Of course, The c5 Knight covers e6, as does the Re1 Rook. That e5 pawn is thinking of causing chaos in the Black camp.} 19... Qh4 {Tickles f2 and the b4 pawn which is holding the c5 Knight. I like (and would have played ) 19...a5 and the Knight is being undermined.} 20. Rf3 {Here I go 20...Raf8 and if 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Rxe6 (best) Rxf3 and surely Black has least a perpetual. I would not have played....} 20... Bxc5 {White's f2 squares sighs in relief. Obviously the threat of e6 covered by the c5 Knight was too risky to contemplate.} 21. bxc5 {We have that pawn formation in reverse from Game 4. A pawn on c5 (in Game 4 it was Carlsen's pawn c4) holding up any Queenside pawn moves.} 21... Re8 {Yes indeed it was the worry about that e6 pawn that prompted Black to swap on c5. That and the opposite coloured Bishops which will favour the attacker.} 22. Rf4 {But who is attacking who?} 22... Qe7 23. Qd4 Ref8 24. Rf3 {The c1 Bishop is eyeing the h6 pawn but for such attacks to work one side will have to push their kingside pawns and neither of them are going to that...yet.} 24... Be4 {A pair of Rooks come off. I'm thinking both players will be happy with that.} 25. Rxf7 Qxf7 26. f3 {f2 is covered for ever. White does not want a Queen or Rook tied down defending that square.} 26... Bf5 {Now I'd play 27.e6 Bxe6 Bb2. the e5 pawn is blocking the Bishop and g7 will require piece protection for the rest of the game.} 27. Kh2 Be6 {Black is not going to allow e6 letting the Bishop into the game, but a few moves later he copies the idea.} 28. Re2 {Now comes the shiggling and shuggling part as players test each other's nerves.} 28... Qg6 29. Be3 Rf7 30. Rf2 Qb1 31. Rb2 {Carlsen does not like enemy Queens in his half of the board.} 31... Qf5 32. a5 {That is Queenside sealed up and it gives Karjakin an idea.} 32... Kf8 {A King run to the Queenside. (another reminder of what happened in Game 4 - this time it's Karjakin's King going for a walk.)} 33. Qc3 Ke8 34. Rb4 {If left alone Carlsen can consolidate to cover the e-pawn and consider doubling up the b-file to get the b7 pawn.} 34... g5 {Black is not going to give White any time to go b7 pawn hunting Karjakin is on the push for the first time in this match.} 35. Rb2 Kd8 36. Rf2 Kc8 37. Qd4 {Black will not play 37..K b8 because b8 is a dark square which could allow e5-e6 discovered checks into the game.} 37... Qg6 38. g4 {Carlsen invites the open file v his King. He does not want to see h5 and g4 If Black wants an open file then the g5 pawn stays on g5 and is a target.} 38... h5 39. Qd2 {See!} 39... Rg7 40. Kg3 {40...h4+ just gums it all up. White will then see if he can ever break with f3-f4 and we get 30 moves of watching Carlsen grinding into position to try and set it up.} 40... Rg8 41. Kg2 hxg4 42. hxg4 d4 {Wow! Karjakin is nicking the Idea I had for White. A pawn sac to activate the Bishop.} 43. Qxd4 Bd5 44. e6 {Sensing danger Carlsen returns the pawn to activate the dark squares. Suddenly Rh8 is not on, If White can set up a Q & B battery on the h2-b8 diagonal White wins.} 44... Qxe6 45. Kg3 Qe7 46. Rh2 {It's White who grabs the h-file.} 46... Qf7 47. f4 gxf4+ 48. Qxf4 {I thought Bxf4 was the idea. Carlsen wants to try and win the ending. Karjakin declines the Queen swap for now.} 48... Qe7 49. Rh5 Rf8 {This looks good. Black threatens after the Queen moves Rf3+.} 50. Rh7 {But Carlsen has it covered. He will not be denied his Queen swap.} 50... Rxf4 51. Rxe7 {Now sit back and watch Carlsen win the opposite coloured Bishop with a Rook ending.} 51... Re4 {Apparently not. Draw agreed. The Rooks come off and it's a draw.}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O d6 6. c3 Qe7 7. b4 Bb6 8. a4 {Now some Bishop luft is called for.} 8... O-O 9. a5 {The Bishop is trapped and Black lost.}