Carlsen v. Giri - rare and interesting endgame!

[Sean Evans]

[Event "Tata Steel"] [Site "0:07:33-0:17:33"] [Date "2017.01.21"] [Round "7"] [White "Magnus Carlsen"] [Black "Anish Giri"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2017.01.14"] [ECO "D05"] [PlyCount "245"] [CurrentPosition "7k/8/4B1KP/8/8/8/8/8 b - - 4 123"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 b6 6.O-O Bb7 7.Nbd2 Be7 8.b3 O-O 9.Bb2 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Bd6 11.c4 cxd4 12.exd4 Qe7 13.Ne5 Ba3 14.Bxa3 Qxa3 15.f4 Qb2 16.Nef3 dxc4 17.bxc4 Bxf3 18.Nxf3 Qxe2 19.Bxe2 Rac8 20.a4 Rc7 21.a5 Rd8 22.axb6 Nxb6 23.Rfc1 Nc8 24.g3 Ne7 25.Ra4 Nc6 26.c5 Nd5 27.Ne5 Nde7 28.Rcc4 Nxe5 29.fxe5 f6 30.exf6 gxf6 31.Bf3 e5 32.dxe5 fxe5 33.c6 Nf5 34.Ra5 Re8 35.Rcc5 Nd4 36.Be4 Kf7 37.Kg2 Kf6 38.Ra2 Ke6 39.Rca5 Ree7 40.Rf2 Rg7 41.h4 h5 42.Kh2 a6 43.Bd5+ Ke7 44.Rxa6 Kd6 45.Bg2 Rge7 46.Ra5 Nxc6 47.Rf6+ Re6 48.Rd5+ Ke7 49.Rf5 e4 50.Rxh5 e3 51.Rh7+ Ke8 52.Rxc7 e2 53.Bf3 e1=Q 54.Bh5+ Kf8 55.Rf5+ Kg8 56.Bf7+?? ( 56.Rc8+ Kg7 { 56...Kh7 leads to the same checkmate } 57.Rf7+ Kh6 58.Rh8# ) 56...Kh8 57.Rh5+ Kg7 58.Bxe6+ Kf6 59.Rh6+ Ke5 60.Bh3 Qd2+ 61.Bg2 Qxh6 62.Rxc6 Qh7 63.Rc4 Kf6 64.Rg4 Qd7 65.Rg5 Qc7 66.Rb5 Qc2 67.Rb6+ Kg7 68.Re6 Qa2 69.Re7+ Kf6 70.Re4 Kg7 71.Kh3 Qf7 72.Re2 Qf5+ 73.Kh2 Qf6 74.Be4 Qf1 75.Rc2 Qe1 76.Bf3 Qf1 77.Bg2 Qe1 78.Rc7+ Kh8 79.Rc4 Qe2 80.Re4 Qd2 81.Re6 Qa2 82.Re8+ Kg7 83.Re7+ Kh8 84.Re3 Qd2 85.Rf3 Qd7 86.Rb3 Qe6 87.Rb2 Qe5 88.Rf2 Qe6 89.Bf3 Qe5 90.Kg2 Qf6 91.Re2 Qd8 92.Ra2 Qf6 93.Rc2 Qe7 94.Rc6 Qd8 95.Rc2 Qe7 96.Rc8+ Kg7 97.Rc6 Kh8 98.Rh6+ Kg7 99.Rh5 Qe1 100.Rd5 Qe7 101.Rb5 Qe1 102.Rb7+ Kh8 103.Rd7 Qe8 104.Rd1 Qc8 105.Re1 Qc3 106.Rf1 Qd2+ 107.Kh3 Qd7+ 108.g4 Qd3 109.Kg2 Qd2+ 110.Rf2 Qe1 111.h5 Kg7 112.Re2 Qa5 113.Re4 Kf6 114.Rf4+ Kg5 115.Rf5+ Qxf5 116.gxf5 Kxf5 117.Kg3 Kg5 118.Bg4 Kh6 119.Kh4 Kg7 120.Kg5 Kh8 121.h6 Kh7 122.Be6 Kh8 123.Kg6 1/2-1/2

[S.Taylor]

The first thing i saw that came up, after i clicked on this post, was the end drawn position. I didn't yet think who was which color.
But I was sure it was Carlson who was white, because i know him to be that kind of end-game wizard.

