Magnus Invitational Day 1: Giri beats Carlsen

by Shahid Ahmed - 14/03/2021

Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Magnus Carlsen invitational witnessed Giri beating Carlsen in Round 4 and finish Day 1 with a sole lead of 4.0/5. Both Aronian and Carlsen finished the first day with 3.5/4. They are followed by five players at 3.0/5. Dubov made a brilliant stalemate combination at the center of the board as he saved the game from a completely lost position against Mamedyarov. Catch Day 2 action tonight on ChessBase India youtube channel from 9:30 p.m. IST. with live commentary by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal. Photo: chess24 Live stream

Giri scores a hat-trick

World champion Magnus Carlsen lost to Anish Giri in the fourth round of Magnus Invitational. Last year also Giri beat Carlsen in the exact same event with reverse colors. Giri beat Pichot, Carlsen and So consecutively. This time the world no.1 was on the brink of checkmate when he resigned. Giri took the sole lead at the end of day 1 with 4.0/5. Aronian made a good recovery after losing the first round against Mamedyarov and finished the day with the same score as Carlsen 3.5/5.

Carlsen on the brink of a checkmate | Photo: chess24 live stream

Round 1: Dubov's grand win

In an interesting Queen and Rook endgame, So made a blunder which the Russia champion Nepomniachtchi was unable to figure out at first but later got it at his second opportunity.

So - Nepomniachtchi

Position after 55...a3+ | Photo: chess24 live stream

There is only one way for white to save the game after 55...a3+. What is it? So missed another opportunity to save the game and eventually lost it in another three moves.

Mamedyarov got into early trouble as he misplayed against Aronian's onslaught on the kingside.

Aronian - Mamedyarov

Position after 13...Nh7

13...Nd7 probably would have been better for black. However Aronian did not continue the attack in the correct way and opted for 14.Nd5. What was the better continuation for white?

Position after 18...Bf6

White has sacrificed a bishop and has a huge initiative. Find out the best plan for white. The game went on with 19.Rxf7 and soon afterwards white's attack diminished, tables turned and black eventually scored a victory.

Grandelius' passive-aggressive battery allowed Dubov to launch an attack.

Dubov - Grandelius

Position after 27...Qe8

27...Qe8 is a waste time of time for black in a position which is already advantageous for white. Black should have played more actively with 27...Qb6

Position after 33...Qe6 | Photo: chess24 live stream

Find out the winning combination for white after 33...Qe6.

Tata Steel 2021 winner Jorden van Foreest misplayed in the endgame against Carlsen.

Jorden - Carlsen

Position after 39...e2

What is the best defence for white after 39...e2 ? 40.Kf2 was not the correct way to defend this position as black won the game in ten moves after 40...Bb5

Vachier-Lagrave had an interesting draw against Firouzja.

Round 2: Dubov's brilliant stalemate combination

Giri was better for the better part of the game against Firouzja but a slip in the end allowed Firouzja to make a comeback.

Giri - Firouzja

Position after 22...Bg7

It is evident that white is in full control of the position. If you were white here, what would you do after 22...Bg7 ?

Position after 48.Ng4

The position is not easy to play to for black and white could have pushed for a win. 48.Ng4 allowed black to get back in the game.

Position after 54...g4

54...g4 allowed white to make a comfortable draw with 55.Rc4. Instead black should have played 55...Kf7 to try for a win.

Vachier-Lagrave made an inaccuracy in a seemingly equal position which allowed the world champion to score his second consecutive victory.

Carlsen - Vachier-Lagrave

Position after 29...Nf6

29...Nf6 may not seem much at a first glance but it is a big positional mistake. Find out why.

Jorden van Foreest scored an easy win as David Anton Guijarro hung his rook with a one-move blunder.

Grandelius made an incorrect decision in a seemingly equal position against Nakamura.

Grandelius - Nakamura

Position after 40...Qe2

Which is the correct way for white to defend the f2-pawn after 40...Qe2 ?

Mamedyarov had a couple of extra pawns in the endgame but the opposite color bishop factor helped Dubov save the game.

Mamedyarov - Dubov

Position after 66.Be5

66.Be5 was a mistake. Why?

Nepomniachtchi got an early advantage against Aronian but he was unable to capitalize it.

Nepomniachtchi - Aronian

Position after 15...Rfe8

15...Rfe8 is a big mistake as it allows white to convert his advantage How? White missed it and eventually black got the advantage and converted it with ease.

Karjakin sacrificed his knight without enough compensation. So defended his position well and eventually utilized his material advantage to score a victory.

Round 3: Firouzja held Carlsen to a draw

Giri scored a clinical victory in the Najdorf over Alan Pichot.

Aronian scored a comfortable victory over Karjakin after the latter blundered a piece in a difficult position.

Nepomniachtchi landed himself in a terrible position out of the opening against Dubov.

Dubov - Nepomniachtchi

Position after 16...Qc6

Black's position was already less than comfortable. 16...Qc6 only accelerated things in white's favor. How?

Despite having advantage, Jorden made two big mistakes in consecutive moves which turned things into Grandelius' favor.

Jorden - Grandelius

Position after 28.Nc4

28.Nc4 drop the e4-pawn for no reason. After 28...Nxe4 white made another mistake with 29.Qc6 and white arrived at a winning position after 29...Nxf2

Vachier-Lagrave was in a bit of pickle against Anton.

Vachier-Lagrave - Anton

Position after 32.Qb2

Black missed a very simple opportunity after 32.Qb2. What was it? A series of inaccuracies turned things in white's favor and Vachier-Lagrave managed to win the game.

Firouzja made a solid draw with Carlsen in the Queen and Bishop endgame after pieces kept getting exchanged at regular intervals.