Nice Draw, that was a really clean game,
Lichess blog post is updated with all the games up to game number 10,
linking it again for those who may want to check.
here are the moves of Game 10 with comments but it's much better to check it on the website with the interactive board.
In the press conference after game 9 Magnus was asked, when he had just a 1 game lead, if he picked solid and sound continuations (Like move 10 Qe1 in Game 8). Now, when he has a 3 games lead, what shall we expect in the following 5 games in terms of the style of play? On this, Magnus replied it's more up to Ian.1.e4e52.Nf3Nf6Petroff Defense.3.Nxe5
3.d4is what Magnus opted in his winning Game 8.3...Nxe44.Bd3d55.Nxe5Nd76.Nxd7Bxd77.Nd2!?-see Game 8
3...d64.Nd3!?Deviation from classic variations. Perhaps, not many of you have seen this move before. Clearly, 4.Nf3 is the main move but starting from 2018 the other two Knight retreats (4.Nc4 and 4.Nd3) gained significant popularity.4.Nc4is the second option4...Nxe45.Qe2Qe76.Ne3and this setup has some similarities with Carlsen's choice4...Nxe45.Qe2Qe76.Nf4This position also occurred in Game 6 of the match Carlsen - Caruana back in 2018.6...Nf6
6...Nc6was the choice of the challenger in the previous match.7.Nd5positions looks to be lost for Black, since White has numerous threats, yet after counter-tactical strike Black is perfectly fine.7.c3Nf68.d4would transpose to the text game.7...Nd4!both Queens are hanging now8.Nxe7Nxe29.Nd5Again White has attacked into two points, but Black keeps the balance attacking symmetrical squares.9.Bxe2Bxe79...Nd4!
10.Na3!?Ne611.f3N4c512.d4Nd713.c3c614.Nf4Nb6You rarely see by move 14 both sides to play in total 19 times with the Knights. What a horse race!15.Bd3d516.Nc2Bd617.Nxe6Bxe618.Kf2h5is how the game proceeded in Game 6 of the London match. Later, this relatively calm and sound position turned to be one of the dramatic games of the 2018 World Championship Match. Caruana - with the Black pieces was extremely close to winning the game,vhaving an extra piece for only a pawn in the endgame. Yet, the game ended in a draw on move 80.
10.Bd3a try of defending c2-pawn with a tempo doesn't lead to a win for White due to10...Nc511.Nxc7+Kd812.Nxa8Nxd3+13.cxd3Nc2+14.Kd1Nxa1and despite the fact that White has an extra pawn on d2, the position is equal.
7.d4
7.Nc3is what happened once in my game7...c68.f3!?White tries to seize the kingside by playing g4 later.g5!?was what I played. Perhaps, it was over-ambitious.8...h5!?was a better try9.h4Bf59.Nd3Be610.b3Bg711.Bb2Nbd712.O-O-Oh612...O-O-Oloses a pawn due to double-attack after.13.Qe3±13.Qf2and White was clearly better. I eventually managed to hold the draw against Ganguly.
7...Nc68.c3both sides seem to be in a peaceful mood today.
8.Be3!?keeping Queens on the board could have been a try to play for the initiative
8...Bf59.Nc3O-O-O10.d5Ne5
11.Bxa7g5!?11...b6?12.Qa6++−12.Nh3Bxc2!?13.Be3!13.Qxc2??would be fatal for White13...Nf3+14.Kd1Qe1#Bd313...Nd3+??14.Kd2and Black loses a piece.14.Qd1Bxf115.Kxf1h616.Ng1↑bringing the Knight back to life.
11.O-O-OKb8?!11...a612.Qd2g513.Nh3h614.Qd4looks promising for White12.Qb5+−looks bad for Black.
8...g59.Nd3Bg710.Nc3Be611.O-O-Oh612.h4↑
8...d5
8...g5!?considering the given situation in the match, this is how Ian should have played I assume.9.Nd39.Qxe7+Bxe710.Ne2Nd511.Ng3h5↑...½,Harikrishna, P - Bai, J (China, 2019)Rg8⇆followed by ...-Bd7, long castle and advancing kingside pawns.
9.Nd2Nd8With the b8-c6-d8-e6 zig-zag manoeuvre brings the Knight to -e6, trying to trade off the Knights9...Bd7followed by long castle also looked reasonable10.Nf3Qxe2+11.Bxe2Bd612.O-OO-ONow, when Queens are off the board; both sides having castled kingside and have symmetrical pawn structures, the position has a drawing tendency13.Bd3Re814.Re1Rxe1+15.Nxe1Ne616.Nxe6Bxe6with last moves and a couple more exchanges position simplified even more.17.g3thematic move, freeing g2-square for the Knight.17...g6Black copies White's strategy18.Ng2Re819.f3controlling -e4 and -g4 squares19...Nh520.Kf2
20.g4Ng721.Bf4Bxf422.Nxf4g523.Ng2h524.h3hxg425.hxg4f5leads to similar positions as in the game
20...c621.g4Ng722.Bf4Bxf423.Nxf4g5!important move, otherwise White's spatial advantage on the kingside would give lasting edge for White.24.Ne2f5stabilizing position with aggressive approach.25.h3Kf726.Rh1h627.f4now pawns27...fxg428.hxg4Bxg429.Rxh6Bf5defending from Bg629...Bxe2??30.Bg6++−30.Bxf5Nxf531.Rh7+Ng7
31...Kg6would also be perfectly fine32.Rxb7Nd633.Rxa7Ne4+34.Kg134.Kf3Nd2+35.Kf2Ne4+Nd2and again White has nothing better than35.Kf2Ne4+
32.fxg5Kg633.Rh3Kxg5now when all pawns on the kingside are traded, no doubts remain about the outcome of the game.34.Rg3+Kf635.Rf3+Ke736.Nf4Kd637.Ng6Re638.Ne5Ne839.Rf7Rf6+40.Rxf6+Nxf641.Ke3The game ends in a draw. Magnus is one more step closer to officially retaining the crown. Tomorrow is the rest day in Dubai. In the next game, Ian is having White pieces. Does he plan to go for a 'consolation goal' or we are going to see a relatively sound opening concept by him? We will know about it on Friday. Meanwhile, enjoy chess!