Question, when he gave up that exchange, just before the long endgame, did he do it as a drawing exchange?

If so, and if it was the best continuation, then it was brilliant.

Though i think we could expect the same from Anand also!

[Sean Evans]

I analyzed the game over night for both sides, to get a better idea as to what happened

[Event "Tata Steel"] [Site "0:07:33-0:17:33"] [Date "2017.01.21"] [Round "7"] [White "Magnus Carlsen"] [Black "Anish Giri"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D05"] [PlyCount "245"] [EventDate "2017.01.14"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 {last book move} c5 5. c3 b6 6. O-O Bb7 7. Nbd2 Be7 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. Qe2 Bd6 11. c4 cxd4 12. exd4 Qe7 13. Ne5 Ba3 14. Bxa3 Qxa3 15. f4 Qb2 16. Nef3 dxc4 17. bxc4 Bxf3 18. Nxf3 Qxe2 19. Bxe2 Rac8 20. a4 Rc7 21. a5 Rd8 22. axb6 Nxb6 23. Rfc1 Nc8 24. g3 Ne7 25. Ra4 Nc6 26. c5 Nd5 27. Ne5 Nde7 28. Rcc4 ({0.15 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 28. Rd1 g5 29. Nxc6 Nxc6 30. fxg5 Kg7 31. Rc4 Na5 32. Rc3 Nc6 33. Rcd3 Rcd7 34. Kf2 Rxd4 35. Ke3 Rxd3+ 36. Rxd3 Rc8 37. Rc3 f6 38. Ba6 Rb8 39. Rd3 fxg5 40. Rd6 Rb3+ 41. Ke4 Rb4+ 42. Kd3 Ne5+ 43. Kc3 Rb1 44. Rxe6 Rc1+ 45. Kb4 Rb1+ 46. Ka4 Ra1+ 47. Kb5 Nf3 48. Rd6 Ne5 49. Rd5 Rb1+ 50. Ka5 Ra1+ 51. Kb4 {0.74/31}) 28... Nxe5 ({ 0.79 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 28... Nb8 29. Rc2 Nbc6 30. Nxc6 Nxc6 31. Rcc4 Rcd7 32. Kf2 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Nxd4 34. Rxa7 Kf8 35. Rc7 Nc2 36. Bc4 Rd4 37. Bb5 Rd2+ 38. Kf3 Rxh2 39. Rd7 Rh5 40. c6 Rxb5 41. c7 Rc5 42. Rd8+ Ke7 43. c8=Q Rxc8 44. Rxc8 Nd4+ 45. Ke3 Nf5+ 46. Kf2 Nd6 47. Rh8 h6 {0.15/32}) 29. fxe5 f6 30. exf6 gxf6 31. Bf3 e5 ({1.98 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 31... Kf7 32. Kf2 {0.83/33}) 32. dxe5 fxe5 33. c6 Nf5 34. Ra5 Re8 35. Rcc5 Nd4 36. Be4 Kf7 37. Kg2 Kf6 38. Ra2 Ke6 39. Rca5 Ree7 ({2.93 