Gran Fiesta

Just before the London Classic, Magnus Carlsen and Judith Polgar contested a four-game match under speed and blindfold conditions as part of the Gran Fiesta of chess at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) in Mexico City. Supported by the enterprising Mexican Chess Federation, the festival’s highlight was this clash between the top-ranked player and the highest-rated female player of all time. This week, a game and puzzle from the encounter.

Polgar-Carlsen: Second Gran Fiesta, Mexico City (blindfold game) 2012; Pirc Defence

1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Bd3  White chooses an unusual move order which Carlsen swiftly seeks to exploit. 5 … c5 6 d5 0-0 7 Nf3 Na6 8 0-0 Rb8 9 a4 Bg4 10 h3 Bxf3 11 Qxf3 Nb4 (see diagram 1) White has the bishop pair but Black’s queenside counterplay gives the world number one a promising position. 12 Qf2 Nd7 13 Be3 a6 14 Rfd1  This looks odd. One would expect White to attempt to attack on the kingside in positions with this structure and so 14 Rad1 would appear more natural. 14 … Nxd3 15 cxd3 Qa5 16 d4 Rbc8 17 Rab1 Qb4  Black’s dark-square pressure on the queenside is becoming very powerful. 18 Kh2 cxd4 19 Bxd4 Rc4 20 Bxg7 Kxg7 21 Re1 Nc5 22 Qe3 Rd4 23 Rbd1 Rxd1 24 Rxd1 Qxb2 (see diagram 2) White has succeeded in exchanging off Black’s dangerous bishop, but the outcome has been a black breakthrough on the queenside which has gained an important pawn. White now makes a desperate surge to break through to the black king but Carlsen beats it off easily. 25 e5 Rc8 26 f5 Nd7 This regrouping threatens the white knight on c3 and allows Black to blunt the pressure on the long diagonal.