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Game 3 of the World Chess Championship 2016 saw another Ruy Lopez, although Karjakin steered the game into different waters with 4…Nxe4, the Open Ruy Lopez.
The main line moves were played (5.Re1 Nd6 6.Ne5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6) when Magnus played 10.Re5-e2, a strange square for the Rook as it blocks in the f1 Bishop and gets in line with the Queen for a possible skewer from Bg4 at some point. After 10…b6 (setting up 11…Ba6), the World Champion dropped the Rook back to e1 – a move he could have made in one go.
When asked about this odd sequence after the game, Magnus joked “Yeah, it slipped out of my hand, so I moved it back to e1 the next move.”
Just 5 moves later and the Queens and a pair of Rooks were off the board, followed shortly afterward by 2 minor pieces. In the resulting position both sides had 7 pawns with no majority on either side, one rook and a minor piece: Carlsen’s White Knight against Karjakin’s Black Bishop. Would the Bishop prove stronger in the endgame?
It’s very instructive to see how Magnus operates now. Most players would be tempted to place their Rook on the open file before their opponent. Carlsen saw that other things were more important and makes a series of moves with his Knight, provoking pawn advances and Bishop retreats. Now Carlsen uses his Knight to block the e-file and sets his Rook to control the g-file.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Black is running out of good moves and Sergey lets his Rook wander around the board, pretending to threaten a pawn here and there. Carlsen’s pieces surge in power, Knight on f5, Rook on f6. He’s a pawn up and chasing more material. Karjakin becomes increasingly desperate, trying to keep Carlsen back.
But it’s to no avail. The combination of King, Rook and Knight force Black into a corner and Karjakin has to give up his Bishop. Surely this is a win for Carlsen, the first of the World Chess Championship 2016?
With 72.Rb7, Magnus goes after the b-pawn, winning it and giving his b3 pawn a clear path to promotion. However, a few moves later, he has to agree a draw after realizing there is no good way to stop Black’s h3 pawn.
3 games, 3 draws at the World Chess Championship 2016 and Carlsen has had 2 Whites. Will Karjakin be able to break the deadlock?
And could Magnus have won here with 72. Rf7+ Ke6 73.Rf2 ?