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 39... Nxc6 40. Ra6 Kd7 41. Bxh7 Nb4 42. Bf5+ Ke7 43. Rxa7 Rxa7 44. Rxa7+ Kf6 45. Be4 Rc8 46. Rb7 Nc2 47. h4 Ne3+ 48. Kf2 Ng4+ 49. Kf3 Nh2+ 50. Kg2 Ng4 51. Rb6+ Ke7 52. Kf3 Nh2+ 53. Ke2 Rg8 54. Rg6 Rxg6 55. Bxg6 Ng4 56. Kf3 Nh2+ 57. Kf2 Ng4+ 58. Kg2 Ke6 59. Be4 Kf7 60. Bd3 Nf6 61. Bf5 Kg7 62. Kf3 Kf7 63. Be4 Kg7 64. Ke3 Ng4+ 65. Ke2 Kf6 66. Kf3 Nh2+ 67. Kf2 Ng4+ 68. Ke2 {1.66/33}) 40. Rf2 Rg7 41. h4 h5 ({4.04 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 41... Rc8 42. Bd5+ Kd6 43. Rf6+ Ke7 44. Rh6 Ke8 45. Be4 Re7 46. Kh3 Kf8 47. Rc5 Rec7 48. Rxe5 Re8 49. Rhh5 a6 50. Rxe8+ Kxe8 51. Re5+ Kf7 52. Rc5 Kg7 53. g4 h6 54. Kg3 Ne2+ 55. Kg2 Nf4+ 56. Kf3 Ne6 57. Rd5 Kf6 58. Ra5 Kf7 59. Rf5+ Kg6 60. Ke3 Kg7 61. Ra5 Re7 62. Re5 Re8 63. Rd5 Re7 64. Kf3 Rf7+ 65. Kg3 Re7 66. Bf5 {2.74/36}) 42. Kh2 a6 43. Bd5+ Ke7 44. Rxa6 Kd6 45. Bg2 Rge7 46. Ra5 Nxc6 47. Rf6+ Re6 48. Rd5+ Ke7 49. Rf5 e4 50. Rxh5 e3 ({ 3.35 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 50... Ra7 51. Rh7+ Kf8 52. Rf5+ Ke8 53. Rxa7 Nxa7 54. Kg1 Nc8 55. Rf4 Nd6 56. Kf2 e3+ 57. Ke2 Nb5 58. Rc4 Nd6 59. Rc6 Ke7 60. g4 Re5 61. Bf3 Kd7 62. Ra6 Ke7 63. h5 Nb5 64. Kd3 Kf8 65. Rg6 Kf7 66. Rb6 Kg7 67. Be2 Kg8 68. Rb7 Nd6 69. Rc7 Nf7 70. Kd4 Ra5 71. Bc4 e2 72. Bxe2 {2.38/35}) 51. Rh7+ Ke8 ({88.19 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 51... Kf6 52. Rh6+ Ke7 53. Rxe6+ Kxe6 54. Rd3 e2 55. Re3+ Ne5 56. Rxe2 Kf5 57. Bd5 Ra7 58. Kh3 Ra4 59. Bb3 Ra1 60. Bc2+ Kf6 61. Be4 Ra4 62. Re3 Nc4 63. Rf3+ Kg7 64. Bd5 Nd6 65. Rd3 Nf5 66. g4 Nd4 67. Be4 Ne6 68. Re3 Ra1 69. Bf5 Nd4 70. Bd3 Nc6 71. Kg3 Rd1 72. Kf4 Nd8 73. g5 Rh1 74. Re7+ Kf8 75. Rh7 {3.07/38}) 52. Rxc7 e2 ({#23 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT: } 52... Ne7 53. Rd1 {55.37/33}) 53. Bf3 e1=Q 54. Bh5+ Kf8 55. Rf5+ Kg8 56. Bf7+ $4 (56. Rc8+ {56...Kh8 6.92} Kg7 {56...Kh7 leads to the same checkmate} 57. Rf7+ Kh6 58. Rh8#) ({6.92 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 56. Rc8+ Re8 57. Rxe8+ Qxe8 58. Bxe8 Ne7 59. g4 Nxf5 60. gxf5 Kg7 61. h5 Kg8 62. f6 Kh7 63. f7 Kg7 64. h6+ Kf8 65. h7 Kg7 66. f8=Q+ Kxf8 67. h8=Q+ Ke7 68. Qe5+ Kf8 69. Bg6 Kg8 70. Qe7 Kh8 71. Qh7# {#16/67}) 56... Kh8 57. Rh5+ Kg7 58. Bxe6+ Kf6 59. Rh6+ ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 59. Bc4 Ne5 60. Rh6+ Kf5 61. Bd3+ Kg4 62. Rg7+ Kf3 63. Rf6+ Ke3 64. Bf1 Qc3 65. Re7 Kd2 66. Rfe6 Nf3+ 67. Kh3 Qc8 68. Kg2 Nd4 69. Re4 Qc6 70. Kh3 Qf6 71. Bg2 Nf5 72. R7e5 Nd6 73. Rd5+ Kc3 74. Re3+ Kb4 75. g4 Qh6 76. g5 Qg6 77. Bf3 Nc4 78. h5 Qf7 79. Red3 Qe6+ 80. Bg4 Qe1 81. g6 Ne3 82. R3d4+ Kc3 83. Rd7 Qh1+ 84. Kg3 Qe1+ 85. Kf4 {5.42/30}) 59... Ke5 60. Bh3 Qd2+ 61. Bg2 Qxh6 62. Rxc6 Qh7 63. Rc4 Kf6 64. Rg4 Qd7 65. Rg5 Qc7 66. Rb5 Qc2 67. Rb6+ Kg7 68. Re6 Qa2 69. Re7+ Kf6 70. Re4 Kg7 71. Kh3 Qf7 72. Re2 Qf5+ 73. Kh2 Qf6 74. Be4 Qf1 75. Rc2 Qe1 76. Bf3 Qf1 77. Bg2 Qe1 78. Rc7+ Kh8 79. Rc4 Qe2 80. Re4 Qd2 81. Re6 Qa2 82. Re8+ Kg7 83. Re7+ Kh8 84. Re3 Qd2 85. Rf3 Qd7 86. Rb3 Qe6 87. Rb2 Qe5 88. Rf2 Qe6 89. Bf3 Qe5 90. Kg2 Qf6 91. Re2 Qd8 92. Ra2 Qf6 93. Rc2 Qe7 94. Rc6 Qd8 95. Rc2 Qe7 96. Rc8+ Kg7 97. Rc6 Kh8 98. Rh6+ Kg7 99. Rh5 Qe1 100. Rd5 Qe7 101. Rb5 Qe1 102. Rb7+ Kh8 103. Rd7 Qe8 104. Rd1 Qc8 105. Re1 Qc3 106. Rf1 Qd2+ 107. Kh3 Qd7+ 108. g4 Qd3 109. Kg2 Qd2+ 110. Rf2 Qe1 111. h5 Kg7 112. Re2 Qa5 113. Re4 Kf6 114. Rf4+ Kg5 115. Rf5+ Qxf5 116. gxf5 Kxf5 117. Kg3 Kg5 118. Bg4 Kh6 119. Kh4 Kg7 120. Kg5 Kh8 121. h6 Kh7 122. Be6 Kh8 123. Kg6 ({?? Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT:} 123. Bc4 Kh7 124. Bd3+ Kh8 125. Kf4 Kg8 126. h7+ Kh8 127. Bg6 Kg7 128. Bb1 Kh8 129. Ke4 Kxh7 130. Kd3 Kg7 131. Ba2 Kh6 132. Bd5 Kg5 133. Kc2 Kf4 134. Bg8 Kg5 135. Bc4 Kf4 136. Be2 Kg3 137. Kd3 Kf4 138. Kd4 Kg5 139. Ke5 Kh6 140. Kf6 Kh7 141. Bd3+ Kh6 142. Bf5 Kh5 143. Bg6+ Kh4 144. Ke6 Kg3 145. Kf5 Kg2 146. Kg4 Kf2 147. Kh5 Ke3 {0.08/40}) 1/2-1/2